WORTHY but dull in the eyes of sporting drivers, the purchase of a Volvo is widely seen as a token of middle-age and the assumption of family responsibilities.
A Volvo hot-rod seems implausible - the Swedish cars are renowned for safety and longevity even though Volvo cars have never been the most exciting.
However, with the 850 Turbo, Volvo has unleashed a beast - a smooth and refined beast - but an animal none-the-less.
Beneath the square-cut and traditional clothes is a fast and thrilling car.
The standard 850 saloon has already gone a long way to establishing Volvo as a maker of exciting cars, but, with the 850 Turbo, the gloves have come off.
Beneath the bonnet of the Turbo, with its familiar square shape and rectangular grille, lies a turbo-charged and inter-cooled 2.3-litre five-cylinder engine that packs a huge 225 brake horsepower punch.