This thread was the offspring of a question on how long the 850's were expected to last, found here.

OzBrick note:
(One of the advantages to having a site like this is that I can put in my 2c worth at the top of the page..  )

My Volvo publication entitled , "The Challenge, Volvo 850 GLT" states the engine as a five cylinder  generating 170 hp/125 kW @6200 rpm, Max Torque/rpm 220 Nm/3300rpm. This would make it the standard, normally aspirated 20 valve B5254 engine.

                       Hiya,
                       Youmentioned that you have a Non-Turbo 850, but then you go on to type GLT. The L and T stand for
                       Low Pressure Turbo. Keep that in mind when considering how long the car will last. Turbo units don't
                       last as long and need to be replaced, but they do have a certain Je n'sais Quoi.

                       Kevin,
                       I have a 95 GLT...I think thru 95 GLT was just a trim designation. If I am correct, starting in 96, the
                       GLT was a turbo.
                       Mike

                       Interesting comments regarding turbos, non-turbos, and the 850 in general.

                       I bought a very early '97 850 after investigating the '96 models, and the GLT definitely was a
                       low-pressure turbo model, without exception in the US. The brochure clearly states this. There was also
                       a base model available, as well as a high-pressure turbo (the T5).

                       I ended up buying the 168-HP '97 base 850 rather than the GLT (which, again, had a
                       LIGHT-PRESSURE TURBO @ 190 HP) because [1] money was an issue (I had to get it off the lot
                       for under $30K), and [2] I really wanted a manual transmission, and the only generally-available
                       variation that included a stick was the base model.

                       In retrospect, I wish I'd bought the GLT and just lived with the automatic transmission; the 168-HP,
                       normally-aspirated engine lacks punch in the low end -- which was EXACTLY what the light-pressure
                       turbo boost was designed to address, according to my salesdork.

                       I hope to add a good, used 850 T5 wagon in the next year or so and a C70 HT another year after that.
                       Until then, I'll live with my underpowered base 850 and 780 Turbo (which is definitely not
                       underpowered, is a blast to drive, and has totally changed my opinion of automatic transmissions).

                       kennedybrandt@earthlink.net
                       '97 base 850, '90 780 Turbo

... posted by Ken  on Tuesday, 20 February 2001, at 6:58 a.m. ...in response to "Re: life
                       expectancy of the 850's" posted by Kennedy Brandt.

                       I have a 96 GLT and it is not a turbo. The 96 Turbos say turbo on the back. GLT is just the trim
                       package.
                       --
                       Ken

... posted by Michel de Breyne  on Tuesday, 20 February 2001, at 8:01 a.m. ...in response to
                       "Re: life expectancy of the 850's" posted by Ken.

                       In confirmation of what Ken stated, according to Intellichoice, in 97, the 850 GLTs were upgraded with
                       the 190HP light turbo (and the '850 Turbo' was re-badged '850 T5').

                       Hope this helps,
                       Mike

                       Even in 1996 the GLT was NOT a turbo. Volvo has used GLT through out the years to mean Gran Lux
                       Touring package....

                       --
                       Paul/Pablo/Paulo Seminara

                       As Far as the US, the '93 GLT does NOT have a turbo. The turbo came out in '94, but the base 850
                       was still called the GLT.
                       I haven't actually seen any literature to indicate what the GLT represents.
                       Maybe, ah,
                       1. Grand Luxury Touring (or Turismo)
                       2. Great Lasting Transportation
                       3. G-force Like Thrust
                       I believe the "Lite" turbo came out in '97 as was indeed labeled as the GLT.
                       As far as longevity, I have '95 Turbo with 98K and is running and looking great. I'm really only
                       expecting to keep it another 4 years which will put me at 160K.

                       I believe Gran Luxury turismo would make sense. My 95 GLT has alloys, moonroof and leather interior.

                       As I understand it, the GLT and GLTS were the two basic models, but the base GLT came std. with
                       cloth seats and no automatic climate control. The GLTS ("S" the Swedish designation for "Moonroof",
                       of course) had, in addition to the sun....moonroof, leather seats, automatic climate control and keyless
                       entry. The "GLT" could be ordered with most of the "GLTS" features except the sun....moonroof. The
                       TRACS was an option on both models, as was the automatic transmission.

                       So the base GLT could be not-very-luxurious at all, sort of a "Stockholm Taxicab" level of trim.

                       Maybe Yannis could clarify all this, but I suspect he was not yet in the Volvo purveying business in
                       1992.

                       Anyway....to answer the question posed at the beginning of this thread, I think we all hope the FWD
                       Volvos are good for a whole lot of miles!

                       My 95 850-GLT (as the trunk indicates) has the Auto climate control in addition to the moonroof and
                       leather.

                       There were no turbos for the 1993 model year, undoubtedly "GLT" was used because it sounded good
                       to the Volvo marketing department. Yes, the 240 GLT was a turbo. One observation is that there is not
                       a lot of consistency in Volvo model nomenclature, there exist 4-cylinder 264s 760s and 780s, 6-cylinder
                       780s, but no 8-cylinder 780s.

                       There were two basic flavors for 1993, the GLT with a plain roof, and the GLT-S with "S" indicating a
                       moonroof. The GLT-S all reportedly came with leather and keyless entry, this was optional on the plain
                       GLT. Traction control was optional for both.The transmissions were either automatic or a 5-speed
                       manual.

                       I think I've seen 850s up to 250k on e-bay and close to 200k on dealer's lots....

                       As is typical Volvo practice, the 1992 (Europe) and 1993 (USA) buyers were unpaid test drivers for
                       the company. Among the idiosyncricies were 4-bolt wheels (apparently some, but not all '93s) and an
                       Aisin-Warner automatic gearbox that gave most buyers problems. For more info check out Kino
                       Velez's website. Hopfully your car is pretty much sorted out by now.

                       The 850 turbo (badged "turbo") and wagon followed for 1994.

                       -Uncle Olaf
 

... posted by rich g.  on Monday, 19 February 2001, at 3:16 p.m. ...in response to "1993 GLT
                       and 1993 GLTS" posted by Uncle Olaf.
 

                       Responding to Uncle Olaf`s statement that 240 GLT`s were turbo`s. I don`t think that they all were. I
                       had an 81 242glt non-turbo(desceased Nov/2000 due to an encounter with a deer) And this car was
                       stock w/o a turbo. A friend here also has a non turbo 242GLT, 1983 stock non-turbo. I should add that
                       both of these Volvo`s are Canadian cars, don`t know if there was a difference in Cdn. & US markets.
                       Rich

... posted by Uncle Olaf on Monday, 19 February 2001, at 4:08 p.m. ...in response to "Not all 240
                       GLT`s were turbos" posted by rich g..

                       I was thinking of what was called, I think, the "GLT Turbo" in the US. The previous, naturally aspirated
                       model, as marketed in the US was, I think, simply called the "242 GT".
                       OCICBW-APIA. (Of course I could be wrong, and probably I am.)
                       Whatever it's called my boss at the time had one one of the early Turbos, replacing the Honda Civic that
                       nearly killed him.
                       I hadn't considered that models might be badged differently or contented differently "North of Buffalo"!

                       -Uncle Olaf