Junkyard Find: 2002 Volvo V70 XC Ocean Race Edition

Murilee Martin
by Murilee Martin

I’m always on the lookout for small-production figure, special-edition cars during my junkyard explorations, and we have admired such classics as the Etienne Aigner Volkswagen Golf and the Daytona 500 Pace Car Pontiac Grand Prix in past installments of the Junkyard Find series.

Today, we’re moving into the 21st century, for a genuine, numbers-matching, one-of-650-made 2002 Volvo Ocean Race Edition V70 Cross Country, spotted in that hotbed of nautical action: Denver.

The Ocean Race V70 came with blue paint and these very attractive fender emblems.

The Volvo Ocean Race was so prestigious in 2002 that buyers of these cars got special blue upholstery stitching.

The plastic cladding on the Ocean Race V70 was gray instead of the usual black.

I wouldn’t have noticed this car on my own, but my neighbor and fellow car writer, Andrew Ganz, had joined me for the Half Off Everything New Year’s Day sale at this junkyard. He recognized this rare special edition immediately. We had just seen an amazingly customized Mitsubishi Eclipse in the customer parking lot, so it was a good day for rare cars.

The sportscar.







Murilee Martin
Murilee Martin

Murilee Martin is the pen name of Phil Greden, a writer who has lived in Minnesota, California, Georgia and (now) Colorado. He has toiled at copywriting, technical writing, junkmail writing, fiction writing and now automotive writing. He has owned many terrible vehicles and some good ones. He spends a great deal of time in self-service junkyards. These days, he writes for publications including Autoweek, Autoblog, Hagerty, The Truth About Cars and Capital One.

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  • Kmars2009 Kmars2009 on Jan 10, 2017

    I currently own a '02 V70XC. About to turn 213K miles. It's been quite reliable. Contrary to popular belief, these P2 Volvo's will go the distance if maintenance is kept up properly. My only "gremlin" is the on board computer display that works intermittently. I can live without knowing my actual instant MPG. No biggie. The AWD system needs regular fluid changes, just like a regular 4WD. As well as the transmission needing regular fluid changes. If these items are ignored, you can forget long term ownership, as they will definitely fail. These are great cars. However, they ARE NOT Toyota's. The maintenance is more like Mercedes-Benz.

    • Superdessucke Superdessucke on Jan 10, 2017

      Yes, and the price difference between this clapped out monstrosity and a perfect one with 45,000 miles which was stored in a climate controlled garage its whole life is about $550, meaning you can just replace 'em if they need a major repair!

  • Kmars2009 Kmars2009 on Jan 12, 2017

    Sweet...When/if this one dies at, or over, 300K miles... I'll have a cheap replacement for my dog car. Yes, my dogs love the emmense space.

  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
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