Not your average boring Volvo: This 1990 V90 wagon has two big secrets

At first glance you would think this is just a normal – uninspired – 33 year old Volvo station wagon.

However, a £20,000 pre-auction estimate ahead of the upcoming sale suggests this 1990 station wagon may be hiding a few secrets.

Though traditionally seen as a boring choice when sold in the 1990s, this plain-looking V90 estate is anything but that…

It was gifted to an A-list celebrity in 2007 after receiving a significant performance upgrade that makes it unique… and far more exciting to drive than its looks suggest.

Its famous former owner is none other than actor turned racing driver, Paul Newman.

Best known for starring in major movie hits, including Cool Hand Luke (1976), The Towering Hell (1974), The Verdict (1982) And Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)Newman is also remembered for his passion for the track.

In fact, he competed in major US events until he was 83 years old, shortly before his sad passing in September 2008.

The 1990s Volvo family car owned by the late actor Paul Newman – pictured here in his starring role in the 1982 film The Verdict

The American petrolhead owned everything from VW Beetles to racing Datsuns and Porsches, and some of his competition cars have sold for staggering sums when offered to collectors at auction.

For example, a 2002 Chevrolet Corvette – the last race car it drove before passing – sold for a whopping $275,000 (£175,200) at RM Auctions’ Amelia Island auction in 2012, well above the value of a standard model at the time ($ 38,000). or £24,000).

But there’s one lesser-known car passion Newman had that might come as a surprise to many: a fondness for Volvo station wagons.

And the Ohio-born protagonist only liked that his was modified with muscle-car engines.

The Volvos will be sold at the “High Speed: Paul Newman’s Racing Legacy” sale in Connecticut on June 6. It has a pre-sale estimate of $25k (£20k)

From the outside, this largely looks like a normal Volvo station wagon. Though the massive exhaust suggests it may have gotten an upgrade or two

According to RM Sotheby’s, one of Newman’s lesser-known car passions was that of Volvo station wagons. And the Ohio-born protagonist only liked that his was modified with muscle-car engines

Inside, there is nothing distinguishable from the Volvo station wagon except from any normal model registered in 1990

And this is one of three powerful Volvos he owned – although it’s the only one he didn’t build.

He had previously ordered a 1988 Volvo 740 with a turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 from a Buick Grand National and a 960 with a supercharged 5.0-liter Mustang V8 under the hood.

Newman even managed to convince friend and talk show host David Letterman to buy a custom Volvo station wagon, such was his passion for them.

This one, unique, was a gift to Newman from his racing team as a surprise in 2007.

Under the hood of the modest V90 is a Chevrolet LS3 V8 engine.

This is the same 506 horsepower, 6.2 liter engine used for the C6 Corvette Z06 supercar, which was produced from 2006 to 2014.

The engine is mated to a four-speed General Motors automatic transmission that sends power to the rear wheels.

The Volvo was a gift to Newman from his racing team as a surprise in 2007. They completed the conversion of the powerful engine before handing him the keys

Under the hood of the modest V90 is a Chevrolet LS3 V8 engine

This is the same 506 hp, 6.2 liter engine used for the C6 Corvette Z06 supercar, which was produced from 2006 to 2014

The American actor photographed before the start of the Le Mans 24-hour race. He and his two co-drivers finished second in their Turbo Porsche

Paul Newman strapped on his helmet at the Lime Rock Race Track, Lakeville, Connecticut, in 1985. He would continue to race competitively until he was 83 years old, shortly before he died

Despite the much larger engine (the V90 originally had a 3.0-litre six-cylinder block), very little fabrication was needed to make the piece fit under the hood.

And besides shortening the stock driveshaft and adjusting the linkage for the gear lever, no further modifications were needed to make it work, says RM Sotheby’s.

The rear suspension also remained standard, but the front was upgraded with components reportedly taken from an early 1990s Porsche 911.

However, in true ‘sleeper’ fashion, the exterior remained unchanged, as Newman was known to favor the conservative – and very square – styling of the Swedish station wagons of the era.

Unfortunately, he passed not long after the car was completed and so was unable to fully enjoy his terrifying performance.

The odometer reads 108,293 km, which equates to 67,290 miles. Though it’s unclear how many of these have been covered since the engine replacement.

Despite the much larger engine, very little fabrication was required to make the hump fit under the hood

The auction house says the car was gifted to Newman in 2007, but sadly he passed away not long after and was unable to fully enjoy its terrifying performance

As with every Volvo station wagon of this era, it made up for what it lacked in style with incredible practicality, including a roomy boot

The odometer reads 108,293 km, which equates to 67,290 miles. Though it’s unclear how many of these have been covered since the engine replacement

With its Corvette engine underneath, the car is now referred to as the ‘Volvette’.

It will be offered (with its original straight-six engine, transmission and factory manuals) to the highest bidder as a featured lot at a Newman auction next month.

It is sold in the High Speed: The Racing Legacy of Paul Newman sale to be held in Connecticut on June 6, along with other vehicles from his past, as well as trophies, title-winning rings, helmets and racing suits worn by the late actor throughout his decorated driving career.

The Volvo is tipped to be one of the most valuable of the 100 lots up for grabs, with a presale estimate of $25,000 – about £20,000 in UK money.