The Volvo 850 is a compact executive car produced by Volvo Cars from 1992 to 1997 (sold as 1993–1997 in the U.S. market) and designed by Jan Wilsgaard. Available in sedan/saloon and station wagon/estate body styles, the Volvo 850 was notable as the first front-wheel drive vehicle from this Swedish manufacturer to be exported to North America. It is often considered the vehicle that gave Volvo its reputation as a high-end auto maker in North America due to the level of features available in this model that were not offered in previous models. At the time of its development, the 850 was regarded as one of the largest engineering endeavours in Sweden.