What’s the best “sleeper” car of all time?
You don’t realize that a car is a sleeper until it’s too late. Whether on drag strip or race track, you challenged it and wound up seeing nothing but its taillights. A “sleeper” doesn’t look fast, but it performs far better than it looks. The Buick Regal T-Type Limited is one of my favorite examples of the breed. It sports all the performance of the Grand National, clad in unassuming chrome trim and packed with top-level Limited luxury features inside and out.
Sleepers have likely been around since people were souping up Model Ts. Take this 1915 Ford Model T Sherman Super Fire, with a claimed 50 horsepower and a four-speed transmission. That’s more than double the engine’s factory output, and the vehicle clearly looks like its built for racing. But it doesn’t have to be.
All (most?) of the performance bits that make the aforementioned red Model T speedster so special can be added to a stock-looking, mundane Model T Doctor’s Coupe. Indeed, the cozy coupe intended for medical professionals would be quite the sleeper with more gears, way more power, and a resultant increase in speed and acceleration.
You could call such a machine a precursor to Urgent Care. Or perhaps a sleeper T Doctor’s Coupe is more of an Urgent Car?
No matter, a sleeper is a formula well known by aftermarket parts vendors looking for more sales and increased awareness. But even manufacturers are known to see the business model for themselves.
I’ll spare you the historical spiel on how a famous racer came together with a newly minted CEO to make the 1984 Ford LTD/LX, but suffice to say that making a Mustang GT–infused sleeper on one of the more forgettable derivatives of the Fox-body platform proved that the concept had merit.
All of this is a very, very roundabout way of encouraging you to answer my question:
What’s the best sleeper car of all time?
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1963 Buick Wildcat
The ultimate “sleeper” is my 2013 CTS V Wagon, 556 HP and 551 lbs of torque. I tried to find a baby blue metallic but found out that only 4 were made. I had to settle for black. Some fellow in a BMW was aggravating me as I was driving to Houston from Temple, Texas. He kept passing me and slowing down on the two lane rode. Finally I had enough of him and passed him and kept my foot on the gas, never saw him again. Must have embarrassed the guy to be outrun by a “family station wagon”.
How about the unassuming, Volvo 850R wagon?
The best sleeper i can think of was my dad’s 1966 Coronet 4-doors with a factory 426 Street Hemi. His was the 4-speed. Lore says 4 of these sedans were originally ordered for the FBI but ended up with ‘civilians’ instead. Dad gave it a good tune and removed the Hemi emblems and would go ‘hunting’ for fast looking cars. He also installed a Road Runner ‘beep-beep’ horn to add insult to injury as drove away from who he raced. He also has several trophies from the local MN dragways drag strip. When he was not terrorizing the street or strip it was my mom’s grocery getter that she drove us kids around in. Don Gartlis has one of these in his museum in Florida. Amazing cars.
Honestly, I would have a list of the best sleeper cars on this article. Here are my picks for the best sleeper cars of all time.
1. Ford Maverick (First Generation) – sure, it had some rust and reliability issues, but if you replace the inferior stock parts with more durable ones, or replace them with fiberglass or carbon fiber parts, and get a super high torque transmission, as well as a Ford Coyote engine swap under the hood, then it would embarrass quite a few big name performance machines. Still, even without that option, the Grabber version of the First Generation Ford Maverick is an underrated beast.
2. Mercury Comet (Fourth Generation) – pretty much what has been said about the First Generation Ford Maverick also applies to this car, and, despite being a bit rarer than that other car, at least it is marginally better built.
3. Mercury Marauder (Last Generation) – say what you will about the Mercury Marauder of the 1960s, as it certainly is an underrated road beast, but, even in the current configuration, the early 2000s itineration of this vehicle is a pretty good muscle sedan in its own right, and, with a bit more work, those numbers can go up considerably.
4. First Generation Mercury Capri/Ford (UK) Capri – this pair of vehicles are a very underrated pair of sleeper car projects and while the love was certainly on the Ford (UK) Capri, the beautiful thing is that the parts on that vehicle work just fine on the First Generation Mercury Capri as well, oh, and a high torque transmission and Ford Coyote engine swap is highly recommended for this vehicle.
5. 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS Station Wagon/Estate Car – what? The Chevelle not only had a station wagon/estate car variant, but that it also had an SS package? Yes, it might not be as powerful as the 1968 to 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, but all of the options for that car could easily fit under the hood of this vehicle, but, even in this guise, there is a lot of potential for engine and transmission upgrades to honestly make the more well known variant of that vehicle look slow.
6. Chevrolet SS – perhaps the most underrated SS vehicle that Chevrolet had made, even more so than the Cobalt SS, HHR SS, or the El Camino SS, this badge swapped Holden Commodore was truly a wolf in sheep’s clothing and, if it was further improved, it honestly could make the HSV variant of that vehicle look slow.
1989 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe – basically, this vehicle was a street version of the NASCAR version of the Ford Thunderbird of the time, and this Seventh Generation version of the vehicle is arguably the highest performance version of the entire history of this vehicle. Moreover, some tinkering here and there, or an upgraded transmission, and Ford Coyote engine swap, would make an even bigger impact. Alternatively, getting similar upgrades to the same year Mercury Cougar could also be a cheaper, as well as more viable, and, obtainable, option.
8. AMC Hornet – basically, this vehicle is the more high performance version of the AMC Concord and, with a little bit of work, it could be a true street beast.
9. Opel GT (First Generation)/Opel GT by Buick – basically, this vehicle is the North American/European answer to the Nissan Fairlady Z/Datsun 240 Z, but with some serious transmission and engine upgrades, most notably an LS9 engine and transmission kit swap, those impressive numbers will skyrocket.
10. 1969 Chevrolet Biscayne – do you want to have a Chevrolet Chevelle SS but also lack the money to get one outright? Why not save some money and get the exact configuration of that vehicle for the fraction of the price, as in the 454 LS6 version of the Chevrolet Chevelle SS, and put that into the Chevrolet Biscayne?
I’m always surprised when I drive Grandma’s Rav 4
2011 Toyota RAV4 Limited V6 AWD
0-60 mph 6.3
Quarter mile 14.9
Yeah those RAVs are real rockets😂
I have a 2017 Buick Regal Premium II that’s tuned along with a larger turbo and CNC milled head and that little 2.0 liter moves put! Surprises most everyone, and if I don’t want to be passed on the interstate I just drop the pedal down a little bit. Understated and a comfortable ride along with a little pep! That’s my Sleeper! Especially after owning various Mustang GT’s and Shelby GT500’s all my life! PS4L!!!!!
A few guys mentioned the ‘66 Hemi Dodges four-door cars. One of our NHRA club members had a black ‘67 two-door Coronet sedan. It was a competition option package that didn’t even have carpets or a heater as I remember. Total sleeper.
Of course the first Taurus SHO is the ultimate sleeper (had one in 88)
How about the first generation Chrysler minivans with the turbocharger and 5 speed manual trans.
Another good one is the PT Cruiser turbo 5 speed.
The best “sleeper” I ever knew about was a vehicle that didn’t actually run, but it scared a bunch of rodders into avoiding it like the plague. My then-brother-in-law had a speed shop and built both drag cars and hopped-up street machines. He once had a full lot and asked if he could store a 1938 Ford pick-up at my place for awhile. We stashed it out back in the fenced yard behind the garage. It was orange with black fenders and running boards, and sat about 4″ off the ground. It was pretty clapped out, and his plan was to make it into a shop parts truck.
Some street race friends came by one day for a beer and eventually looked out the garage window and asked about it. I told them it “belongs to Rick, and it’s a secret project” – and then I reminded them of the ’56 Chevy wagon that he had put a 426 hemi in and raced down in California. That’s all I did: plant a very small seed (well, and then I forbade them to get close to it and take any looks under it). These guys knew what Rick was capable of building. After a few brews and some bench-racing, their curiosity started fostering new and bigger fantasies about the truck. When they left, they told some others, who told some others. Before I knew it, there was a hemi-powered secret sleeper truck in my backyard, and if you saw an orange and black P.O.S. on Main Street on Friday night, you’d better not challenge it.
Rick finally came and towed the hulk away and I think he figured it was too far gone to fix it up. But the mystery of where it had gone and what it had been turned into continued to stir up stories for months afterward!
Another more modern sleeper are G35/G37 sedans. They are literally 350z/370z cars with 4 doors. They blend in with the all the Camcord style sedans, yet in the case of the G37, you get a 330hp v6 and rear wheel drive. Get the G37S and you get an LSD, 4 piston calipers with 14 inch rotors, a quicker steering ratio, and fantastic sport suspension. Unless you really know what you are looking at, it is hard to distinguish the S from the regular G37. I’ve dropped a number of back country road tailgaters who thought 5-10 over wasn’t fast enough, yet they couldn’t hang when the road got twisty.
When I bought mine, the wife thought it was, and I quote, “a grandpa car.” Then she drove it…..
Grandma’s Rav4 beats the Taurus SHOs being talked about here.
1992 Ford Taurus SHO
0-60 mph 6.8
Quarter mile 15.2
There Some People That Like To Use
Sleeper Cars For Collection And To Show
Off.
MANY years ago, a friend of mine had a 1969 Impala station wagon with a 427 as a tow car for his drag Corvette. The only clue was an emblem on the fender.
See a lot of the usual suspects mentioned here, GLHS, Spirit R/T, big-cube ’60s wagons, a good deal of early “turbo era” performance. I’ll throw a few of my own in based on my own personal experiences:
-The first generation (2004-2007) Cadillac CTS-V. Own one as we speak, and it still gets the gamut of ridiculous questions after stoplight shenanigans have ended. “No it does not have the Northstar.” “No it is not FWD.” “Yes, it really came factory with a stick.” Truly a stealthy high-12s Q-Ship out roaming the streets.
-The 1989 Turbo Trans Am. Sure the GN is the Vader of the streets, but Pontiac decided to revise the 3.8T’s heads and added the usual other supporting mods. The least suspecting and likely cheapest way to hit 160 mph in the 80s, and no one says a word about them.
-The 1991 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais Quad 442 W41. Put your pitchfork down, I don’t care if it’s FWD. I’d be more ashamed of the 17s quarters the G-body cars laid out. 2550 lbs of nasty little coupe paired with a close-ratio 3.94FDR 5MT, sport suspension that actually was worth a damn, and glorious RPMs, all 7500 of them. I had a warmed-up W41 around 10 years ago and the races it won was hilarious.
Surprised, no mention of the Sy/Ty GMC twins in here..