What makes a good sleeper car

If you are looking for a newer model car, not to worry, the fifth-generation models are still in production with engine and body improvements continuing each and every year. Powered by a 2. It might just be one of the sleepiest sleepers on this list. The Ford Fusion Sport is a dull sedan, with an engine that will astound you. It looks like something your grandmother might drive, but the Mercury Marauder is the ultimate sleeper. With horsepower in a 4.

Though it is not the fastest sleeper on our list, it still hits speeds that will surprise you. Quite simply, the rarity of seeing this car on the streets is what makes it such a great sleeper. Featuring a liquid cooled, turbocharged 4. With a speed of 0 to 60 in 4. The V70 R is powered by a 2. We think their claims of being competition for the M3 are a little far-fetched, but who cares.

The model Saab x features a 2. The model is very similar, other than a little bit of added horsepower in the model. The most popular — and the one fans continue to brag about even today — is the Grand National. Boasting a turbocharged 3.

It might not sound like much, but for the era, this was one car you gave respect to on the road. In a quarter-mile race, the original Grand National could beat a Chevrolet Camaro and keep up with a Corvette. Each year the power went up, from hp to hp, then hp and finally hp in for its Limited-edition GNX. But trust us, this is one car for the books. The Regal GS comes equipped with a V6 naturally aspirated engine that produces horsepower and lbs-ft of torque.

Sometimes, these cars will come with bulletproof engines that can handle a lot of extra power, making it easy for modders to create silly horsepower numbers with their cars.

Other times, the car has a great engine bay setup and layout that makes engine swaps easy. Lastly, some sleepers are awesome simply because of how unlikely they are. From SUVs to hatchbacks, these cars all make great bases for a badass sleeper project.

Thanks to their capability in the sand, Nissan Patrols are a very popular vehicle across the Middle East, and that's where this sleeper hails from. It's from a Qatari private collection and makes a staggering 1, hp at the wheels.

That power is achieved by adding two turbochargers to the Nissan's engine along with a host of other improvements. The TB48 in the engine bay is actually the stock Patrol unit, as these blocks are capable of significant power increases without too much retooling.

The Crown Vic is ubiquitous across America, and as a result, tends to blend in with traffic very well. That makes it a great choice to turn into a sleeper, especially if the build still looks as stock as this one. Despite this car's run-of-the-mill looks, it already makes hp at the wheels, and its owner is in the process of upgrading it further.

Who doesn't love an old-school Volvo wagon? The Amazon is arguably one of the best-looking examples of the Swedish brand's cars, and this one is possibly the fastest version out there.

It's had the engine out of a modern Volvo S80 T6 swapped in. If that wasn't enough on its own, it's also been turbocharged and fitted with a variety of performance parts including a roll cage. That all means it can put out a total of hp, which is more than a Ferrari All in a retro Swedish wagon. Known traditionally as the "people's car", the Beetle or Bug is nothing short of an automotive icon. Sleepers, by their nature, fly under the radar — they pack a silent punch. Scroll down below to check out our list of the best sleeper cars money can buy.

Sleepers are enemy agents who blend into a foreign country, waiting to be activated and strike. Whatever the name, these cars always surprise. With bhp, four-wheel drive and a sub-five-second mph time, it takes plenty of talent or a lot more power to keep up with an R on a cross-country route. The only issue is security, because the Golf R has a bit of a reputation for being desired by those who have absolutely no intention of paying for their own.

Whoever thought that putting a V10 engine into an unobtrusive executive saloon was a rational thing to do? Well Audi did exactly that. So while the third-generation S6 looked fairly normal if you ignored the quad exhausts — a subtle S-model trait — it had an absurd engine, and lacked the more overt looks of the E60 BMW M5. More important, however, was the ability to specify a 3.

Despite the quad exhaust pipes, being a big Skoda meant you were more likely to be mistaken for a taxi driver than someone at the wheel of a performance car. So the fact Mazda decided to offer fast MPS versions of the 3 hatchback and 6 saloon should be applauded. Sounds like the perfect recipe for a sleeper. While bhp and a mph time of 7. The automotive equivalent of wallpaper paste, the Exeo could hardly be more anonymous, which makes the bhp 2. Want more of the world's best Cars delivered straight to your inbox?

Click here to sign up for our daily email. Aaron Miller is the Cars editor for Thrillist, and can be found on Twitter. He has his next sleeper planned out in his mind already. Skip to main content Cars. Courtesy of Volvo. Audi RS6. Taurus SHO. COPO Camaro. Lotus Carlton.