Despite having subtle or even boring exteriors, some cars are built for performance.
Everybody has been there: revving their engines at a red light while grinning at the uninteresting, unflappable car next to them. But when the light turns green, the car smokes us, leaving our mouths open. That effect sleeper cars often have on us. These vehicles may not have the most appealing appearances on the market—call them boring, duds, or goats—but their performance can rival that of the sportiest models. They move quickly and have a lot of power inside. However, because of their rather plain packaging, most customers tend to choose sexier models instead.
The only benefit of these vehicles is that they are less expensive than their stylishly attired engine cousins. This means that a sports car will cost much more to buy and maintain if it has the same engine specifications as these rather unassuming-looking sedans and hatchbacks. Additionally, the police frequently pursue supercars instead of the leisurely package revving nearby. Nobody anticipates that these vehicles will be able to do anything other than slog along in the slow lane, but the power hidden beneath their hoods can rival that of even the most tuned-up vehicle.
Mazda 6
When you rev the throttle, the Mazda 6 or Mazda Speed 6 doesn’t even come close to looking like a well-mannered mid-size sedan. The 2.3-liter MZR DISI in-line-four turbocharged engine in this all-wheel drive is mated to a six-speed manual transmission. This combination produces 274 hp and 280 ft-lbs of torque. Additionally, it has Mazda’s Active Torque Split all-wheel-drive system, which sends torque to the wheels that require more power, making it more efficient than similar systems. Although the clutch was a little jerky and the car was a gas guzzler as a result, it drove like silk on the roads.
Volkswagen
In order to develop this one, Volkswagen formed a joint venture with Audi and Porsche. The objective was to produce a good off-road vehicle with sports car handling.
The Touareg’s 4.2-liter turbocharged engine could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.8 seconds, but you had to experience it to believe it. Although it drove like a sports car, its appearance was as drab and uninteresting as any other mid-size luxury crossover. It was offered with 3.2-liter to 6-liter engine options, but despite this, sales were never particularly high. Only 3.5k of these vehicles were sold domestically in 2017.
Kia Stinger
The Kia Stinger is the company’s fastest car, despite its rather distinctive appearance that doesn’t attract many buyers. It has a 4.9-second 0-60 mph acceleration time. A 3.3-liter GDI twin-turbo V6 petrol engine produces a strong 376 ft-lb of torque in addition to an impressive 365 horsepower. Since it has such a punchy appearance, this is the kind of car that everyone says they’ll buy but never actually does. Given its strength, more people ought to be interested in it, but the high cost also puts a damper on things.
MG Maestro Turbo
This 2-litre turbocharged engine, which was only used in a limited number of this small family car, was capable of 150 horsepower and 169 ft-lbs of torque. Due to its smaller size and lighter weight, the 150 horsepower it had allowed it to accelerate from 0 to 60 in only 6.7 seconds. A maximum speed of 132 mph was produced by the MG Maestro’s powerful engine, easily surpassing any other GT car of the time. Despite being faster and more powerful than many other cars at the time, the vehicle lacked aesthetic appeal and was regarded as being small in size. As a result, it didn’t attract many admirers or buyers, and by 1980, the MG factory had closed.
Volvo 850
In 1995, Volvo and Porsche worked together to release the 850 T-5R, which produced 300 horsepower and received minor updates.
Volvo enthusiasts have been quietly making fun of the rest of the world for all this time because the power under the hood was sufficient to put sportier cars of that era to shame. The V70, which can accelerate from 0 to 70 miles per hour in about 10 seconds, will replace the 850 T-5R, whose production ceased way back in 1996.
Ford Taurus
Although the Ford Taurus SHO’s initials stood for “Super High Output,” it was pronouced “the Taurus show.” Ford produced this high-performance sedan between 2010 and 2017. The all-wheel-drive model was powered by a 3.5-liter direct-injected twin-turbo V-6 Ecoboost engine. With a six-speed Select-Shift automatic transmission, it was mated to an enormous 365 horsepower and 350 ft-lb of torque. The official vehicle for the third Men in Black film was a 2012 Taurus SHO. Despite the hype and the SHO’s ability to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.1 seconds, it failed to attract many buyers and is still considered to be undervalued.
Infiniti Q50 Hybrid
Even if the hybrid Q50 looked significantly different from the gas-powered Q50, there might not be many buyers for it. It has no redeeming qualities, and on top of that, hybrid cars cost significantly more than diesel or gas vehicles. It hardly seems fair that you would purchase a car that is identical to any other Q50 while paying significantly more to protect the environment. The car’s 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine and 67-horsepower electric motor, which together produce 360 horsepower and 402 ft-lb of torque and enable a 0-60 time of 5.2 seconds, are the only redeeming features.
Buick Regal GS: Not Grandpa’s Car
The Regal GS’s flaw was that it was merely a badge-engineered Opel Insignia in disguise, and as a result, everyone was already familiar with it. When it came to the design, it lacked any wow factor or even newness quotient. Its 2-liter high-output DOHC inline-four Ecotec turbocharged engine served as a consolation.
With a 6-speed manual transmission, it produced 270 horsepower and 295 ft-lbs of torque.
The all-wheel drive vehicle could accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 6.2 seconds thanks to Buick’s Interactive Drive Control System. Sales of this vehicle sputtered despite the Regal dashes because the powerful engine was insufficient to keep it in the high-sale category.
VW Phaeton
At the 2002 Geneva Motor Show, a F-segment luxury sedan named the Phaeton made its debut. It was the first Volkswagen vehicle to come equipped with features like auto distance regulator and radar-adaptive cruise control. It also had a ton of other features, including power-massaging seats, adaptive air suspension with continuous damping control, and VW’s trademark 4-motion 4WD. But despite the car’s best efforts, it was unable to challenge the dominance of Audi, BMW, and Mercedes in the luxury vehicle market. Despite a reliable 3.6-liter engine producing a respectable 225 horsepower and 339 ft-lbs of torque in 2016, Volkswagen stopped the production. Perhaps the poor acceleration was a contributing factor.
Tesla P85D
The Tesla P85D has a calm family car appearance and would look right at home being washed on Sunday mornings as the family gets ready for church. But as soon as you get inside and press the gas, more holy smoke comes out! A 221-horsepower motor drives the front wheels, but the 470-horsepower electric motor driving the rear wheels steals the show! Together, they produce a staggering 691 horsepower and 686 ft-lb of incredible torque, which is enough to outperform your neighbor’s Audi. It has a 0-60 time of 3.4 seconds. Now, does it resemble any other sedans?
