Cannot believe no-one has mentioned the 2006 Audi S6 Avant with the 435bhp 5.2l V10 Lamborghini engine.
Nothing about it looks like anything other than something you would take your dogs to the park in.
[https://www.topgear.com/sites/default/files/images/cars-road-test/carousel/2021/04/23f4f0794ee7b1ae89f010e9d1efb1a8/audiuk0000716420audi20s620quattro20released20for\_.jpg](https://www.topgear.com/sites/default/files/images/cars-road-test/carousel/2021/04/23f4f0794ee7b1ae89f010e9d1efb1a8/audiuk0000716420audi20s620quattro20released20for_.jpg)
It's not actually the lambo engine though.
*"The S6 has been offered now over five generations as the mid-tier performance variant of the Audi A6. The S6 came fitted with a 10-cylinder engine during its third generation. While the engine shared elements with Lamborghini‘s 5.0-liter V10, the Audi 5.2-liter V10 was, in fact, based on Audi’s 4.2-liter V8. Output was 429 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque, sent to all four wheels via a 6-speed automatic transmission. It clocked a 0-60 time of 4.4 seconds."*
I’ve had them side by side. The original Lambo 5.0 V10 was a unique beast. Absolute stunner of an engine that sends chills down your spine when you rev it out. It was problematic and the Lambo eventually got a 5.2 which was not the same but a very close relative of the Audi motor. They are the same but different, changed for the given application. A 5.2 Lambo, R8 and S6/8… the sound alone is very unique and tells you they are related. VAG wanted some V10s and developed a few from a base line. Stunning engines. The original Lambo 5.0 is an individual beast with nothing in common with the others.
Came here to say this. I own one as a toy. Mine is a saloon. That C6 generation is a very well built car and doesn’t get the appreciation it deserves. The A6s, especially the V6 TDIs are extremely reliable. The interior of S line and S models has aged very very well too.
The V10 is fabulous and in 6 years and 30k miles it has been flawless. Dealer maintained from new. Full service every 2k miles. Only ever run on premium fuel. Never seen a budget tyre in it’s life. All common issues discovered on them over the years have been addressed before becoming a problem.
It’s driven very gently until engine oil is hot.
Maintain the V10 like a regular car and it will fuck you up.
Drove it from England to Germany and back. Journey was effortless. Maxed out 156mph on the limiter and felt no different than at 56mph.
I was sitting at 120mph and floored it. Just a distant meaty sound from up front, the ZF box slushing gears nicely and it pulled like a 747 going down the runway.
Most of these have been owned by multiple owners who couldn’t afford the maintenance.
The RS6 is savage but loses the understated appeal of the S6. The power delivery of the NA V10 is gorgeous. It’s not about the numbers on paper but the in gear power delivery on the autobahn.
Edit: just to add; if the cost of a service every 2k miles is a concern, you can’t afford to run one of these.
Cheaper than a timing chain. About £500 for oil and filters. When I say full service I don’t mean all 10 sparks as well (every 10k). It’s not that bad. That’s about twice per year. Audi say every 10k but I’m playing it super duper safe.
Edit: if the costs of a service every 2k is a concern, you can’t afford to run one of these old V10s
The interiors of older Audi's have aged very well IMO, could even say timeless. I have a 2010 A3 and I think the interior is beautiful. Kind of feels like 80s vibe but a modern take on it. Compare that to other cars from similar time (especially Ford) they are horrendous
Yes that generation of A3 was solid. The 2000s Audi interiors are excellent. They were extremely well made and very smart looking. Today’s interiors are appealing to a different market.
If we are going back in time, the winner has to be the Lancia Thema 8.32.
At its heart was the 2,927cc, 32-valve V8 engine, cast by Ferrari in Maranello, assembled by Ducati, then shipped to Lancia in Turin. It was the same unit found in the Ferrari 308 Quattrovalvole.
MG ZT 260 (and, even more so, the corresponding Rover V8 that was it's brother).
So, imagine you are MG Rover. You are on the verge of bankruptcy, and you have one last throw of the dice.
Someone suggests building a sensible family saloon and selling bucket loads to get some much needed capital.
Obviously you fire him because you know the answer is to take your existing, but aging, platform and stick the 4.6l V8 from a Mustang in the front. Obviously that means reengineering the entire engine bay because a V8 won't fit unless you longitudinally mount it, but that's fine.
Now, a car with that sort of performance can't be front wheel drive, obviously, so you also have to reengineer the whole car to be RWD - new fully-independent rear suspension, new steering rack because the old one won't fit, a transmission tunnel, new rear discs and calipers, etc.
Now, this all cost a lot of money, so you decide to build loads to spread your R&D and engineering costs, right? ...right?
N'ah fan - you will make, across both Rover and MG, 883 cars (about 80% MGs).
Obviously the company went bust shortly after, but if you can find one, a Rover 75 V8 estate is one of the absolute rarest cars in the world - it's reckoned only 3 were ever made.
In terms of your criteria it was, for its time, fast and powerful (albeit a heavy car), and it's undeniably rare.
Is it cool? If family saloon sleepers, only distinguished by the number of tail pipes and a small V8 badge, recklessly built by a failing company, from a rich pedigree as long as your arm are cool, then you're goddamn right!
This [2004 MG ZT260 SE](https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C1608748) looks fitting in bland silver, the ultimate sleeper for less than £8k
Or this super rare [1 of 12 2004 MG ZT260 SE Typhoon Monogram](https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1568781) for just £10k
Corolla T Sport. Looks like a corolla, but a 200hp hot hatch.
The T5 Volvo V70's. 250hp+ from what looks like a regular estate. Same for any T5+ volvo really.
The 2.3T saab's. again it just looks like every other saab but with 260+hp.
There are lots of crazy powered Merc's that just looks like all the others to most people. The big petrol E Classes come to mind.
Phaeton's just look like passats to most people. But actually have more in common with the Bentley Continental than the Passat. Very rare, decently powerful, incredibly luxurious.
I'd throw in the R36 Passat into that too.
Most Lexus's. Some people don't realise that some of them can be mega luxurious or with mega power.
And for the complete opposite, a lot of non car people might look at a Chrysler 300c and think its worth a bit of money or rare/special car, when a lot of people will say it's not. But don't listen to them, it's cool, I swear
that's what I picked up early this year. 10k for over 600hp to the rear wheels. Once you're rolling it will quite easily keep up with supercars of a similar age and in some cases is quicker.
I really like mine. The steering isn't anywhere near as harsh (or precise) as the Type R/ST170 it was competing with, but it does mean its so much more comfortable. While still having 189hp from a rather light hatchback
Only [800 left on the road](https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/toyota_corolla_tsport_vvtli), compared to the [6k type r's left](https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/honda_civic_type-r).
I've been looking for a newer sleeper estate to replace my 2007 Saab 9-5 wagon (stage 3 300bhp, 320lb.ft) and frankly to get the same performance and 'luxury barge' spec in a 2018+ car is going to cost me £20K plus. The Saab is great to drive around in (a cruiser not a racer but that suits me) and sails through MOT every year and I can't see any reason to update it yet really.
Maybe in a few years when the 2022+ crop of fast petrol hybrid estates start to be more reasonably priced I'll look again...
The Skoda Superb estate is a front runner in the higher spec models. 2018ish 2.0 TSi can have 276bhp (and be mapped to well over 360bhp) in a full leather 4WD cavernous estate that can do an under 6s 0-60.
I didnt bring them up because I'm not actually familiar with them at all. Great shout.
I think that further illustrates the idea of a car that looks average and you wouldn't think have great power, but actually does.
I fell down the autotrader rabbit hole before, didn’t even know they sold E500s over here and they’re completely unassuming you’d expect it to have the usual 2.1 diesel lump
The E82 135i almost exactly looks like any other 1 series but it has 300hp. The only giveaway are the chunky brake calipers and the front side air intakes have tiny winglets and no fog lamps. Adore these - going up in value too!
The M135i/M140i are a bit more obvious due to the dual exhausts and fake canards but they are still pretty understated compared to the other German rivals like the Golf R with chrome quad exhausts.
An old work mate of mine had a 57 plate 335i estate iap import that was about 450bhp. He took me out in it once and no shit it was like being in a budget supercar with a scally driver.
I think it’s generally understood now that most F30 onwards BMW 3 series are fast cars, you won’t lose one on the road without doing illegal speeds, even a 320d can be quick
I’ve never heard of a m135i being described as understated, particularly in comparison to a golf R tbh.
Golf looks normal from everywhere apart from the rear.
My dad had the 1.6 Ghia injection. I still remember the registration, E556 UGN. I missed driving that one by about 3-4 years I think. I loved that car, was so proud of him the first day he brought it home. I thought it was amazing.
My dad had one F442UCW still remember him bringing it home too haha looked amazing at that time. that tiny little trip computer to the right of the steering wheel looked like something from the future.
There’s a place near Hull called Hessle Foreshore and back in the days of Max Power magazine a lot of boy racers used to hang out there and one guy who was prob in his 30s had a pale gold Orion Ghia that looked really cool.
I bought a 1.6i in 2003 for £100, as my mate’s dad didn’t know what he was selling! I sold it on to a boy racer for £1000.
That was the only time it’s paid to be a car geek.
Late GS450h - ~330 bhp/400 N.m so nothing crazy but already was fast for open roads. GSF is the same but with the V8 but it's louder and quad exhaust so "less average"
I'd also say the Superb/Octavia with the EA888 and the BMW 50i too.
I dunno, you kinda expect the larger luxury saloons to be rocking V8s in that era as standard. So I wouldn't say it's that much of a sleeper.
I also test drove one of them back in the day (I'm a Lexus fan). The dealer was trying to make it abundantly clear it was competing with the likes of a 540i. I can't remember now why I didn't buy it. I think it was a bit too "old mans car" for me. Amazing Mark Levinson sound system though.
My XE S is a bit of a weird one. Looks exactly the same as the 4cyl XEs with a couple S badges and some different wheel options (19" Venoms and 20" Propellers off the top of my head). There's now only ~800 on the road and it's significantly quicker and louder than the 2.0l versions.
Pretty much any Volvo Polestar T5 is also quite uncommon but with that bright blue that a large portion seem to have, wouldn't say they looked particularly average.
Ah, the XF S also came with the 3.0l petrol, it's just that barely anyone chose it as an option because it was ultimately still the pensioner's choice over the 5 Series and the Diesel was cheaper to run day to day.
A shame that we never got an XE R or another XF R because the AJ126 in the S models is the same engine as the AJ133 in the R/SVR, difference being that two cylinders were blanked (and the bore stroke was slightly bigger) for crash testing purposes. Then Jaguar claimed that the V8 wouldn't fit as RHD because it was easier to lie than admit that the V6s sold like shit over here and making it LHD only was going to save a significant amount of money.
Any 3L diesel bmw that’s in SE guise
You can get 335d in SE spec that looks like it should be slow but in reality will do 0-60 in like 5 seconds or something stupid
I've got an E60 535d SE that was keeping up with a friend's 911 GTS and a K20 equipped Elise on a recent meet.
It's utterly anonymous to look at, though.
The Lotus, yes. But the plain GSi 24V was plenty to surprise most cars of the same era and looked like a big stodgy lump. I loved mine, it's what got me into sleepers in the first place.
the carltons were most definately cars which people kinda feared/expected speed from back in the day they were new, they were used as police cars, not to mention the 3000 gsi has over 200bhp and does 0-60 in 7.1 seconds. My grandad always said it was a laugh seeing everyone slow down the instant he appeared in his 3000 gis.
The Lotus Carlton is famous though everybody knows they're fast and look at the spoiler and alloys. No other K / H reg saloon looks even close in Europe.
Now you are conditioned to seeing sport saloons everywhere but in 1990 it was unique. Aggressive track ready sport saloons weren't a thing outside of Japan.
Plus they all come in the same colour, very dark green. You know what it is the second you see it.
Lexus GS450h - 5.3s to 60, 348 bhp, looks like ordinary saloon, hybrid that is more about power than fuel savings (however it is more economical in general than your typical 3.5L V6)
Audi C6 S6 - 5.2L V10 derieved from Lamborghini, looks like normal A6
Subaru Impreza STI Spec D (Discrete)
Mazda 6 MPS
Toyota Aristo Vertex V300 - Basically looks like Lexus GS300 with Twin Turbo 2.5L from Supra A80 2JZ-GTE
Lexus GS430 - under 6s to 60 with 4.3L V8
Toyota Century - only Toyota with V12
Mitsubishi Galant VR4
Subaru Legacy 3.0R Spec B
Lexus IS F
Subaru Legacy B4
Partridge and Clarkson did the Lexus brand dirty in the UK. The GS in particular deserved much more love, albeit Lexus UK don't appear to have loved it much either.
Audi C6 generation was the best.
A lot of “hot hatches” fall into the this kind of category.
Not that they’d outpace any super cars or anything but most people don’t expect a rather plain looking Skoda Fabia to hand them their arse during a traffic light drag race.
Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio. It looks aggressive to a point but its nowhere near as wild in the looks department as it could be given what's under the bonnet. In fact, to the unaware it probably doesn't even look any different to the standard model (the vents in the bonnet and the cloverleaf badge should be a giveaway though.) 510bhp. Absolutely insane monster, easily the car I'd go for if I had to buy a saloon. Also very rare, don't think I've ever seen one on the road.
Had a [Volvo V50 T5](https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-features-sheds/volvo-v50-t5--shed-of-the-week/46604). Looked like a bog standard estate. Same engine as the Focus RS, but not as powerful. 2.5 5 cylinder, with a low pressure turbo. Surprised a few drivers with that car.
There's this beautiful, low mile incredibly highly specced F10 550i luxury line up for sale rn.
[This car.](https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202304066030555)
Polo g40 1.3 supercharged, remove the throttle restriction and its as quick as the mk1 gold gti
Mercedes 190e 2.3 and 2.5 cosworth
Ford Orion Ghia had the xr3i engine
The Kia ev6 gt is one that will always stick in my mind. It launched a year or two ago and cost upwards of 60k, but could almost hold its own against an adventador svj. I don’t care if it didn’t win, but it’s bloody impressive that it could even be considered to be a car that could go head to head against a flagship lambo.
I think you’re right that people may realise it’s expensive and quick, but as an owner of one I catch so many Audi/BMW/Merc drivers out off the lights. I’m no boy racer or petrolhead by any stretch but the 0-60 is incredible for a family SUV. Shame they’ve just made the 150bhp and 190bhp available in the Cupra Ateca now, should have kept it at the 300bhp only
Makes me laugh when people think they’re racing you at traffic lights.
I drive an all black Mini Cooper D with big 17 alloys and it looks quite sporty, the amount of people who overtake me at traffic lights thinking they’re fast is embarrassing, especially when it’s a 30mph speed limit and you’re in the middle of town 🤣
Lotus Carlton. Was the fasted production sedan for about a decade. Some MPs called for it to be banned, insurance was sky high because scallies would boost it to commit crimes in because it could out run any police car.
The Astra K 1.6 turbo petrol looks like your generic run of the mill family hatchback especially in elite or Sri form. The “VX line” models have a little sportier look but overall it’s nothing special. Yet it rocks a very good 200 bhp engine that with a simple remap can easily push 240. Which is better than stock GTI. And it’s a surprisingly light car for modern standards and definitely a shock to many.
The biturbo is the diesel and is nowhere near as quick. The dual exit exhaust is the biggest giveaway but the best way to spot one is the red turbo badge on the boot.
Honda Legend. Looks like any standard honda but has a 3.5 V6 under the bonnet. Its quick when it needs to be and rare, doubt theres many left on the roads.
My mate had one and for the longest time I thought it was a Honda Accord. Wasn't until I was inside it that I realised it definitely wasn't. Actually lovely places to be inside too
Oh man, this brings back memories! 1991 when I was 17, one of my friend's family had 3 Hondas: a Legend (the dad), a CRX (his wife), and a Civic Shuttle (utility / family and for the 3 sons to drive).
The eldest son got to drive the Legend and that thing could move.
My old Ampera was rare, I only saw 3 others during the 3 years I owned it. Essentially a Chevy Volt with a Vauxhall badge.
Because it was electrically driven, it had instant torque and from 0-30mph there were very few cars on the road that could beat it off the lights. I took great delight in showing AMGs and BMW M whatever my crappy Vauxhall rear end.
Fiat Coupe Turbo 20v. [Not a bad looking car at all](https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-features-heroes/fiat-coupe-20v-turbo-ph-heroes/36306) but, you know, 157mph and 0-60 in under 6.5s 25 years ago
But it's not much different (body wise and to the uneducated) to the rest of the range. Are you sure it's not because it goes brrrrrrrrrmm-pop-pop-pop that people are looking at it? 😂
FWIW it's my official (sensible) midlife crisis car. SUV for SWMBO, red because it adds at least 15BHP, N because the daughter (and her daddy) want a bit of a hooligan car...
Had an older RS6 avant for a while. Totally debadged, look almost like a regular A6 estate to the casual observer. 572bhp Lamborghini V10 under the bonnet.
Loved that car.
Renault Espace F1.
Weighing in at 1,300kg, 0-62mph in 2.8secs and a top speed of 193mph thanks to the 3.5-litre V10 motor that produced 789bhp and 520lb ft.
If we’re talking about something a little less uncommon then Lancia Delta HF Integrale.
Is it just me that thinks the m135/m140i is a very average looking car? Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between an m sport 118i and an m140i
don't know if it counts as very fast but most 2l diesels like when you give it a bootful the boost comes on amazingly and they can definitely shift and most of these are just distinctly averagely looking cars like an Insignia is probably the most average car there is but you give it a bootful and it'll shoot through.
Yeah, it’s funny how many kids in warm hatches with body kits look shocked when you’re far quicker off the line in a dadmobile with a 2L TD.
My PHEV Kuga is quicker again off the line. It’s by no means rapid or sporty, but it’s pretty nippy to 10/20/30mph.
They aren't fast. It's the mid range torque vs a petrol that is deceiving you. They are much more "powerful" when you boot it at mid level revs vs a petrol yes. But if the equivalent petrol car drops a gear to get it in the right power band, it will win.
However, while not ultimately fast, the mid range shove can make the power more useable (effortless) on a day to day basis against the petrol.
Volvo v60 d4. Also, it has free road tax. It is cheap and surprising to others around you expecting an old slow man in a barge to crawl everywhere.
In my experience also... 2 and 3l. BMWs but they seem more expected...
Any big engine mercedes or BMW especially debadged.
I've got a 435d convertible 300bhp plus, 60 in 5 seconds looks no different to a 418 I guess?
My bonus I get 45mpg on a 200 mile run I do regularly
My Volvo V40 D4 doesn’t look crazy and because it’s a Volvo people assume it’s slow. It’s pretty fast, gets to 60 in 7 secs. It’s funny embarrassing boy racers.
Infiniti Q50s Hybrid, most people mistake it for a Mazda 6 but it's got a 3.5l V6 plus an electric motor that put out around 370bhp along with AWD. 0-60 in 4.7 secs.
Cannot believe no-one has mentioned the 2006 Audi S6 Avant with the 435bhp 5.2l V10 Lamborghini engine. Nothing about it looks like anything other than something you would take your dogs to the park in. [https://www.topgear.com/sites/default/files/images/cars-road-test/carousel/2021/04/23f4f0794ee7b1ae89f010e9d1efb1a8/audiuk0000716420audi20s620quattro20released20for\_.jpg](https://www.topgear.com/sites/default/files/images/cars-road-test/carousel/2021/04/23f4f0794ee7b1ae89f010e9d1efb1a8/audiuk0000716420audi20s620quattro20released20for_.jpg)
It's not actually the lambo engine though. *"The S6 has been offered now over five generations as the mid-tier performance variant of the Audi A6. The S6 came fitted with a 10-cylinder engine during its third generation. While the engine shared elements with Lamborghini‘s 5.0-liter V10, the Audi 5.2-liter V10 was, in fact, based on Audi’s 4.2-liter V8. Output was 429 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque, sent to all four wheels via a 6-speed automatic transmission. It clocked a 0-60 time of 4.4 seconds."*
I’ve had them side by side. The original Lambo 5.0 V10 was a unique beast. Absolute stunner of an engine that sends chills down your spine when you rev it out. It was problematic and the Lambo eventually got a 5.2 which was not the same but a very close relative of the Audi motor. They are the same but different, changed for the given application. A 5.2 Lambo, R8 and S6/8… the sound alone is very unique and tells you they are related. VAG wanted some V10s and developed a few from a base line. Stunning engines. The original Lambo 5.0 is an individual beast with nothing in common with the others.
Came here to say this. I own one as a toy. Mine is a saloon. That C6 generation is a very well built car and doesn’t get the appreciation it deserves. The A6s, especially the V6 TDIs are extremely reliable. The interior of S line and S models has aged very very well too. The V10 is fabulous and in 6 years and 30k miles it has been flawless. Dealer maintained from new. Full service every 2k miles. Only ever run on premium fuel. Never seen a budget tyre in it’s life. All common issues discovered on them over the years have been addressed before becoming a problem. It’s driven very gently until engine oil is hot. Maintain the V10 like a regular car and it will fuck you up. Drove it from England to Germany and back. Journey was effortless. Maxed out 156mph on the limiter and felt no different than at 56mph. I was sitting at 120mph and floored it. Just a distant meaty sound from up front, the ZF box slushing gears nicely and it pulled like a 747 going down the runway. Most of these have been owned by multiple owners who couldn’t afford the maintenance. The RS6 is savage but loses the understated appeal of the S6. The power delivery of the NA V10 is gorgeous. It’s not about the numbers on paper but the in gear power delivery on the autobahn. Edit: just to add; if the cost of a service every 2k miles is a concern, you can’t afford to run one of these.
A full service every 2k miles! Jesus I'll scratch that one off the list then.
Cheaper than a timing chain. About £500 for oil and filters. When I say full service I don’t mean all 10 sparks as well (every 10k). It’s not that bad. That’s about twice per year. Audi say every 10k but I’m playing it super duper safe. Edit: if the costs of a service every 2k is a concern, you can’t afford to run one of these old V10s
I mean maybe that's wh it has also been so reliable for you too then. A service every 2k miles seems a bit overkill.
All maintenance on the car has been overkill from new and that’s why it’s still immaculate
This man knows his Audi S6’s. Informative review
The interiors of older Audi's have aged very well IMO, could even say timeless. I have a 2010 A3 and I think the interior is beautiful. Kind of feels like 80s vibe but a modern take on it. Compare that to other cars from similar time (especially Ford) they are horrendous
Yes that generation of A3 was solid. The 2000s Audi interiors are excellent. They were extremely well made and very smart looking. Today’s interiors are appealing to a different market.
Lolz at service every 2k
> 2006 Audi S6 Avant Just checked, £10,500 for a 76k one on Autotrader, almost tempted! Oh, £700 a year VED
If we are going back in time, the winner has to be the Lancia Thema 8.32. At its heart was the 2,927cc, 32-valve V8 engine, cast by Ferrari in Maranello, assembled by Ducati, then shipped to Lancia in Turin. It was the same unit found in the Ferrari 308 Quattrovalvole.
Everyone knows how fast the S and RS models are though tgeyre not exactly sleepers.
MG ZT 260 (and, even more so, the corresponding Rover V8 that was it's brother). So, imagine you are MG Rover. You are on the verge of bankruptcy, and you have one last throw of the dice. Someone suggests building a sensible family saloon and selling bucket loads to get some much needed capital. Obviously you fire him because you know the answer is to take your existing, but aging, platform and stick the 4.6l V8 from a Mustang in the front. Obviously that means reengineering the entire engine bay because a V8 won't fit unless you longitudinally mount it, but that's fine. Now, a car with that sort of performance can't be front wheel drive, obviously, so you also have to reengineer the whole car to be RWD - new fully-independent rear suspension, new steering rack because the old one won't fit, a transmission tunnel, new rear discs and calipers, etc. Now, this all cost a lot of money, so you decide to build loads to spread your R&D and engineering costs, right? ...right? N'ah fan - you will make, across both Rover and MG, 883 cars (about 80% MGs). Obviously the company went bust shortly after, but if you can find one, a Rover 75 V8 estate is one of the absolute rarest cars in the world - it's reckoned only 3 were ever made. In terms of your criteria it was, for its time, fast and powerful (albeit a heavy car), and it's undeniably rare. Is it cool? If family saloon sleepers, only distinguished by the number of tail pipes and a small V8 badge, recklessly built by a failing company, from a rich pedigree as long as your arm are cool, then you're goddamn right!
This [2004 MG ZT260 SE](https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C1608748) looks fitting in bland silver, the ultimate sleeper for less than £8k Or this super rare [1 of 12 2004 MG ZT260 SE Typhoon Monogram](https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1568781) for just £10k
Upvote because I used to work there. They also built that 50k sports car that I forget the name of. Even Top gear loved it.
The mg xpower I have a monogram mgzt 260 with a sprintex supercharger, 440hp, the ultimate sleeper
Building the v8s is exactly the right thing to do if your goal is to take a massive pension and burn the company
Corolla T Sport. Looks like a corolla, but a 200hp hot hatch. The T5 Volvo V70's. 250hp+ from what looks like a regular estate. Same for any T5+ volvo really. The 2.3T saab's. again it just looks like every other saab but with 260+hp. There are lots of crazy powered Merc's that just looks like all the others to most people. The big petrol E Classes come to mind. Phaeton's just look like passats to most people. But actually have more in common with the Bentley Continental than the Passat. Very rare, decently powerful, incredibly luxurious. I'd throw in the R36 Passat into that too. Most Lexus's. Some people don't realise that some of them can be mega luxurious or with mega power. And for the complete opposite, a lot of non car people might look at a Chrysler 300c and think its worth a bit of money or rare/special car, when a lot of people will say it's not. But don't listen to them, it's cool, I swear
The big dirty supercharged jags too. They still look like diesels but go like fuck. A million horsepower luxury yacht.
that's what I picked up early this year. 10k for over 600hp to the rear wheels. Once you're rolling it will quite easily keep up with supercars of a similar age and in some cases is quicker.
[удалено]
I really like mine. The steering isn't anywhere near as harsh (or precise) as the Type R/ST170 it was competing with, but it does mean its so much more comfortable. While still having 189hp from a rather light hatchback Only [800 left on the road](https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/toyota_corolla_tsport_vvtli), compared to the [6k type r's left](https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/honda_civic_type-r).
Toyota Blade Master G. Looks like yer nans 15 year old Auris but has a 3.5L V6.
Gotta love japan for churning out an econobox then just having a fuck it moment and banging a 280hp V6 in it
I had a Saab 9-5 2.3 Aero HOT it was an absolute animal. Looked exactly like every other Saab. Was fun destroying everything from the lights in it
Love mine. Will have a Porsche for a few seconds on an in gear roll.
I loved the "Overboost" dial on the dash
I've been looking for a newer sleeper estate to replace my 2007 Saab 9-5 wagon (stage 3 300bhp, 320lb.ft) and frankly to get the same performance and 'luxury barge' spec in a 2018+ car is going to cost me £20K plus. The Saab is great to drive around in (a cruiser not a racer but that suits me) and sails through MOT every year and I can't see any reason to update it yet really. Maybe in a few years when the 2022+ crop of fast petrol hybrid estates start to be more reasonably priced I'll look again... The Skoda Superb estate is a front runner in the higher spec models. 2018ish 2.0 TSi can have 276bhp (and be mapped to well over 360bhp) in a full leather 4WD cavernous estate that can do an under 6s 0-60.
Not just the petrol Mercs. I have a e400d and that is rapid. 340 bhp and 4.6s to 60
I didnt bring them up because I'm not actually familiar with them at all. Great shout. I think that further illustrates the idea of a car that looks average and you wouldn't think have great power, but actually does.
>Corolla T Sport. Looks like a corolla, but a 200hp hot hatch. The current Corolla hybrid 2.0 is 195hp as well
I’ve seen an older Lexus GS400 accelerating in traffic once. The whole rear squat down so quickly and it moved forward so violently.
The GS450h hybrid one is a lot faster than most people would think given their image
I fell down the autotrader rabbit hole before, didn’t even know they sold E500s over here and they’re completely unassuming you’d expect it to have the usual 2.1 diesel lump
They put that same T5 engine in a Ford S-Max
Stop giving away all the secrets!
I need to keep the 300c under lockdown. Cant have people rocking around in a car that cool
The E82 135i almost exactly looks like any other 1 series but it has 300hp. The only giveaway are the chunky brake calipers and the front side air intakes have tiny winglets and no fog lamps. Adore these - going up in value too! The M135i/M140i are a bit more obvious due to the dual exhausts and fake canards but they are still pretty understated compared to the other German rivals like the Golf R with chrome quad exhausts.
335d is quite a sleeper. 370bhp with a remap.
750nm
An old work mate of mine had a 57 plate 335i estate iap import that was about 450bhp. He took me out in it once and no shit it was like being in a budget supercar with a scally driver.
I have a debadged 435d, looks identical to the far more numerous 420d so even stock it’s a bit of a sleeper
I think it’s generally understood now that most F30 onwards BMW 3 series are fast cars, you won’t lose one on the road without doing illegal speeds, even a 320d can be quick
All 335d owners know that with a remap it's faster than a Porsche Turbo S.
I agree on the M135i, that’s why I got one! Had a i30N and Golf R before it but wanted something that looked understated in comparison
I’ve never heard of a m135i being described as understated, particularly in comparison to a golf R tbh. Golf looks normal from everywhere apart from the rear.
If, like me, you don’t clean the tips on an R, it’s way less obvious! 😂
I'd argue a 123d in there too. Basic remap and supporting mods you've got a 300hp and 50mpg.
Had a 2012 plate 135i vert and got the power performance bmw map to get the slight overrun on the exhaust. Loved that car! Great value.
mercedes E500. 5L V8 with none of the AMG styling wankery
Not cheap at all these days though sadly
you can still pick them up for under £5k, idk but a big V8 barge for that is good value
Volvo V60 / XC60 T8 recharge, 455bhp, 0 to 60 in 4.5 seconds.
Subaru Legacy Spec B.
I have a Japanese import GT Spec B Legacy that is sadly going up for sale next week. I’ll miss it hugely
They are a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I’ve driven a GTB my mate had. What a weapon
Beautiful car. Was going to get one but kids stopped me. Got a nice JDM Honda Odyssey Absolute instead. I’ll get a spec B one day!
Dump the kids.
Any white van is the fastest vehicle
Second fastest. Rentals will always be faster.
Ford Orion Ghia
My dad had one and I used to take it out for sneaky drives the 1.6i felt red hot to 17 year old me.
My dad had the 1.6 Ghia injection. I still remember the registration, E556 UGN. I missed driving that one by about 3-4 years I think. I loved that car, was so proud of him the first day he brought it home. I thought it was amazing.
My dad had one F442UCW still remember him bringing it home too haha looked amazing at that time. that tiny little trip computer to the right of the steering wheel looked like something from the future.
Well it's rare, I guess
There’s a place near Hull called Hessle Foreshore and back in the days of Max Power magazine a lot of boy racers used to hang out there and one guy who was prob in his 30s had a pale gold Orion Ghia that looked really cool.
My mate built an rs turbo one, had it for maybe 15 years
I had an RS Turbo 1600E Orion, the running gear was originally in a van.
I bought a 1.6i in 2003 for £100, as my mate’s dad didn’t know what he was selling! I sold it on to a boy racer for £1000. That was the only time it’s paid to be a car geek.
Late GS450h - ~330 bhp/400 N.m so nothing crazy but already was fast for open roads. GSF is the same but with the V8 but it's louder and quad exhaust so "less average" I'd also say the Superb/Octavia with the EA888 and the BMW 50i too.
Came here to say this, the GS450h is crazy quick, especially for the time
Seriously? Never realised they were that quick, might have a look....
Yeah they'll do 100 in around 12 seconds, it's no supercar but it's fast considering it really doesn't have that air about it
I dunno, you kinda expect the larger luxury saloons to be rocking V8s in that era as standard. So I wouldn't say it's that much of a sleeper. I also test drove one of them back in the day (I'm a Lexus fan). The dealer was trying to make it abundantly clear it was competing with the likes of a 540i. I can't remember now why I didn't buy it. I think it was a bit too "old mans car" for me. Amazing Mark Levinson sound system though.
I had one for a very short time and I used to smoke Mercedes bmw allday. 0-60 5.9sec but do it properly on a good road it feels even quicker
Volvo V60 T8
It’s practically a hobby of mine to exhibit the T8 power to unsuspecting motorists
I've got a grey xc60 t8, 'the most dad car you could get' according to my daughter. Humiliated many youths in hot hatches.
Same, and not just hot hatches. Sounds surprisingly good when you out your foot down too
I’ve got the XC90 T8. People don’t expect a big blobby Swedish SUV to gather up its skirts and gallop down the road as swiftly as it does.
Loved reading that😂
And the older polestar! Triple turbo 3.0l
The Current Rolls Royce range doesn't look as fast as the average Lambo.
Misha Charoudin has taken one round the Nurburgring and while it was clearly a boat it did surprisingly well.
Volvo V60 3litre Polestar engineered ( and the newer 2 litre),
My XE S is a bit of a weird one. Looks exactly the same as the 4cyl XEs with a couple S badges and some different wheel options (19" Venoms and 20" Propellers off the top of my head). There's now only ~800 on the road and it's significantly quicker and louder than the 2.0l versions. Pretty much any Volvo Polestar T5 is also quite uncommon but with that bright blue that a large portion seem to have, wouldn't say they looked particularly average.
I don’t understand why they changed the naming structure for the XE. The XFS is still just a diesel. The rest of the super jags have an R
Ah, the XF S also came with the 3.0l petrol, it's just that barely anyone chose it as an option because it was ultimately still the pensioner's choice over the 5 Series and the Diesel was cheaper to run day to day. A shame that we never got an XE R or another XF R because the AJ126 in the S models is the same engine as the AJ133 in the R/SVR, difference being that two cylinders were blanked (and the bore stroke was slightly bigger) for crash testing purposes. Then Jaguar claimed that the V8 wouldn't fit as RHD because it was easier to lie than admit that the V6s sold like shit over here and making it LHD only was going to save a significant amount of money.
Nissan sunny GTI-R, I’ve only ever seen / been in one and it went like a stabbed rat
Any 3L diesel bmw that’s in SE guise You can get 335d in SE spec that looks like it should be slow but in reality will do 0-60 in like 5 seconds or something stupid
I've got an E60 535d SE that was keeping up with a friend's 911 GTS and a K20 equipped Elise on a recent meet. It's utterly anonymous to look at, though.
That being said though the SE spec E60s and E61s are starting to show their age in looks. The M-sports really do look pretty modern still.
Vauxhall Carlton (Lotus version)
I would argue the Carlton looks like quite the performance car, what with being lowered, the spoiler etc.
The Lotus, yes. But the plain GSi 24V was plenty to surprise most cars of the same era and looked like a big stodgy lump. I loved mine, it's what got me into sleepers in the first place.
I dunno, it looks like a Vauxhall Carlton but sure a bit sporty. I don’t think you’d expect to get absolutely smoked.
3000 gsi was a fucking weapon never drove the lotus
the carltons were most definately cars which people kinda feared/expected speed from back in the day they were new, they were used as police cars, not to mention the 3000 gsi has over 200bhp and does 0-60 in 7.1 seconds. My grandad always said it was a laugh seeing everyone slow down the instant he appeared in his 3000 gis.
Yeah but the context is 1990. The only other sport saloon that exists is JDM.
The Lotus Carlton is famous though everybody knows they're fast and look at the spoiler and alloys. No other K / H reg saloon looks even close in Europe. Now you are conditioned to seeing sport saloons everywhere but in 1990 it was unique. Aggressive track ready sport saloons weren't a thing outside of Japan. Plus they all come in the same colour, very dark green. You know what it is the second you see it.
Lancia Thema 8.32. looks like a shitbox saloon, goes like a ... Well they probably were a bit of a handful I'd imagine 😅
Lexus GS450h - 5.3s to 60, 348 bhp, looks like ordinary saloon, hybrid that is more about power than fuel savings (however it is more economical in general than your typical 3.5L V6) Audi C6 S6 - 5.2L V10 derieved from Lamborghini, looks like normal A6 Subaru Impreza STI Spec D (Discrete) Mazda 6 MPS Toyota Aristo Vertex V300 - Basically looks like Lexus GS300 with Twin Turbo 2.5L from Supra A80 2JZ-GTE Lexus GS430 - under 6s to 60 with 4.3L V8 Toyota Century - only Toyota with V12 Mitsubishi Galant VR4 Subaru Legacy 3.0R Spec B Lexus IS F Subaru Legacy B4
Partridge and Clarkson did the Lexus brand dirty in the UK. The GS in particular deserved much more love, albeit Lexus UK don't appear to have loved it much either. Audi C6 generation was the best.
Kia ev6 gt. faster than a lamoirghini. [obligatory car wow video](https://youtu.be/_8Ks4EdHWck?si=qBS0_DU6H4yjwY-W)
A lot of “hot hatches” fall into the this kind of category. Not that they’d outpace any super cars or anything but most people don’t expect a rather plain looking Skoda Fabia to hand them their arse during a traffic light drag race.
Anyone that's truly racing you off the lights will likely know what a VRS is. If you "caught them off guard" then they weren't racing.
Nah the newer 1.4 petrol wasn’t obvious to most people.
Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio. It looks aggressive to a point but its nowhere near as wild in the looks department as it could be given what's under the bonnet. In fact, to the unaware it probably doesn't even look any different to the standard model (the vents in the bonnet and the cloverleaf badge should be a giveaway though.) 510bhp. Absolutely insane monster, easily the car I'd go for if I had to buy a saloon. Also very rare, don't think I've ever seen one on the road.
Agreed, its such a good looking, fast and powerful car. But i guess the stereotype of alfa being unreliable puts people off and they buy a m3 or c63.
Had a [Volvo V50 T5](https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-features-sheds/volvo-v50-t5--shed-of-the-week/46604). Looked like a bog standard estate. Same engine as the Focus RS, but not as powerful. 2.5 5 cylinder, with a low pressure turbo. Surprised a few drivers with that car.
Great post OP, I’ve gone down quite a rabbit hole checking some of the suggestions here :)
Mercedes R63.
Mazda 3 mps mk1, 260hp with a boat load of torque. Actually a good sized hatchback and a very comfortable ride and had a nice interior.
Guy at my local pub is 75 and drives one of these. What a guy!
Good shout. Same with the 6 MPS with 4WD.
Definitely wouldn’t describe the ride as “very comfortable” its firm!
BMW 550i SE
There's this beautiful, low mile incredibly highly specced F10 550i luxury line up for sale rn. [This car.](https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202304066030555)
Who specs a car like that, then only drives 2000 miles in almost 10 years?! Wild.
BMW 550i Touring !
This! I had the e61 m5 touring and the 550 was very close
Quite a number of Volvos (estates and saloons) are average looking Q/sleeper cars.
The Lotus hatchbacks, like the Carlton or the Cortina.
Neither of those were hatchbacks. Do you mean the sunbeam?
Yeah as the other guy said you just named two saloons, neither actually made by lotus, just tuned by them.
Alfa Romeo Stelvio, packs 280hp (most look incredibly dull from the outside)
Vauxhall (Holden) Monaro, in the UK at least. Not much to look at but that LS lump can make big power.
Polo g40 1.3 supercharged, remove the throttle restriction and its as quick as the mk1 gold gti Mercedes 190e 2.3 and 2.5 cosworth Ford Orion Ghia had the xr3i engine
Almost any mid to high end electric car.
The new MG4 X-Power is a perfect example of this. £35k with a 0-60 that would embarrass most super (and some hyper) cars.
I work next to an mg dealer and they keep parking these where I can see them, they look real nice in that green
Chinese racing green ..
The Kia ev6 gt is one that will always stick in my mind. It launched a year or two ago and cost upwards of 60k, but could almost hold its own against an adventador svj. I don’t care if it didn’t win, but it’s bloody impressive that it could even be considered to be a car that could go head to head against a flagship lambo.
Cupra Ateca. Appreciate its an SUV and everyone hates them on this sub but it looks like a family car with 300bhp under the lid
[удалено]
I think you’re right that people may realise it’s expensive and quick, but as an owner of one I catch so many Audi/BMW/Merc drivers out off the lights. I’m no boy racer or petrolhead by any stretch but the 0-60 is incredible for a family SUV. Shame they’ve just made the 150bhp and 190bhp available in the Cupra Ateca now, should have kept it at the 300bhp only
*" I catch so many Audi/BMW/Merc drivers out off the lights"* Mate. They weren't racing you.
[удалено]
It's 4.3s if you turn off traction and modify a few settings. Source: I have one
[удалено]
No issues at all. Mines the 310 full petrol. Only issue really been the firmware which is now fixed
Makes me laugh when people think they’re racing you at traffic lights. I drive an all black Mini Cooper D with big 17 alloys and it looks quite sporty, the amount of people who overtake me at traffic lights thinking they’re fast is embarrassing, especially when it’s a 30mph speed limit and you’re in the middle of town 🤣
Volvo is the usual answer to the wolf in (old) sheep's clothing. Lots of fast, anonymous German saloons, but you expect them to be quick.
435d/335d xDrive
A Transit on the motorway
Lotus Carlton. Was the fasted production sedan for about a decade. Some MPs called for it to be banned, insurance was sky high because scallies would boost it to commit crimes in because it could out run any police car.
The Astra K 1.6 turbo petrol looks like your generic run of the mill family hatchback especially in elite or Sri form. The “VX line” models have a little sportier look but overall it’s nothing special. Yet it rocks a very good 200 bhp engine that with a simple remap can easily push 240. Which is better than stock GTI. And it’s a surprisingly light car for modern standards and definitely a shock to many.
I always look out for the twin exhausts and biturbo badge on the back
The biturbo is the diesel and is nowhere near as quick. The dual exit exhaust is the biggest giveaway but the best way to spot one is the red turbo badge on the boot.
Plus they handle brilliantly, before I recently left Vauxhall as a technician, the Astra K was my favourite to drive due to the way they handled
Very fun to drive on country roads
Alfa Giulietta QV too
760
Honda Legend. Looks like any standard honda but has a 3.5 V6 under the bonnet. Its quick when it needs to be and rare, doubt theres many left on the roads.
My mate had one and for the longest time I thought it was a Honda Accord. Wasn't until I was inside it that I realised it definitely wasn't. Actually lovely places to be inside too
While we're there Nissan stagea, looks like a boxy Japanese estate but with a skyline drivetrain
Mates dad worked for Honda and had one, absolute monster
Oh man, this brings back memories! 1991 when I was 17, one of my friend's family had 3 Hondas: a Legend (the dad), a CRX (his wife), and a Civic Shuttle (utility / family and for the 3 sons to drive). The eldest son got to drive the Legend and that thing could move.
My old Ampera was rare, I only saw 3 others during the 3 years I owned it. Essentially a Chevy Volt with a Vauxhall badge. Because it was electrically driven, it had instant torque and from 0-30mph there were very few cars on the road that could beat it off the lights. I took great delight in showing AMGs and BMW M whatever my crappy Vauxhall rear end.
Lexus LS 600h Infiniti M
Tesla Model 3. Own one myself. Not a spectacular looking car but it has ridiculous pull.
Fiat Coupe Turbo 20v. [Not a bad looking car at all](https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-features-heroes/fiat-coupe-20v-turbo-ph-heroes/36306) but, you know, 157mph and 0-60 in under 6.5s 25 years ago
Rover 800 vitesse and Rover 75 V8
Anything from Hyundai with an N badge lol. Specifically the Kona...
[удалено]
But it's not much different (body wise and to the uneducated) to the rest of the range. Are you sure it's not because it goes brrrrrrrrrmm-pop-pop-pop that people are looking at it? 😂 FWIW it's my official (sensible) midlife crisis car. SUV for SWMBO, red because it adds at least 15BHP, N because the daughter (and her daddy) want a bit of a hooligan car...
Subaru Forester STI or Cross Sports
Volvo C30 T5
My mk4 golf estate lol
Vw bora
Mondeo St. 2006/7
Had an older RS6 avant for a while. Totally debadged, look almost like a regular A6 estate to the casual observer. 572bhp Lamborghini V10 under the bonnet. Loved that car.
The fastest car ... is a rental!
Renault Espace F1. Weighing in at 1,300kg, 0-62mph in 2.8secs and a top speed of 193mph thanks to the 3.5-litre V10 motor that produced 789bhp and 520lb ft. If we’re talking about something a little less uncommon then Lancia Delta HF Integrale.
Xe s
Is it just me that thinks the m135/m140i is a very average looking car? Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between an m sport 118i and an m140i
Passat W8 Touareg W12 BMW 335d Golf VR6 4Motion (not as great as the others but still a sleeper-ish car) Audi RS2 Avant
don't know if it counts as very fast but most 2l diesels like when you give it a bootful the boost comes on amazingly and they can definitely shift and most of these are just distinctly averagely looking cars like an Insignia is probably the most average car there is but you give it a bootful and it'll shoot through.
Yeah, it’s funny how many kids in warm hatches with body kits look shocked when you’re far quicker off the line in a dadmobile with a 2L TD. My PHEV Kuga is quicker again off the line. It’s by no means rapid or sporty, but it’s pretty nippy to 10/20/30mph.
They aren't fast. It's the mid range torque vs a petrol that is deceiving you. They are much more "powerful" when you boot it at mid level revs vs a petrol yes. But if the equivalent petrol car drops a gear to get it in the right power band, it will win. However, while not ultimately fast, the mid range shove can make the power more useable (effortless) on a day to day basis against the petrol.
Volvo v60 d4. Also, it has free road tax. It is cheap and surprising to others around you expecting an old slow man in a barge to crawl everywhere. In my experience also... 2 and 3l. BMWs but they seem more expected...
Drive a v40 D4 and it’s so fun playing drag race at the lights.
Peugeot 107. In the traffic light Grand Prix, nothing else beats it.
Cause it weighs as much as an empty cigarette pack. I’d love the fiesta turbo engine for one. 180bhp 3 cylinder
A1 S1 230 bhp in a car that weighs 1300kg I love mines corners like it’s on rails too 👍
My S3 looks like an A3 from the side. Additionally, my wife said, "it's just a gray hatchback, not a sports car"
Grounds for divorce
Any big engine mercedes or BMW especially debadged. I've got a 435d convertible 300bhp plus, 60 in 5 seconds looks no different to a 418 I guess? My bonus I get 45mpg on a 200 mile run I do regularly
Hyundai Veloster Turbo, same tourque to weight ratio as a V6 Charger and a shit load of boost from the stock turbos, like 18psi I think 🩷
Old Honda jazz 1.4 02-08, shit zips along they're great fun to drive
My Volvo V40 D4 doesn’t look crazy and because it’s a Volvo people assume it’s slow. It’s pretty fast, gets to 60 in 7 secs. It’s funny embarrassing boy racers.
Infiniti Q50s Hybrid, most people mistake it for a Mazda 6 but it's got a 3.5l V6 plus an electric motor that put out around 370bhp along with AWD. 0-60 in 4.7 secs.
Gr Yaris