WHAT IS A SLEEPER? (Top 11 List of The Best Sleepers Ever made)

A sleeper (US English) or Q-car (British English) is a car that has high performance and an unassuming exterior. Sleeper cars are so-called because their exterior looks similar or identical to a standard or economy-class car. In some cases the car appears worse due to seeming neglect on the owner's part, typically referred to as "all go and no show". While appearing to be a standard or neglected car, internally they are modified to have higher performance levels. The American nomenclature comes from the term sleeper agent, while the British term derives from the Q-ships used by the British Royal Navy. 


Sleepers can be traced back as far back as the 1950s, The First Passenger Car to done the Nickname Sleeper was this Red 1955 Chrysler C-300  pictured right below. 

This Car had a 5.4 Litre V8 called the FirePower engine which produced 300Horsepower. This engine was the first in a production passenger car to be rated at 300 hp (220 kW), and by a comfortable margin made the C-300 the most powerful American car of the time. It Should also be noted that 300Horsepower for 1955 was a lot of Power and in today's vehicles could be likened to the power of a Top-end Lamborghini with more than double that Horsepower figure. By 1957, the upgraded Chrysler 300C's power was increased to a Blistering 375 hp (280 kW). These cars were among the first sleepers.

Below are examples of some of the best and Most Famous Sleepers ever made (in no particular order) along with their respective stats (Acceleration, Top-Speed, Engine Size, Number of Cylinders, Horsepower)
                                                                                                                                                                                                     -Segun

 
 

1993-1995 MERCEDES BENZ E500(W124)
Acceleration 0-100km/h(0-62mph)= 6.3 Seconds 
Top-speed= 260km/h (161.5mph)
Engine Size= Naturally Aspirated 5.0Litres, 24Valves(3Valves/Cyl)
Number of Cylinders= 8Cylinders(V8)
Horse-Power= 326hp@5600rpm(US Version)

1995-1996 Volvo 850 T-5R

Acceleration 0-100km/h(0-62mph)= between 5.8-6.0Seconds

 Topspeed= 244.9 km/h(152.2mph)

 Engine Size-= Turbocharged 2.3Litres, 20Valves(4Valves/Cyl)

Number of Cylinders-= 5Cylinders(5-Inline)
HorsePower= 243hp

1990-1992 Lotus Carlton

Acceleration 0-100km/h(0-62mph)= between 5.2Seconds

 Topspeed= 285 km/h (177 mph)

 Engine Size= Twin-Turbocharged 3.6Litres, 24Valves (4Valves/Cyl)

Number of Cylinders-= 6Cylinders(Straight6)
HorsePower= 377hp

2003-2004 Mercury Marauder

Acceleration 0-100km/h(0-62mph)= 6.7Seconds

 Topspeed= 220 km/h (137 mph)

 Engine Size= Twin-Turbocharged 4.6Litres, 32Valves (4Valves/Cyl)

Number of Cylinders= 8Cylinders(V8)
HorsePower= 300hp

1991 GMC Syclone Truck

Acceleration 0-100km/h(0-62mph)= 4.5Seconds

 Topspeed= 220 km/h (137 mph)

 Engine Size= Turbocharged/Intercooled 4.3Litres, 32Valves (4Valves/Cyl)

Number of Cylinders= 6Cylinders(V6)

HorsePower= 280hp

2018-Present Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Edition

Acceleration 0-100km/h(0-62mph)= 3.5Seconds

 Topspeed= 290 km/h (180 mph)

 Engine Size= Supercharged/Intercooled 6.2Litres, 16Valves (2Valves/Cyl)

Number of Cylinders= 8Cylinders(V8)
HorsePower= 707hp

2001-Present Mercedes-Benz S-Class (S65) AMG (three Generations)

Acceleration 0-100km/h(0-62mph)= 4.4Seconds/4.4Seconds/4.1Seconds

 Topspeed= 260kmph/300kmph/300 kmph (155mph/190mph190 mph)ALL ELECTRONICALLY LIMITED

 Engine Size= (All) Twin-Turbocharged/Intercooled 6Litres, 36Valves (3Valves/Cyl)

Number of Cylinders= 12Cylinders(V12)
HorsePower= 604hp/621hp/621hp

  

1989-1991 Ford Taurus SHO

Acceleration 0-100km/h(0-62mph)= 6.6Seconds

 Topspeed= 230 km/h (143 mph)

 Engine Size= Supercharged/Intercooled 3.0Litres, 24Valves (4Valves/Cyl)

Number of Cylinders= 6Cylinders(V6)
HorsePower= 220hp

2002-Present Audi RS6 QuattroAvant(Three Generations)

Acceleration 0-100km/h(0-62mph)= 4.7/4.3/3.7Seconds

 Topspeed= 250 km/h (155 mph) (ALL ELECTRONICALLY LIMITED)

 Engine Size= Bi-Turbocharged and Intercooled 4.2Litres/5.0Litres/4.0Litres, 40Valves/40Valves/32Valves (5/4/4-Valves/Cyl)

Number of Cylinders= 8/10/8Cylinders(V8/V10/V8)
HorsePower= 450hp/580hp/560hp

2000-2005 Lexus GS430

Acceleration 0-100km/h(0-62mph)= 6.0Seconds

 Topspeed= 250 km/h (155 mph)

 Engine Size= Supercharged/Intercooled 4.3Litres, 32Valves (4Valves/Cyl)

Number of Cylinders= 8Cylinders(V8)
HorsePower= 300hp

1994-1997 Jaguar XJ-12

Acceleration 0-100km/h(0-62mph)= 6.8Seconds

 Topspeed= 254 km/h (157 mph)

 Engine Size= Naturally Aspirated 6.0Litres, 24Valves (2Valves/Cyl)

Number of Cylinders= 12Cylinders(V12)
HorsePower= 311hp






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