6 Fast Cars That Fooled Us Into Thinking They Were Slow

Some cars are designed to look slow, but stamp on the throttle and an aggressive alter-ego is unleashed. Here are a few of those cars as suggested by you...
6 Fast Cars That Fooled Us Into Thinking They Were Slow

1. Audi S8 D2

Suggested by: Scott Hewes
Suggested by: Scott Hewes

The Audi S8 D2 is best known for its role in the John Frankenheimer epic Ronin. When a bunch of ex-special operatives needed an undercover performance car, there was only one vehicle for the job, the S8. The 4.2-litre, 335bhp V8 powered super saloon was a perfect example of restrained design. There was almost nothing about the handsome car that pointed to its supercar baiting performance; the silver mirrors (an S car tradition) and the discreet badges were the only give away.

With an advanced Quattro system the S8 could haul itself to 60mph in an impressive 5.7 seconds, and would have gone on to 170mph if it hadn’t been fitted with a 155mph limiter. We desperately want one, but running costs are a huge turn off. Then again, a clean, low-milage example would be uber cool. Now to find one…

2. Subaru Legacy Spec B

Suggested by: CJ 89
Suggested by: CJ 89

The great thing about the Subaru Legacy is that the majority of the general public have no idea what they are. Don’t get me wrong, in the UK, you see plenty of them, but they’re usually packed with children, dogs and walking gear. But when you think about it, this is actually a good thing, because you can own a car with fantastic performance, without having to deal with the attention that comes with owning something like an anti-social STI.

If you’re currently in the market for one of these brilliant vehicles, we’d search for a Subaru Legacy Spec B. With a STI six-speed manual transmission, 2.5-litre, 247bhp boxer engine and top-quality Bilstein dampers, the Spec B is the ultimate all-rounder.

3. GMC Syclone

Suggested by: gary busey
Suggested by: gary busey

The GMC Syclone is argubly the most famous pick-up of all time. Based on the fairly uninspiring GMC Sonoma, the Syclone was shockingly fast in its day, instantly securing it legendary status.

The truck featured a turbocharged, 280bhp 4.3 litre V6 engine which sent power to all four wheels. According to a 1991 Car and Driver comparison test, the Syclone could accelerate to 60mph in a shockingly fast (for the time) 5.3 seconds and could run 14.1 seconds in the quarter-mile. We can thank the Syclone for trucks like the F-150 SVT Lightning and the Dodge RAM SRT-10, but nothing comes close to the cool factor of the GMC.

4. Mercedes 500E

Suggested by: JL Photography
Suggested by: JL Photography

JL Photography suggested this brilliant classic. The 500 E was a high-performance variant of the W124, developed in a collaboration with Porsche. The 500E received a naturally aspirated, 5.0-litre, 322bhp, V8 engine which allowed the car to reach 62mph (100 km/h) in an impressive 6.1 seconds.

Around 120 cars were produced, with later models being built beside the iconic Audi RS2. A limited number of cars were fitted with a 6.0-litre AMG developed V8. But for ultimate sleeper status we would happily stick with the standard 500E.

5. Passat 4Motion W8

Suggested by: SimpleG
Suggested by: SimpleG

In our opinion, the Passat 4.0-litre 4Motion W8 is one of the coolest cars of the last decade. We even picked one as our favourite unconventional sleeper. The W8 was uber exclusive, with only 246 examples being sold in the UK, which was probably something to do with the car’s eye-watering £38,000 price tag. However, when you consider the development work that went into the engine, you can see why the car was so expensive.

The W8 engine was effectively formed by sticking two VR6 blocks (with a couple of cylinders lopped off) together at 72 degrees. In fact, the car was basically an engineering testbed, with derivates of the highly complex motor working their way into the VW Phaeton and Bugatti Veyron. The four-wheel drive system made this car a brilliant all-weather machine, and if you buy one in estate form, you’ll have yourself an understated practical weapon.

6. Renault Mégane GT 220

Suggested by: therenaultguy
Suggested by: therenaultguy

The Renaultsport Mégane 275 Trophy-R is quite easily one of the best handling front-wheel drive cars on sale. But with lairy graphics, heinous racing seats and a strut brace running through the boot of the car, it’s not a vehicle for someone who wants to slip under the radar.

Thankfully, the guys over at Renault have your back. The Mégane Sport Tourer GT 220 has all of the good bits from the 275 Trophy-R, all wrapped up in a humble estate body. The Tourer receives the same 2.0-litre turbocharged engine as the R, revised springs and dampers, and a Renaultsport honed chassis - brilliant.

So guys, which car is the most covert? If you have any other suggestions, let us know in the comments below!

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Comments

TheMainstreamCarGuy

Stagea?

04/27/2016 - 10:58 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

BMW M3 E46? I mean car guys get that it’s a fast car. Non car people on the other hand.

04/27/2016 - 11:04 |
0 | 0
Max Schröder

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Maybe a 330ci.
Not that much slower than the M3, but can be made to look like a 4-cylinder 3-series.

04/27/2016 - 11:17 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

the 2002-2006 Maruti Suzuki Baleno, considered as the national sleeper of India, was thought to be slow due to its bland looks but it is so fast, it touches 100 kmph on the second gear and it was one of the best handling FWD cars, which could put some RWD cars to shame.

04/27/2016 - 11:06 |
0 | 4
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

My Suzuki Swift 1.3 (around 90hp) can hit 100km/h in 2nd gear and go 200km/h but it’s not a sleeper

04/27/2016 - 12:13 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Stop trolling, those things look like crap and go like crap. Not fast.

04/27/2016 - 16:32 |
0 | 0
Guillaume 9

Are you sure it’s 120 and not 1200 500Es built?

04/27/2016 - 11:07 |
0 | 0

Maybe there were 120 originals, and the rest are “conversions”.
I was at an car-show recently where one company offered 4 500Es (one of them being a station wagon), and after (quite) some digging they admitted that all 4 started life with smaller engines.

04/27/2016 - 11:17 |
0 | 0
William Lampart

Lotus Opel Omega/Vauxhall Carlton is the ultimate sleeper.

Build back in 1989 it had a 3.6 twin turbo with 377 bhp and a vmax of 283 kmh. It does 0 to 62 in only 4.9 secs.

Incredible specs for such an old car!!!

04/27/2016 - 11:13 |
52 | 0
Albin Nygren

Mondeo ST220?

04/27/2016 - 11:15 |
2 | 0
Max Schröder

There’s also the Ford Shogun.
It looks like a Ford Festiva with some cheap widebody-kit slapped on to it, but it’s mid-rear engined and has rear wheel drive.
And it goes like hell.
Sadly, because there are very few of them, they probably don’t see much use.

04/27/2016 - 11:15 |
2 | 0

you watched jay lenno didn’t you?

04/27/2016 - 11:17 |
6 | 0
Willgud

Saab 9000 Turbo, those were out bating on Porshche’s and slower Ferrari’s back in the day. Very fast cars.

04/27/2016 - 11:16 |
4 | 0
Alexandre Thomas

We had a 1997 Legacy GT-B, a true monster ! It was just a racing green wagon, with a 230hp boxer engine <3

04/27/2016 - 11:16 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

this thing is pretty fast too saab- turbo x estate

04/27/2016 - 11:26 |
4 | 0