Where Have All the Sleepers Gone? [w/video]

[AF News Desk]

I remember a time when cars didn't have to be fast looking to actually be fast.

In fact, the slower looking the car, the better if you were planning on having a ride that would put others on the road to shame.

However, I feel like we've lost touch with the art of the sleeper over the last few years. Everyone wants something that looks flashy and looks fast when they think of a fast car. Or, if they're putting money into the speed factor of their car, they want the good looks to go with it. Now don't get me wrong - there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a good looking car that goes fast - I'm simply saying I miss seeing a car that looks basic/stock/slow that will actually blow the doors off anything it is challenged by (there's nothing like seeing a car that you would never expect to be packing a high-performance punch).

Fortunately for me - and the rest of you who appreciate sleepers - there are still enthusiasts who believe subtlety is a big advantage on the streets, evidenced by this story from AutoBlog:

Originally Posted by By Jeff Glucker - AutoBlog, 9/23/11

728-hp Toyota Camry is the ultimate sleeper

A sleeper is any vehicle that appears to be slow, but is hiding an evil secret in its engine bay. Sleepers are scintillating machines that prove time and skill (and money) can turn a garden variety family sedan or station wagon into a street rocket ready to tackle those with far more cash to burn.

Take this Toyota Camry, for example – it just received a new lease on life courtesy of Canadian tuner Dynamotorsports. Under the hood sits a 3.0-liter V6 engine fitted with custom intake and exhaust manifolds, a big ol' HKS turbo and a whole lot of boost. The end result: a Camry that puts down 728 horsepower – at the wheels.

We imagine that mashing the gas results in a display of torque steer that would make Hercules weep as his arms thrash from side to side. Still, this is one Camry we would love to spend some time with, if only for a good laugh. Click past the jump to watch it attack a dyno.

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You can never have too much speed. Especially in a car people might/will underestimate and write off.

Long live the sleeper!

Think you've got a sleeper? Tell us about it.

[Polygon]

Yeah, I can identify with this. But I'm actually seeing a more disturbing trend, the exact opposite of sleepers. Cars that are slow but look fast. I have less of a problem with a fast car actually looking fast. Still, I see the lack of true sleepers. I even see a lot of people that think they have a sleeper but seem to have no idea what a sleeper is.

I do have a sleeper and have no intentions of changing that. Granted it's clean, but hardly anyone expects the kind of power this car has. Most of the older members will know about this car. It's my 1989 LeBaron GTC Turbo II.

[Johnnyx1257]

yea I remember all the sleepers around 2001-2005

[grider]

i belive the reason for no more sleepers is you cant see them if its a sleeper it dosent look fast now unless you are going around chalenging camrys and lebarons you would never know where they are i am a big fan of the sleeper but i hav never built one cause the cost is so much higher to start from a low proformance car than to start with a sports car they usualy have atleast a good suspension and looking fast also means a good air package family sedans arent exactly built for race from the factory

[Polygon]

Originally Posted by grider

i belive the reason for no more sleepers is you cant see them if its a sleeper it dosent look fast now unless you are going around chalenging camrys and lebarons you would never know where they are i am a big fan of the sleeper but i hav never built one cause the cost is so much higher to start from a low proformance car than to start with a sports car they usualy have atleast a good suspension and looking fast also means a good air package family sedans arent exactly built for race from the factory

I would agree with you to a point. However, there are sleepers from the factory. My LeBaron is stock. It's rated at 174 HP and 210 ft/lbs of torque. Not bad back in 1989. The last time I took it to the track I ran a 14.6 @ 98 MPH. For a few grand I can easily get it into the 11s. It also has better suspension, brakes, and steering than the standard LeBarons.

It's pretty much a Shelby Daytona in a LeBaron wrapper. Also, I'm simply using my car as an example.