Imagine you're at the traffic lights in a sports car, and an unassuming, old soccer mommy wagon pulls up next to you. The staring contest begins, the lights go green, and the next thing you know, the boxy wagon has gapped you and left you in its dust. Now, that is the finest way to get introduced to a sleeper, and there's nothing out there cooler than a sleeper car with serious performance. There are many sleepers in different body styles out there if you are looking for one.
However, there are also sleeper engines that somehow found their way into non-performance-oriented cars, breadboxes, and luxury barges. How these engines ended up in unusual places still remains an automotive mystery. Nevertheless, here are the top 10 sleeper car engines ever made and the sleeper cars that featured these engines (so next time you know what you're up against):
10 Toyota 2JZ Straight-6
The 2JZ needs no introduction whatsoever. If we had to name an engine that is so iconic, bulletproof, and tuneable, it has to be this Toyota twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six motor. Famed for its robust underpinnings and a strong block that can take horsepower numbers into four figures, the 2JZ is undoubtedly the most tuner-friendly engine in the world. However, it found its way into unusual cars such as the Toyota Crown, Progres, Origin, Brevis, and other performance models such as Altezza, Chaser, etc.
9 Chevrolet LS V8
If the 2JZ is Japan's gift for us enthusiasts, the small-block LS is America's version of the same, but with more cylinders and obviously, way more power. It’s a no-nonsense V8 engine that makes more than enough power and torque out of the box. However, the engine is also extremely tuneable and the ideal choice for any engine swap. So much so that you can even find LS engines in Miatas to even Ferraris! Over the years, different versions of the LS have found their way into many normal trucks and even vans such as the Chevrolet Express.
8 Lancia Thema V8
The Lancia Thema is just another boxy sedan from the '80s with a boring design, to say the least. But if you ever come across a Thema with a yellow 8.32 badge in the front grille, we suggest you hide. Lancia went all bonkers and decided to drop a 3.0-liter 32V V8 engine based on the same V8 in the Ferrari 308 Quattrovalvole, but with a cross-plane crank and other changes. However, what makes it special is the fact that the parts came directly from Maranello and the engine was built by Ducati! How cool is that?
7 Volvo B8444S V8
The B8444S is a 60-degree 4.4-liter V8 engine that debuted in the Volvo XC90 and later in the S80 – two luxury barges with a smooth V8 engine. However, the engine was built by Yamaha, and car geeks might know how Yamaha makes some of the best engines in the world. The same applies to this V8 which later found its way into the brilliant yet underrated British supercar, the Noble M600. With the help of two turbochargers, this engine developed a mighty 650hp in the M600, often known as the modern-day Ferrari F40.
6 Volkswagen W8
In 2001, Volkswagen decided to sell a special variant of the Passat with a rather strange engine – a 4.0-liter W8 unit. The German brand wanted the sedan to be a test bed for the new engine which later featured in the Bugatti Veyron in a W16 format. So, that means a somber-looking Volkswagen Passat came with half a Bugatti engine in 2001 and no one knew about this? This engine developed a healthy 275 hp and 213 lb-ft of twist in the Passat B5.5 if you're looking for the numbers.
5 Audi D3 V10
What if we told you the glorious V10 in the Lamborghini Huracan was available in a station wagon and a luxury sedan? Meet the Audi D3 V10, the very same loud 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 from the bulls. This engine was available in the Audi S8 and the Audi RS6 variants, making it a proper sleeper engine and a legit highway/autobahn missile. The output figures were also extraordinary at 579 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque even without any modifications. Force-feed this motor with more air, and you're looking at a legit 4-figure horsepower.
4 BMW S85 V10
Yet another screaming V10 in this list and this time around, it is one of the best engines ever made and an F1-derived powerhouse that was shoehorned in the E60 M5 sedan, E61 M5 wagon, and the M6. Of course, not the most reliable engine (far from it, actually) out there for sure but the S85 is a legend and a reminder of the glorious days when the scream of F1 cars used to ricochet off the pit walls. In stock form, this motor developed a healthy 500 hp and 384 lb-ft of twist and was only available in RWD format for good measure.
3 Audi V12 TDI
Out of all the gasoline engines in this list, if a big dirty diesel engine found a spot here, it ought to be special, right? The 6.0-liter V12 TDI is a bully of an engine with enough torque to alter the earth's natural rotational characteristics. The 500 hp/738 lb-ft 60-degree bank angle V12 twin-turbo diesel engine was only found under the bonnet of the Audi Q7, a true super SUV even before the Urus was even conceived by Lamborghini. Although pointless, we are glad that something so outrageous exists out there.
2 Ford EcoBoost V6
You might be wondering what the 3.5-liter Ford EcoBoost engine from your F-150 is doing here. Ford's flagship supercar, the GT features a 700 hp and 550 lb-ft V6 engine which is essentially the very same 3.5-liter V6 engine that is found under the bonnet of many Ford trucks. There are major revisions to the engine in the form of bigger turbos, different cams, and stronger internals, but it is nonetheless the same motor that has every possibility to become a fire-breathing monster.
1 BMW S70/M70 V12
Last but not the least, what we have here is the S70 V12 which powered the McLaren F1. This S70/2 6.1-liter V12 engine is often known as one of the best engines ever made. It is based on the earlier S70 V12, which is heavily based on the M70 V12, an engine found under the hood of an E32 BMW 7-Series. Yes, the same motor started life in a luxury barge and went on to power the then-fastest cars in the world. Interestingly, BMW made an insane 6.7-liter V16 version of the M70 V12 - one of the best-kept secrets of Germany.