Everyone loves a bargain – and gearheads love a good sleeper car. These are the unassuming automobiles that are extremely unlikely to turn heads, but really should considering they're packing sports car performance.
Sleeper cars are awesome because you have to be "in the know" to spot only then can you truly appreciate them. In other words, they are hidden gems. Want your own hidden gem and one that's both an American classic and a bargain? Well, here are ten options.
10 1995 Ford Taurus SHO
This Taurus SHO looks, from all angles, to be your average '90s Ford sedan. Almost nothing about it gives away the fact it's actually the performance-focused variant of the model. Few would even be able to tell you what the SHO lettering hints at. Here's a clue: it SHO stands for "Super High Output".
With this in mind, suspicions about what this car's all about would immediately arise. Before you know it, people would be eager to check under the hood of this 1995 classic, and there they would find a Yamaha-sourced 3.2-liter V6 with a healthy 220-hp. Examples aren't common, though can go for around $20,000.
9 1994 Buick Roadmaster
With the eighth-generation Buick Roadmaster, a range of Chevrolet V8s was offered with the model. That's right, nothing but eight cylinders can be found under the hood of this ordinary-looking wagon/sedan.
Displacement ranges from 5.0 liters to 5.7 liters, with the least amount of power available with these motors being 170-hp and almost 260-hp. The Roadmaster is no slouch – and it sounds good too.
8 1996 Chevrolet Impala SS
Apart from the sporty wheels, nothing about the Chevy Impala SS shouts about its performance. It's only when you lift the hood that a Corvette-derived 5.7-liter V8 reveals itself to you.
This motor produces 260-hp and 330lb-ft of torque in the SS, allowing for a 0-60mph time of only seven seconds. While that's only average by today's standards, it was pretty good back in the '90s – and it's still more performance than most would assume this car is capable of.
7 1989 Ford Mustang GT
In the era of the "Fox Body" Mustangs, the model could be bought with a small 2.3-liter inline-four or a 2.8-liter V6 – and it wasn't known for being a particularly fast car. Its exterior styling didn't exactly scream speed either.
However, with the reintroduction of the GT model in 1982, Fox Body Mustangs with this badge do offer some performance. They feature 4.9-liter V8s under the hood, not that you can tell straight away. The motor produces 225-hp.
6 Dodge Omni GLH
The Dodge Omni GLH is a hot hatchback, though most onlookers wouldn't know that straight away. This 1980s classic was actually modified by Carrol Shelby, with the GLH standing for "Goes Like Hell".
Under the hood sits a 2.2-liter inline-four with 110-hp, though if you go for the GLH-T variant you'll get 146-hp thanks to the addition of a turbocharger. There's also an even faster GLH-S version, however, examples don't particularly go for cheap – nowadays, at least.
5 1979 Buick Regal V8
The second-generation Buick Regal looks cool but isn't exactly fast. And while it isn't incredibly quick, cheap examples are available with some large engines, including a 4.9-liter V8.
This Pontiac-sourced engine could use some tuning to get any good amounts of power out of it, but it sounds good and provides decent V8 acceleration.
4 1998 Ford Contour SVT
Ford's in-house Special Vehicle Team (SVT) is known for its work with the Mustang and '05 GT, however, the division also worked on this: the Contour SVT. That's right, the makers of such cars as the Mustang SVT Cobra R came up with the performance version of this rather tame-looking sedan.
Though while it doesn't look like much, it does pack some performance from its 2.5-liter V6. The motor produces 195-hp, allowing for decent acceleration. The car also handles really well.
3 1993 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Similar to the Ford Mustang of the same time period, the Camaro was getting sleeker – and less muscular – in terms of its exterior design. It certainly appeared to be a far cry from the strong looks of original '60s Camaros.
However, under the hood of variants such as the Z28, some proper muscle remained. Its 5.7-liter V8, which was also found in the Corvette of the time, can produce a healthy 275-hp.
2 1997 Buick LeSabre
The seventh-generation Buick LeSabre appears to be nothing special. At first glance, it's just a '90s Buick sedan. However, it is hiding quite a hefty V6 under the hood.
This six-cylinder engine produces 205-hp and 230lb-ft of torque, providing good acceleration – more than you'd perhaps expect from a car with the fourth-generation LeSabre's appearance.
1 1998 Ford Mustang GT
Like the Fox Body 'Stang which came before it, the fourth-generation Mustang hadn't got its muscle back quite yet. When it first came out, it had a rather sluggish V6 and an old V8 as its engine choices.
Although, in 1998, Ford replaced the Mustang GT's V8 with a new 4.6-liter one. With 225-hp, this motor made the GT faster than it was before, even though it didn't quite look it until the exterior styling update in 1999.