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If you’re looking for an affordable sleeper car, these cars should be on your list: Jalopnik
Automobile

If you’re looking for an affordable sleeper car, these cars should be on your list: Jalopnik

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Flashy sports cars are not for everyone. Some dream of winning pink slip night races with a sleeper car – a vehicle that looks innocuous but hides an element of surprise. However, building a sleeper car can cost a bomb if you’re chasing 1000 horsepower and want to make a career out of racing for slips. For the more casual enthusiast, sleeper cars like these are an affordable way to achieve car nirvana.

We are talking about used sedans with a power of 400 hp and more. They also offer comfort and luxury, all at a low price of under $15,000, if you know where to look. That said, there are certain caveats associated with these cars. While they are relatively affordable now, they commanded a significant premium when new, and many of these cars will require you to spend luxury car maintenance money. So make sure you look for a well-maintained model with low mileage, even if it means spending a little more for the car. Now that that piece of wisdom is out of the way, these are our picks for the best affordable sleeper sedans. Let’s enjoy the pleasures of depreciation.

BMW 5 Series 550i (400 hp)

Do you want an M5 without the sporty styling? The BMW 550i is the closest thing to a real M5 thanks to what’s under the hood. The fifth generation 5 Series (E60) received the 550i variant in 2006, which came with a 4.8-liter V8 making 360 horsepower and 360 pound-feet of torque. However, we are more interested in the sixth generation 5 Series (F10), launched in 2011, which came with a new V8 engine. While the V8 was downsized and now had a displacement of 4.4 liters, it featured twin turbochargers, which boosted power to 400 hp and 450 Nm of torque. Thanks to the engine and all-wheel drive, the luxury sedan could sprint from 0 to 90 kilometers per hour in 5 seconds. The same formula was seen in the 2021 BMW M550i.

Today you can find plenty of used E60 and F10 generation 5 Series 550i cars in online classifieds with prices as low as $6,000. The F10 generation is the right choice because it is better designed and has more power. Also keep an eye on the manual variants that keep coming up for sale.

Volkswagen Phaeton W12 (420 hp)

Go to YouTube and check out the exhaust-free Volkswagen Phaeton W12. I promise you, as soon as you hear it, you’ll want one. Fortunately, used Phaetons have depreciated considerably in value since the luxury sedan was first introduced in 2002. The hand-built car shared the same platform as the ultra-luxurious Bentley Continental GT and came with a choice of a 4.2-liter V8 or a 6.0-liter W12. The latter was developed for Bentley and made by fusing two Volkswagen VR6 engines, which delivered 420 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels, an impressive number for the time. It was fast, but not supercar-like, thanks to its large, heavy body. It can go from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds and the top speed was limited to 240 km/h. Unrestricted, it can reach 278 kilometers per hour.

Unfortunately, Volkswagen lacked the brand value of its rivals such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Think about it: Would you rather spend almost $100,000 on a Volkswagen Phaeton or a Mercedes-Benz S-Class? This proved to be the downfall of the Phaeton. Today, a high-mileage used W12 Phaeton can be had for as little as $11,000. However, they can be difficult to find as the Phaeton was only sold in North America between 2004 and 2006.

Forget the engine for a moment. What you have is a hand-built luxury car that rivals the likes of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series. You probably won’t be racing for slips in the Phaeton, but you may end up speeding down the highway in comfort on this high-speed train. That’s a different kind of high.

Audi S6 5.2 FSI (429 hp)

With the Audi S6 you can own a screaming, thoroughbred Lamborghini sports car with a V10 engine. The S6 was the sporty middle ground between the A6 and the hardcore RS 6 and had five-cylinder inline engines and V8 engines. That was until the third generation S6 came out in 2006. With the A6 now sporting the 4.2-liter V8 from the previous generation S6, Audi decided to tap its sister company Lamborghini (both Audi and Lamborghini fall under the Volkswagen umbrella), and put the Gallardo’s V10 engine in the S6. Unlike Lamborghini’s 5.0-liter V10, the S6 featured an enlarged 5.2-liter V10 powerplant. It made less power than the Gallardo (429 versus 493 horsepower), but delivered more torque (398 versus 376 pound-feet). The S6 also used a torque converter with its quattro AWD setup, as opposed to the Gallardo’s single-clutch gearbox. Together they turned the S6 into a brilliant sleeper car that could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds and sounded like a bat out of hell.

The V10 was only offered with the third generation S6. The fourth-generation S6 (2012 to 2018) received a downsized twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, making 414 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. When new, the third-generation S6 cost about $75,000. Now that the time for reason is over, buying a depreciated V10 S6 is a compelling argument. These days you can find a few used V10-powered S6s under $15,000. Early examples of the third-generation Audi S6 can be had for under $10,000, but you’ll have to search far and wide. Most examples on advertisements are high mileage models, and getting them in perfect condition can be a financial nightmare, so be careful.

Volvo S60 T8 Twin Engine (455 hp)

Volvo introduced the S60 with plug-in hybrid powertrains in 2019. More importantly, the Swedish automaker introduced the S60 T8 and T8 Polestar, both of which offered 400 or more horsepower. This was done via a clever setup consisting of a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine with both turbo and supercharger, coupled to two electric motors driving the rear wheels. So you have an AWD sedan that makes 400 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque (the T8 Polestar offers 415 horsepower and 494 pound-feet). That’s a four-cylinder engine that produces more power than a V8!

In 2019, a new Volvo S60 T8 Twin Engine cost around $55,000 and up. While a used Polestar is nearly impossible to get with our $15,000 budget, you can get your hands on a high-mileage T8 Twin Engine S60 for less than $15,000. However, a few thousand euros more should get you better models with lower mileage. That’s a good deal for a car that can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in less than 4.5 seconds. Additionally, 2019 and newer Volvo S60s received a new design treatment, so an S60 with the “Thor’s Hammer” headlights certainly counts as a win.

Cadillac STS-V (469 hp)

Cadillac uses the name V to define its sporty models. The STS-V arrived in 2006 and unlike the first-generation CTS-V, which used a 400-horsepower Corvette V8 engine, it received a supercharged 4.4-liter Northstar V8 engine. With a power of 469 hp and 439 Nm of torque, the STS-V was the most powerful Cadillac of its time. The STS-V also has more power than the 911 Turbo of its time. It was larger than the CTS-V and distinguished from the normal STS with a power dome hood, wire mesh grille, sportier bumper, a larger rear spoiler and larger 10-spoke alloy wheels. Mechanically it was also sportier, with a stiffer suspension, bigger Brembo brakes, a rear differential cooler, Pirelli run-flat tires and a faster steering rack.

In 2008 it received a facelift, adding a larger grille, fender vents and a slightly redesigned cabin. A year later, Cadillac dropped the STS-V. In 2011, the Northstar V8 engine was discontinued, and with it the STS.

These days, given its age, it should be relatively easy to find a used Cadillac STS-V under $15,000. While the 469 horsepower is good enough for a 0-60 mph time of 4.6 seconds, owners say you can easily unlock 500 horsepower with just a few upgrades.



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