What I am trying to say, what is the fastest basic car that is not a car that is supposed to be fast. Like the Mustags, Camaros, Mopar stuff, Vettes etc.? Not one of the Supercars

Fast as in 0-60, not top end.

Some sleeper car that does not cost a fortune like some of the Lexus. Mercedes and such. Something the average Joe could go to the dealer and buy.

Dodge used to have a turbo Neon or some such thing that was super fast (fell apart after 10 miles)

Back in my day the Buick Skylark(GS, Stage 1 etc)was kind of a family car but a screamer.

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Still Running Against the Wind

The only one that comes to mind is the Buick Grand National. My personal favorite is the ultra rare Don Yenko 427 powered Chevy Nova.

The Subaru WRX STI was an adult go cart that could move out and draw fire when I sat in one. I was a bit impressed. The guy has since then tuned, swapped, and toyed with it and added much HP and torque. They are getting up in price but no more than a Corvette really. I know there are a few competitors to that car like the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, the Nissan Sentra Spec V. I had a Honda S2000 that I used to be a little rowdy in with some guys in Mustangs and Cameros. I kept up with a guy in a Corvette one night. I’m smarter with safety and money now since those days.

As stock, Toyota Supra will whip them all.

Fastest one ever is an AMC Pacer--who wants to be caught driving one??

OK, let's see...
Subaru Impreza WRX and Mitsubishi Lancer EVO are relatively cheap and comparably fast, but you will look like a boy racer in either one.
Want to spend a bit more? Here's one thats stealthy and FAST - Grand Cherokee SRT 8 I believe 465hp and about the same torque. Detroit hasn't had much sucess with the stealth muscle car concept recently, but they occasionally give it a shot - Taurus SHO, Mercury Marauder, etc.
I believe, though, that the days of the 409 Bel Air are forever behind us...

...is this "cheating"?

There is only one; the Bugati Veyron Super Sport. Street legal and available to those with the means.

1200 horsepower, V-16 engine
256mph measure top speed

Attached Images

2009-bugatti-164-veyron-fbg-par-hermes.jpg (45.5 KB, 65 views)

Cadillac CTS-V.
Zero to 60 in under 4 seconds. Believe it beats a Corvette.

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Dick

Really doesn't fit the pre-requisite of "Not one of the Supercars"

Sounds like you're talking about "sleepers". A Buick GS is just as much a muscle car as a GTO or SS396. Back in the 50s and 60s there were police interceptor packages that had big motors with some special parts that would run pretty good. In 1970, you could get a LeMans with a 400 motor, that was just the same as a GTO except it had single exhaust. Oldsmobile had a Cutlass SX that had a formal roofline, but under the hood it was the same as a 442. In 1966-70, any motor that Ford put in Fairlane GTs or Torino Cobras, you could get in the base model cars. In the 60s, you could get a plain Chevelle, with a 350 hp, 327 that would beat a lot of the big block cars because of it's weight and weight transfer. But the new cars are completely different. Pick-ups now can be as quick as old muscle cars, due to engine, transmission, and tire technology

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

Depends. If you go with decals and stupid noise maker mufflers then yes. My buddy had removed the big stupid wing from his Subaru and moved the air intake to the front so he put a regular hood on his. The wheels weren't the rubber band thin tires. So at a glance it defined sleeper. It was Arctic Snowcat lightening whatever yadda yadda white, but to me it just looked like a white four door grocery go getter. Then another guy I know has the last year or two they offered the Buick Park Ave Ultra. It's just a 3.8 until the supercharger spins up. It's not quite a supercar by any stretch but you wouldn't think a sofa with rear love seat could drive that fast.

For currently-available unmodified factory cars, the Mazdaspeed 3 probably comes closest to what you are asking. Low 5-second 0-60 times for a little over $20,000 new. Same concept as the Turbo Neon you mention, with much better engineering and longevity.

If you want to spend twice that much, Chrysler's 300 and Dodge's Charger will soon be available in SRT8 form with 470 HP 6.4 liter Hemis, giving 0-60 times around 4.6 seconds and top speeds around 175 MPH.

My 2007 Jeep SRT8 has 420 HP and can hit 60 in 4.5 seconds. It cost me $36,400 new. It will also hit 60 in less than 6 seconds in the rain...

Given that the cheapest new cars that anyone might actually want start at about $15,000 sticker, I think these qualify as "something the average Joe could go to the dealer and buy."

If your "average Joe" can stomach a sticker slightly north of $65,000, the Cadillac CTS-V will hit 60 in less than 4 seconds and top out around 190. The number of factory cars that can break 4 seconds 0-60 and cost less than $100,000 can probably be counted on one hand with fingers left over...

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JR, the 500 Specialist

I'm talking currently made cars. Does Toyo still have the Supra?

I forgot about the Subaru WRX, those are zippy and reliable.

The Mazdas are good also.

I could be one of those tuner dudes

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Still Running Against the Wind

John, you're late I already picked that one.

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Dick

73 Chevy half ton with 454 was faster than a corvette off the line but not on top end..........

Supra is long gone. The latest Z cars are pretty fast but now we are talking Japanese versions of sports cars that are made to be fast two door coups/hatchbacks. I was trying to mostly stick with four door sleepers. My heart still misses my S2000 though.

I know Ford has relaunched the Taurus SHO.

I don't know how the new models compare up, I lost interest at "automatic transmission" (they are listed on wikipedia, I had to look them up)

The Mr drives a 1992 Taurus SHO (a Gen 2 with less than 200K on it that he calls Black Betty...you know, Bam A Lam) with the Yamaha inline 6, and those production years outdid the same model year Mustangs in a lot of performance areas.

I suppose it counts as a sleeper, the Mr calls it his "old man sleeper" because it is the most nondescript unassuming black sedan...but it will shag. He never even pushed my 86 Mustang GT as hard he drives this car. He also says the new year models get close on performance. He went looking, but they still have yet to drop a 5 speed in it and it is really, really ugly.


So...the numbers on the Taurus are on the wiki at Ford Taurus SHO - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

They offer a "Semi-automatic transmission" I think a "semi-automatic transmission" stinks, but do love a SA pistol.



I like the Caddy CTS, but I find it a little (A LOT) higher than I'm willing to pay for a car.

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Soli Deo Gloria

For 65G's a ZO6 vette, 0-60 in 3.7.

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Sure you did

No. U.S. sales ended in 1998, everywhere else in 2002. All rumors of its imminent return have been wishful thinking on the part of Supra fans. Toyota has changed its focus away from that sort of vehicle.

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JR, the 500 Specialist

DING! Disqualified! Not allowed.

I'll take a Z car if we are going that price.

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Still Running Against the Wind

Back to the original question...domestic or import?
And do you really want to know, because I'm sure the guys on Top Gear probably have covered this.
So...I'm going to do some research watching Top Gear.

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Soli Deo Gloria

Thats what I was going to say. Something like $10000.00 for a st of tires.

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It is what it is.

Import. I still have no faith in American cars. I've had a Ford, Dodge, Chevy and everyone had problems. None of the Toyotas, Hondas or Hyundais have I done anything to.

If I didn't want something a little faster I would get a Forester. I have a Honda CRV now all wheel (before they made it a Rav clone)

A Porsche Cayenne Turbo would be nice.

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Still Running Against the Wind

what's a z?


Base Vette, 430HP, will do 0-60 in 4.0 with manual tranny, get 25+ MPG's on the highway, and cost about 41 grand. That combo is tough to beat.

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Sure you did

That is supposed to be the world's fastest sedan.
It's the same supercharged motor as in a Corvette, so the Vette will be faster.

Yeppers !! Over 550 HP, More than 550 ft. lbs of torque.
Not your Daddy's Caddy.

Best,
Gary

Another vote for the Taurus SHO. I'm not sure about this 2011 model, but I had one as a G-ride in the mid 90s and that car would flat out haul ***.

The only give away at the time was the twin tail pipes on the SHO.

Ford says the new one is good for 0-60 in 5.2 seconds.

2011 Ford Taurus Options | View Available Trim Levels | Ford.com

http://www.seriouswheels.com/cars/20...Taurus-SHO.htm

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Best bang for the buck right now is probably a used '04-'05-'06 Pontiac GTO. $10-15K for 400 hp/400 lb ft. ('05 and '06 models), independent rear, 6-speed, etc. Basically a 'Vette with a back seat. Few cars on the road will beat 'em stock and they're fairly sleeper-ish.

I once had an unassuming 1950 Ford sedan with a 1958 Chrysler Hemi, six Stromberg two barrels, and a 4.11 Positraction rear end. It could boogie pretty good. I think it was originally made as a tanker. Surprised a Corvette or two in its day.

Buck

Well, that depends on the Corvette... In any case, they are awesome cars!

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NRA Life Member

In the foreign models no one has yet mentioned the Audi RS4. Driving along, it looks just like any other Audi, nothing spectacular and its about the size of a Corolla. The only real difference is its well made and it comes with horsepower. I think the RS model has 415 horses in a tiny car, and they scream. Just the S4 has 340 horses, barely enough to overcome a strong headwind..... Yes, you hear the V8 if you listen.

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Dick Burg

Yep, I like that one. A Caddy CTS Very Classy looking

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Still Running Against the Wind

I love sleepers. At one time, I had three sleepers. A '91 GMC Syclone with an upgraded turbo and all forged internals, a '86 Buick Grand National with a 60 series turbo and much engine work and a '96 Ford Taurus SHO with the stock V8. I sold all three of these vehicles and replaced them with a 2008 Jeep GC SRT8.
Mark

Fixed it. Also....the ZR1 has 638HP.

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Sure you did

1959 nsu prinz.................0.6 liter engine; brake horse power 20; top end 68mph. yall best hang on to your hats.

But Mike, the vette was disqualified by the OP on page one.

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Dick

I don't know what the price is on a Nissan Skyline GTR, but they are supposed to be pretty up there in speed. Are you ruling out roadsters like the Pontiac Solstice, Honda S2000, and BMW Z3/Z4?

But doesn't every thread drift?

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Sure you did

For imports, someone has mentioned the Audi.

One of the kids hijacked the TV after you all put me in the mood for Top Gear.

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Soli Deo Gloria

After getting hooked on Top Gear, I am amazed at the variety of excellent cars available in Europe that you can't get here. They know how to get a lot of performance out of a small engine.

Ford has a hot-rod Focus that I don't think is available here that it is supposed to be pretty good.

I think Ford has a rich history of cars available elsewhere that aren't available here. That may be true of many of them but from a few short trips to Europe my head turned on a few cars that I was shocked to see the familiar blue oval on the front.

I'm still mad that the first rumblings that I heard about the "new" (old now) GT rebirth from the GT-40. I had first heard it was supposed to be a real Corvette killer for sales. It would have some kind of super tuned 4.6 or 5.4 pretty much just a notch above the Lightening specs and be more performance oriented than the Cobra that had to be built from the wobbly frame Mustang. It was supposed to be instead of a car that was designed for the street with a race car in mind, this would be a race car that was tamed for the streets. And then they went nuts on it. Sure, it was a great car, but it was too in that same level as the Viper. It's not a super car but its WAY more than even your average big money wants to spend. That group is a hard sell. If they had just made a Corvette level car like the first whisperings said, I bet it would still be around today. Instead, it's just another collector car now.

Detroit has a bad history of telling us what we want, and then having that be all that's available to drive.

I'm tired of salespeople telling me what I "need" when I go car shopping.

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Soli Deo Gloria

think outside the box folks ... The Aussies nailed it with the Vauxhall VXR8 Maloo .. also available in a Bathurst edition.
cant get more sleeper than that

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it just needs more voltage

I used to have the "buy American" blinders on, until I realized just what pieces of ---- most really are. I've been looking around for a new car, and it won't be American.

We used to call those "Terrarium Cars" I never saw one of those go very fast... Later, Dave

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I didn't do it. Nobody saw me.

try wearing a skirt and telling them you refuse to entertain the notions of minivan, SUV, or PRNDL. And they persist. Then I say "get off drugs" and I leave.

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Soli Deo Gloria

If we are willing to let the thread drift I remember my buddy's 1969 Chevy Biscayne. It came totally stripped from the factory, like a police car of the day, except it was a 2 door. Maybe an administrative car. But it had a glorious 427 that makes me think of the word "balls" when I recall how that car pinned you in your seat. It probably would not keep up with a V6 Honda Accord of today, but it would sound way better and do incredible burn-outs. It was primer black, had dog dish hubcaps and was the ultimate sleeper.

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Tony

The best sleeper I ever drove was a 1990 (or so) Toyota Cressida. 3 liter DOHC six in bodywork that made it look like a granny car. In fact, it was a granny car. My aged mother took it for a test drive at the dealer, ran it up to 130 on a frontage road, and said "I'll take it".

He can't play anymore.!

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Still Running Against the Wind

Nice wiper blades too.

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"I also cook."