13 Boring Looking Cars With Monster Engines Under the Hood

Which models come to mind during discussions of cars that do not have the looks, but their powerful engines tell the story of high-performance machines? We can pass the same message in as many words: Looks can be deceiving; appearances can be misleading, and so on. That’s all to say that some things require closer scrutiny or you’d miss the truth about them.

Indeed, certain cars look boring at first glance but are an entirely different animal upon closer encounter. Performance car makers generally build them with flashy exteriors and aggressive styling to strike a first impression about their capabilities.

However, some models broke the tradition so soundly that the term “sleeper cars” was coined for them. They blend into the background, avoiding the attention of those who underestimate their capabilities. If you don’t know it already, these 13 cars will teach you the proper lesson: not to judge solely based on external appearance.

Buick Regal GS (2018–2020)

• Engine: 3.6L V6
• Horsepower: 310-hp

The GS is Regal’s performance-oriented model, but it only has slight cosmetic variations to differentiate it from the standard Regal. Don’t let its midsize family sedan looks fool you. The GS packs a punch under the hood, transforming it into a perfect blend of sportiness, luxury, and comfort.

Its heart is a 3.6-liter V6 that makes 310-hp and 282 lb-ft of torque, typically mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission and an advanced AWD system. Cosmetically, the car maintains the typical Buick clean, elegant lines, but some subtle telltales like the Brembo front brakes, side skirts, and rear spoiler can alert the trained eye. As for the Interactive Drive Control, you’d have to drive it to experience it.

Chevrolet SS (2014–2017)

• Engine: 6.2L V8
• Horsepower: 415-hp

The SS is a rebadged Holden Commodore — celebrated in Australia for its remarkable blend of sports car performance and sedan practicality. Likewise, the Chevy SS is a high-performance machine that looks like any other 4-door sedan wearing a bow tie, except that gearheads familiar with the matter know the SS is anything but that.

The hood is missing a shaker, but underneath lay a burly 6.2-liter LS3 V8, churning out an impressive 415-hp and 415 lb-ft of torque. As if to send a warning message to the secretary merely looking for a car to take the kids to school, Chevy paired the V8 with a 6-speed manual gearbox and a rear-wheel drivetrain, although automatic was the standard shifter. They closed the Holden plant in Australia, and the SS died with it.

Ford Taurus SHO (2010–2019)

• Engine: Twin-Turbo 3.5L EcoBoost V6
• Horsepower: 365-hp

Ford could’ve spelled out its name but chose to abbreviate Super High Output (SHO) because the car’s performance capability is on a need-to-know basis. The SHO is a performance-oriented version of the Taurus that Ford produced from 2010 to 2019, although the SHO name has a rich legacy dating back to 1989.

Unlike some performance-oriented midsize sedans, the SHO inherited the Taurus’ full-size dimensions that belly the possibilities of the twin-turbocharged .5L EcoBoost V6 under the hood. It comes with a 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters and a standard all-wheel drivetrain.

Volvo S60 Polestar

• Engine: Turbocharged/Supercharged 2.0L Inline-4
• Horsepower: 362-hp

As the high-performance variant of the Volvo S60, the Polestar offered a sweet blend of Scandinavian luxury, advanced technology, and impressive performance, thanks to a 4-cylinder engine that came both turbocharged and supercharged.

Polestar is Volvo’s performance division. Despite some recent financial challenges, the brand remains in the business of creating well-rounded vehicles that offer enhanced performance without compromising the comfort and practicality Volvo is known for.

That means models like the S60 Polestar look like a typical luxury sedan, but the heart and technology tell a different story. Its 4-cylinder makes 362-hp and 347 lb-ft of torque, sent to the AWD system via an 8-speed automatic with paddle shifters.

Lexus GS F

• Engine: 5.0L V8
• Horsepower: 467-hp

The Lexus GS F is a high-performance variant that transformed the midsize luxury sedan into a powerhouse with sports car creds. Its motivation comes from a free-breathing 5.0-liter V8 producing an impressive 467-hp and 389 lb-ft of torque, sent to the rear wheels via an 8-speed automatic with paddle shifters.

The GS F proved yet again that Lexus knows more than a thing or two about building sports sedans. Even with its sporty looks, thanks to the spindle grille, flared air intakes, quad exhausts, and 19-inch wheels, the GS F looks understated compared to the power under the hood.

Its Torque Vectoring Differential (TVD) comes with three modes (Standard, Slalom, and Track) to enhance cornering performance by distributing torque between the rear wheels.

Cadillac CTS-V

• Engine: 6.2L Supercharged V8
• Horsepower: 640-hp

The CTS-V is one of the most famous sports sedans to ever do it. Though highly respected in enthusiast circles, it’s not for its particularly striking exterior. The V stands out in its class with a captivating blend of luxury, advanced technology, and brutal performance.

It borrowed the Corvette Z06’s supercharged 6.2-liter V8, producing a staggering 640-hp and 630 lb-ft of torque. An 8-speed shifter with paddles routes the power to the rear wheels, while high-performance Brembo brakes provide stopping power.

It boasts cutting-edge performance-oriented features, such as Magnetic Ride Control, an electronic limited-slip differential, and launch control for optimal acceleration.

Audi S8

• Engine: 4.0L Twin-Turbo V8
• Horsepower: 605-hp

The S8 is the A8 sedan’s high-performance model. It launched to high expectations, considering the A8 is a flagship in Audi’s portfolio. The A8 marked the German automaker’s entry into the luxury sedan market in 1994, with the S8 coming two years later with a more powerful engine and sportier styling elements.

At first glance, the latest S8 is an elegant luxury sedan with tasteful interior appointments. The sedan is more than a pretty face, though. The heart is a twin-turbocharged V8 that it has used since 2013, producing around 563-hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. For the 2016 model year, Audi rolled out the S8 Plus and updated the output to 605-hp, allowing a 0–60 acceleration in 3.7 seconds.

Volkswagen Passat W8

• Engine: 4.0L W8
• Horsepower: 270-hp

The W8 is a ‘strange’ and somewhat rare variant of the Volkswagen Passat. You may think stranger things have happened until you realize the Bugatti Veyron’s famous W16 is pretty much a doubled-up, quad-turbocharged version of the Passat’s W8.

That’s right; this flat-out boring-looking car from the early 2000s used an odd W8 engine configuration that made it one of the strangest cars to ever do it.

The design is achieved by joining two narrow-angle V4s at the crankshaft, resulting in a compact yet powerful unit. VW paired it with a 5-speed automatic with Tiptronic manual mode or a 6-speed manual transmission.

Mercedes-AMG E63

• Engine: 4.0L Twin-Turbo V8
• Horsepower: 603-hp

We admit the Mercedes-AMG E63 is not a boring-looking car, not with its Panamericana grille, rear spoiler, large air intakes, flared wheel arches, air curtains, and quad exhaust tips. However, a 603-hp twin-turbo V8 in a 4-door luxury sedan is monstrous, even for an AMG.

The E63 got this blessing because it is a high-performance variant of the luxury-focused E-Class. The mill is a handcrafted 4.0-liter V8 biturbo engine cranking out up to 627 lb-ft of torque (in the E63 S model), allowing this supposedly luxury sedan to accelerate to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds.

The top speed is electronically limited to 186 mph. The power travels to the 4MATIC+ AWD system via a 9-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT transmission.

Chrysler 300 SRT8 (2012–2014 in America)

• Engine: 6.4L HEMI V8
• Horsepower: 470-hp

The SRT8 is a high-performance Chrysler 300 with virtually no cosmetic difference between the two. When Chrysler launched the SRT8 in 2005, the standard 300 was content with a 190-hp 2.7-liter V6 and a more powerful 3.5-liter V6 producing 250-hp. Even the 5.7-liter HEMI reserved for the 300C was good for 340-hp, which is impressive.

However, the SRT8 took things a lot further with larger-displacement HEMI V8 cranking out 470-hp without cosmetic noises. It allowed the 4,000-lb luxury sedan to accelerate from rest to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and reach a top speed of approximately 175 mph. A 5-speed automatic transmission with AutoStick manual shift capability sends power to the rear wheels.

Subaru WRX STI

• Engine: 2.5L Turbo Flat-Four
• Horsepower: 310-hp

The Subbie is an enthusiast car made for gearheads who care less about looks and more about performance and handling. It’s been around since 1994 and has made a name in various markets through different generations and updates.

The STI is the WRX high-performance version, boasting rally-inspired tech and engineering. Its heart beats with a 2.5-liter turbocharged BOXER engine producing 310 to 320-hp and 290 lb-ft of torque.

With that, the WRX transforms into a sleeping beast that can wake to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 155 mph. Linking a 6-speed manual gearbox to an AWD system with the so-called Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD) deepens the STI’s sweet spot.

Toyota Camry TRD

• Engine: 3.5L V6
• Horsepower: 301-hp

Most people would yawn if you mentioned the Camry in a discussion about super sedans. They won’t if you say it’s a family-friendly sedan with a stellar reputation for reliability. It can go hundreds of thousands of miles if you take proper care of it. It doesn’t skimp on safety and comfortable accommodations because it is, as stated earlier, family-friendly.

The Camry is a top-selling large sedan for these reasons, but enthusiasts are aware it can be more, thanks to the TRD (Toyota Racing Development) version with a 3.5-liter V6 delivering 301-hp and 267 lb-ft of torque. The top speed is electronically limited to 135 mph, while an 8-speed automatic with sport mode and paddle shifters routes the power to the front wheels.

Honda Accord V6

• Engine: 3.5L V6
• Horsepower: 278-hp

Like the Toyota Camry, the V6 powertrain transforms the Honda Accord into an unassuming monster.

Focusing on the last production years (up to 2017), the V6 powertrain comprised a 3.5-liter V6 engine mated to a 6-speed automatic or manual transmission to produce 278-hp and 252 lb-ft of torque. By comparison, the standard Accord was good for up to 189-hp thanks to a 2.4-liter straight-4.