Why Your Car is Not a Sleeper

There you are, mid conversation with a friend who happens to own a 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe base. As you continue about admiring the 400 horsepower LS2 V8 under the hood, your friend mentions how much of a 'sleeper' the car is; an argument breaks out.

Your 2006 Chevy Corvette is NOT a Sleeper

The argument begins but always resorts to the basic definition of a sleeper. A quick Wikipedia search yields the definition of "A sleeper (US English) or Q-car (British English) is a car that has high performance and an unassuming exterior. Sleeper cars are termed such because their exterior looks little or no different from a standard or economy-class car." Let's break that down a bit further, in order to be a "sleeper" a car must:

1. Have high performance.
2. Looks like a standard or economy-class car.
3. Have an unassuming exterior.

Beginning with 'high performance' - let's quantify this term as 'faster than the medium trim level of an entry-level sports car'.  Picking at random from the offerings of the Big 3 (Ford, GM, Chrysler), the 2013 Ford Mustang GT fits the bill.  So how fast is a '13 Mustang GT with a 5.0L putting out 420 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque?  MotorWeek puts this vehicle at 13.5 @ 108 mph in the 1/4 mile.  So this will be our benchmark for 'high performance'.

 The Low-Bar Benchmark for High Performance

Next, how does one define an 'economy-class car'?  For starters, it is what is generally known as a crap-box.  We are talking the standard entry-level crap-box such as a 4th gen (1993-1996) Mitsubishi Mirage.  This is a car that in no realm of reality that someone would consider fast with it's 1.5L 92 horsepower motor.

You Can't Get More Economy-Class Than a 4th Gen Mitsubishi Mirage

Finally, what exactly is an 'unassuming exterior'?  The consensus on this one is one of two things: stock or beat up.  If the car has a legendary small-block-chevy with blower hanging out the hood, it is not unassuming.

A car that exemplifies the aforementioned attributes of High Performance, Economy-Class with an Unassuming Exterior belongs to 3SGTO's (link) PostMan.  Apparently when PostMan has free time, his hobbies include performing an all-wheel-drive conversion with 4G63-T (Of DSM/Evo fame) with TD05 16G turbo swap into a 4th-Generation Mitsubishi Mirage.

An Unholy Union: A Mitsubishi Mirage with AWD and a 4G63-T

But does this car meet all of the criteria?

1. High performance?  How about 0-100mph in 10 seconds?
2. Economy-Class Car?  I challenge you to find something more economy than the Mirage.
3. Unassuming Exterior?  The paint speaks for itself.

PostMan's All-Wheel-Drive Test

PostMan's Mitsubishi Mirage From Hell - 0-100mph Test

Kudos to you PostMan, you truly are hauling the mail.


- Axle