We have covered sleeper cars and their prices before, but we have yet to discuss their prices versus how rare the actual cars themselves are. The thing is, sleeper cars are in fact rare. It is ironic, however, because a lot (truthfully the majority) of the time, sleeper cars are based off of regular production vehicles that have been turned into a more unique, asphalt-ripping demon.
The concept of the sleeper car isn’t anything new, either. There was a huge resurgence of them in the early 2000s. There really aren’t a huge number of sleeper cars on the market at the time of this writing. In fact, a lot of cars these days are so well manufactured that their engines end up outputting a decent amount of power by themselves.
In researching what the latest sleeper cars might be, it seems as though BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Genesis, and Toyota are really only making sleeper cars anymore. There was a time when GM and Ford were making sleeper sedans and SUVs, but that time has since passed. If you want to know what is the rarest sleeper you can currently get used for under $50,000, then this is the list for you.
2004 Mercury Marauder: 3,214 units
Specifications
| Displacement | 281 cui |
| Configuration | Naturally Aspirated V8 |
| Power | 302 hp |
| Torque | 318 lb-ft |
| 0-60 mph | 6.9 seconds |
| Current Value | $33,500 |
Probably the most unlikely sleeper car to ever hit the streets is the 2004 Mercury Marauder. Ford only manufactured these for the 2003 and 2004 model years, totaling about 7,800 units, but the final year saw the least number of units at under 4,000.
What makes the Marauder such an unlikely candidate is the fact that it’s based off of the Grand Marquis. Not the most sought after sedan of the early 2000s, but Ford tried to make it more appealing with the release of the Marauder. According to Hagerty, a perfect, concours edition Marauder will set you back about $33,500.
2008 Lexus IS F: 2,700 Units
Specifications
| Displacement | 305 cui |
| Configuration | Naturally Aspirated V8 |
| Power | 417 hp |
| Torque | 372 lb-ft |
| 0-60 mph | 4.3 seconds |
| Current Value | $23,434 |
Luxury cars like Mercedes-Benz and BMW are known to be powerhouse performing machines. BMW’s mission statement is, literally, “the ultimate driving machine.” On the other hand, Lexus cars are known for their reliability and their luxurious cruising nature that aren’t supposed to make your heart rate go past 80 bpm. That’s where the Lexus IS F comes in.
It’s so unassuming because of its size, as you wouldn’t know from looking at it that it has a five-liter V8 under the hood, outputting 417 horsepower and 372 pound-feet of torque. You can pick one up for $23,000 give or take according to KBB, and only 2,700 were made for this model year.
2017 Hyundai Genesis: 1,134 Units
Specifications
| Displacement | 307 cui |
| Configuration | Naturally Aspirated V8 |
| Power | 420 hp |
| Torque | 383 lb-ft |
| 0-60 mph | 4.8 seconds |
| Current Value | $18,411 |
The 2017 Hyundai Genesis is the precursor to the Genesis G80 mid-size luxury sedan. Hyundai had a sub sect of luxury cars (Genesis) that they tested the market with, and they did not disappoint with the engine options. Because this had a “Hyundai” badge on it, people probably wouldn’t assume that it had the numbers to keep up with competitors like BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
In fact, the 2017 Hyundai Genesis is powered by a five-liter naturally aspirated V8 that outputs 420 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. They have only made 1,100 units of these, and they’re going for under $20,000 right now.
2008 Audi S6: 928 Units
Specifications
| Displacement | 317 cui |
| Configuration | Naturally Aspirated V10 |
| Power | 429 hp |
| Torque | 398 lb-ft |
| 0-60 mph | 4.8 seconds |
| Current Value | $8,220 |
The first Audi on our list is an absolute beast. It’s powered by a naturally aspirated V10 that outputs 429 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque. What makes this one a sleeper is that you wouldn’t expect a sedan such as this to be powered by a Lamborghini ten-cylinder engine. It might not be nearly as fast as a Lambo, but you can currently pick one up for under $10,000.
2019 Kia Stinger GTS: 800 Units
Specifications
| Displacement | 201 cui |
| Configuration | Twin-Turbocharged V6 |
| Power | 365 hp |
| Torque | 376 lb-ft |
| 0-60 mph | 4.4 seconds |
| Current Value | $27,467 |
We could, and have, written several articles on how awesome the Kia Stinger is. It blends an unassuming mid-size sedan design with some heart racing mechanicals. The drift-capable GTS is a one-off version of the Stinger that produces the most power and performance.
The already impressive twin-turbocharged V6 engine produces 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. It gets near Porsche 911 0 to 60 times with 0 to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds and has a slew of performance features like sport tuned suspension, Brembo brakes and a limited slip differential.
2017 Lexus GS F: Less Than 500 Units
Specifications
| Displacement | 305 cui |
| Configuration | Naturally Aspirated V8 |
| Power | 470 hp |
| Torque | 391 lb-ft |
| 0-60 mph | 4.4 seconds |
| Current Value | $42,713 |
The Lexus GS is an icon in its own right. The fourth and final iteration of the GS had almost six different powertrains to choose from, but one of them was the most unassuming of all. The almighty five-liter V8 engine is found in the F model. The ever-reliable Lexus GS F has some true track offerings like torque vectoring, Brembo brakes and an included G-force meter.
The 5.0-liter itself outputs 470 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque. Lexus took the best parts of the GS and turned it up to 11 with the added V8 and made it something you wouldn’t believe could get to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds. It’s currently going for $42,713, and they have only made a few hundred units of them, which goes to show that there’s still a market for it.
2021 BMW M550i xDrive First Edition: 400 Units
Specifications
| Displacement | 268 cui |
| Configuration | Twin-Turbocharged V8 |
| Power | 523 hp |
| Torque | 553 lb-ft |
| 0-60 mph | 3.5 seconds |
| Current Value | $49,720 |
Typically, when automakers unveil a brand-new vehicle, there are “launch editions.” Obviously, the BMW M5 is nothing new to auto enthusiasts. BMW just wanted to make an exclusive offering for the seventh generation of the M5 super sedan.
The “First Edition,” featured an exclusive deep red color, “first edition” badging with 400 underneath to signify that there were only 400 of them made. You still received the same outstanding performance from the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 that outputs 523 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque.
2016 Volvo S60 T6: Around 325 Units
Specifications
| Displacement | 183 cui |
| Configuration | Turbocharged Inline 6-Cylinder |
| Power | 325 hp |
| Torque | 354 lb-ft |
| 0-60 mph | 5.3 seconds |
| Current Value | $10,576 |
Volvo still does make some pretty high performing vehicles from the S60 Recharge with the turbo inline four-cylinder coupled to the electric motor, or even the XC60 Recharge with the same options. Before Volvo became electrified, they did have a 3.0-liter Inline six-cylinder option that produced an impressive amount of power.
The powertrain in question made 325 ponies and 354 pound-feet of torque. This Volvo XC60 value family SUV might be the most unsuspecting sleeper car on this list because Volvo’s are mostly known for their reliability, capability and utilitarianism, not their performance.
2003 Audi S8: 300 Units
Specifications
| Displacement | 255 cui |
| Configuration | V8 |
| Power | 360 hp |
| Torque | 317 lb-ft |
| 0-60 mph | 5.4 seconds |
| Current Value | $4,317 |
The final year of the first generation of the Audi S8 has made our list in second place for the rarest sleeper, under $50,000. This S8 is powered by a naturally aspirated V8 engine that produces 360 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. Even though the first generation was on sale for almost a decade, Audi only made 300 units for the final iteration of the first generation. You can pick one of these up for only $4,300, meaning you can actually have an 8-cylinder engine for under $5,000 – awesome.
2017 Audi RS3: 244 Units
Specifications
| Displacement | 151 cui |
| Configuration | Turbocharged Inline 5-Cylinder |
| Power | 395 hp |
| Torque | 354 lb-ft |
| 0-60 mph | 3.6 seconds |
| Current Value | $30,415 |
Audi has landed in our number one spot for the rarest sleeper ever made, and it does not disappoint. Not only is this a rare car, with only 244 units made, it’s also rare in the use of its powertrain. This Audi RS3 is powered by a turbocharged inline five-cylinder engine that produces 395 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. Audi currently still makes the RS3 with the five-cylinder, but they have only made a couple of hundreds of them in 2017.
