Automakers have found ways to offer impressive performance and quality features for years, including adding power and speed to these timeless sleeper cars.

Sometimes, you want to drive the kids to school in a comfortable and serene car, while other times, you want to unleash power and rocket down the road. Too often, these two drives require different cars, but sleeper cars enable owners to enjoy impressive speed and performance without sacrificing comfort and quality.

Whether it’s a classy luxury sedan, a high-powered wagon, or a coupe, these cars bring the desired performance and fun for your driving pleasure. Let’s see what these three timeless sleeper cars offer.

1988 Mercedes-Benz AMG Hammer

The name doesn’t make this car feel much like a sleeper, but the style and build certainly do. When you look back to the 1980s, this Mercedes-Benz coupe was the AMG version that delivered power, performance, and fun on the road. The Hammer was brought to the market during a time when AMG was an independent tuner and not part of the Merc family. During this time, only a few cars could provide as much power and performance as the Hammer.

Under the hood, the Hammer used a massive 6.0-liter V8 engine that could generate 375 horsepower and 417 lb-ft of torque. This power translated to a sprint time of 5.1 seconds to reach 60 mph and a top speed of 190 mph. These stats put the AMG Hammer higher on the list than some supercars, including the Ferrari Testarossa and Lamborghini Countach. This incredible Mercedes-Benz is one of the most formidable timeless sleeper cars ever made. The AMG Hammer was based on the Mercedes-Benz 300E, which has a mild powertrain with a 3.0-liter inline-six under the hood. Today, it can be nearly impossible to find an AMG Hammer that isn’t part of a private collection.

1990 Lotus Carlton

Most car enthusiasts can’t remember a time when Lotus made sedans, but the 1990 Lotus Carlton is an example of a sedan that provided incredible speed and power on the road while being useful as a family car. This car was originally known as the Vauxhall Carlton and Opel Omega. It was the product of the collaboration with the Lotus Group in the early 1990s. This car has a large trunk and lots of legroom and was great for families and executives.

What made the Lotus Carlson one of the most timeless sleeper cars ever made? This incredible performance machine featured a 3.6-liter twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine under the hood, providing enough power to rocket this car to a top speed of 174 mph. The power coming out of this engine reached 371 horsepower and 411 lb-ft of torque, which provided the top speed but also allowed the Carlton to hit 60 mph in only 4.8 seconds. The Lotus Carlton became one of the most iconic high-performance sedans of the time, showing what these cars could achieve when properly equipped. This amazing machine was a bit controversial in the UK, with the Daily Mail campaigning to have it banned.

1994 Audi RS2 Avant

The Audi RS2 Avant proved that high-performance cars can also be wagons. The RS2 is one of the smallest Audi models offered, but the added cargo space of the wagon area made it extremely useful for families enjoying a holiday drive around Europe. These cars were seen as practical family vehicles, but the RS2 Avant had a few tricks up its sleeve to make it a lot of fun to drive. The sporty qualities of this wagon were hidden under a family-oriented body.

Audi pulled out all the stops for the 1994 RS2 Avant, making it one of the most timeless sleeper cars of the era. This car packs a serious punch with a front-mounted 2.2-liter 5-cylinder engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. The RS2 Avant also features the iconic Quattro AWD system while delivering 315 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels. This little Audi rockets to 60 mph in less than 5.4 seconds and features a top speed of 163 mph. Seeing a small station wagon driving at more than 100 mph might be an impressive sight for many onlookers.

These three timeless sleeper cars come from a period when many automakers were finding their way beyond the gas crisis of the 1970s and the low power figures of the 1980s. These three incredible cars stand out tall in the automotive world, providing ample power, incredible speed, and unique qualities to make them comfortable, fast, and decisive on any road. You won’t know these cars are fast until you get behind the wheel.