WHAT IS IT?

The Audi RS e-Tron GT is the greatest sleeper on the planet. What’s a sleeper you ask?
A sleeper, also known as a Q-ship, are cars where the true abilities are hidden from those not in the know. Think of the Millennium Falcon. It may not look like much, but she’s got it where it counts. The classic sleeper example is the BMW M5, specifically the early versions—E28, E34, and E39—where aside from the M badges and extra tailpipes, there was very little to impress upon an onlooker just how fast, awesome, and special those sleeper sedans in fact were. Over the years, the stealth factor has been turned way down, while stuff like painted brake calipers and aggressive, blistered bodywork have gone way up. No one can look at say an Audi RS6 and not know it’s something quite special.

WHY THIS CAR HAS BEST ONE ON THE PLANET CHOPS

The RS e-tron GT, however, maintains the classic sleeper formula. I recently drove one spec’d out in Bedford Green Metallic, and while a perfectly fine color, I could see a retired humanities professor wanting their Saab resprayed in this shade. Yes, I also agree that the e-tron GT is an absolutely beautiful car, better looking than the also handsome Porsche Taycan with which it shares a platform. Now, the Citroen DS is also a gorgeous 4-door. Neither design screams, “I’m going to beat up your 911 and take its lunch money,” however. But the RS e-tron GT is exactly that. A thug dressed up for weekend in the Hamptons. What’s so special about it? Mostly the 912 horsepower the two electric motors combine to pump out. True, all 912 ponies are only available for 10-second bursts. Meaning that the majority of the time you only have 818 hp available. Snicker. But not only is the RS e-tron GT quick, it handles quite well. About as good as any sedan save for real standouts like the BMW M5 CS. But again, the M5 CS comes with yellow eyes, like a snake’s eyes. The Bimmer looks absolutely sinister. The Audi? They’ll never see you coming. And once you pass the 911/Corvette that was slowing you down (I’d guess we’re talking about a car that runs the quarter-mile in the 10.5 second range), they’ll get a nice look at how pretty your hips look, especially in that soft green. Want the ultimate sleeper? Look no further. Jonny Lieberman

Jonny Lieberman is the Senior Features Editor at Motor Trend. “When I was very young my dad would strap my car seat into the front of his Datsun 280Z and we’d go flying around the hills above Malibu, near where I grew up. The same roads, in fact, that we now use for the majority of our comparison tests. I believe these weekend runs are part of the reason why I’ve never developed motion sickness.”