10 Slow Cars That Tricked You Into Thinking They're Fast

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Looks aren’t everything, it’s what’s under the hood that counts. These ten cars can’t match their performance stats to their styling and reputation.

This post was originally published on October 5, 2015

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10.) Ford Racing Puma 16V

The Ford Racing Puma 16V was equipped with everything one could want in a low-cost sporty production coupe, from beefy brakes to no-joke Sparco driving seats with bolstering like the Great Wall of China. But because of a lack of engineering and production funds, Ford was limited to a naturally-aspirated engine configuration, resulting in a less than satisfying 0-60 time.

0-60: 7.9 seconds

Suggested By: The Crazie Kanuck

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9.) Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor

For 20 years and counting, Crown Vic Police Interceptors have have ruled our city streets and highways at the hands of law enforcement agencies around North America. But little do most speeders and law-violators know that these built-tough sedans are slower than their mom’s 2005 Toyota Corolla.

0-60: 8.75 seconds

Suggested By: primalzer

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8.) Toyota Celica

The Celica of the early 2000s was sold as Toyota’s only low-cost, front-engined sports car at the time. Would it have hurt them to drop a little more power under the hood? If you’re a lucky owner of one of the GT-S trim level cars, your car had about 180 horsepower from the factory, but on the base GT trim? Good luck.

0-60: 7.2 seconds

Suggested By: POD

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7.) Honda CR-Z

If the CR-Z was anything for Honda enthusiasts, it was a huge let down and a missed opportunity. Honda attempted to market the CR-Z as a return to their hot hatch CRX roots. The CRX wasn’t a fast car, but it was lightweight, enjoyable, and quick. The CR-Z couldn’t even touch that. A 0-60 pull in a CR-Z is like suffering through many, many seconds of agonizing boredom.

o-60: 8.2 seconds

Suggested By: Clark Miller

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6.) Porsche 944 NA

Just look at it. Box flares, Porsche badge, rubber spoiler, cabin venting moonroof, pointy wedge-like hood. That’s a five or six second o-60 car for sure. Hahaha no.

Though a healthy 944 will gladly eat up some tasty twisty backroads, it might take a while to get up to pace. And god bless anyone who has had to drive an automatic 944, those awful rejects take even longer to tap 60.

0-60: 8.3 seconds/9.8 seconds

Suggested By: Margin Of Error

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5.) Chevrolet Corvette C3

“Oh you drive a Corvette? Let me see a pic. Wow! That thing looks so fast!” Yeah, the later-model C3s might look fast, but those lines sure ain’t for speed. Not with a nine second 0-60 time on the slowest trim level.

0-60: 9 seconds

Suggested By: crowmolly

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4.) Opel GT

Unfortunately for the Opel GT, good looks and a feeble little 1.1 liter inline-four don’t make for an all too exciting drive. Yet because of its styling, absolutely no one would expect such an embarrassing 0-60 time! Oy.

0-60: 10.6 seconds

Suggested By: N2Skylark

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3.) Toyota Supra MkIV (Non-Turbo)

I guess I’ll have to keep saving pennies for that twin-turbo model.2JZ, bro! Fast and Furious, bro! Drift, bro! With all the hoopla that surrounds the Supra name, wouldn’t you expect more from this Japanese sports car icon than just 220HP in its base trim?

0-60: 6.5 seconds

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2.) Plymouth Prowler

Chrysler had a seriously innovative piece of machinery, the capability to drop a proper powertrain in there, but what did they do? They used a lethargic 3.5L V6 and a pretty awful four-speed automatic transmission. Ugh.

0-60: 5.7 seconds

Suggested By: AspenRS

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1.) Ferrari Mondial

If there’s one name that is immediately associated with speed and sports cars, it’s Ferrari. But if you’re rolling up in an early Ferrari Mondial, equipped with its least-powerful 3.0L V8 motor, you’d be looking at a 0-60 time slower than most economy cars. How Ferrari let this happen is uncanny. But a change of pace from their other cars, nonetheless.

Heh, get it? Change of pace!

0-60: 9.3 seconds

Suggested By: Frankenbike666

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10 Slow Cars That Tricked You Into Thinking They're Fast

Don't you hate when a car turns out to be exactly the opposite of how it looks?

10.) Ford Racing Puma 16V

10.) Ford Racing Puma 16V

9.) Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor

9.) Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor

8.) Toyota Celica

8.) Toyota Celica

7.) Honda CR-Z

7.) Honda CR-Z

6.) Porsche 944 NA

6.) Porsche 944 NA

5.) Chevrolet Corvette C3

5.) Chevrolet Corvette C3

4.) Opel GT

4.) Opel GT

3.) Toyota Supra MkIV (Non-Turbo)

3.) Toyota Supra MkIV (Non-Turbo)

2.) Plymouth Prowler

2.) Plymouth Prowler

1.) Ferrari Mondial

1.) Ferrari Mondial