What exactly is a Q car?

[Thin White Duke]

An article I read online last year: http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/15062010/36/top-10-q-cars...

But should a Q car slip under the radar? Are they just for car enthusiasts?

I must admit that one of the reasons I bought my XJ8 (X308) is because at the time of purchase it still seemed "current" and even now some people (non petrol heads ideally) think it's worth alot more than it is.

Can you have Q cars on a higher level? Would a Bentley Arnage like this: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2523181.htm be such a car. Most people would see you driving in a Bentley but would have no idea it wasn't worth six figures.

I'm not sure the Bentley Turbo R in the article should be there, at that age isn't it more of a classic?

[kambites]

As I understand it, it's a car that looks much slower than it is. How valuable it is/looks isn't part of it.

[Thin White Duke]

Is the aritcle incorrect/badly written then? I think most people would consider an XJ Jag or C Class Merc to be reasonably fast.

[gizlaroc]

Yeah very badly written.

I would say a Q car is more like an Audi S4, no badges, looks like it could be another boring 2.0 diesel rep mobile but will shock a few.


I think the Volvo T5 is a good example too.

550i SE touring, E500 Tourer, etc.

For me a Q car is something you don't look twice at on the road until it leaves you in the dust. I would hardly class a Bentley as a Q car!

[PaulB81]

That's thhe point. Most people would expect it to be fast. I believe a q car is one that people dont expect to be quick but it is.

An example would be one of those vw camper vans with a Porsche engine. You tube that it's funny :-)

[DrYazz]

BMW 540i = Q Car
BMW M5 = Sports Car
BMW 525i = Mid-sized luxury.

[Jem0911]

I have a Burgundy 1996 T5.
It's a 150000 mile estate.
With 240 old horses it is very fast in a straight line.
Qualifies well for hidden speed to the untrained.
Or a Qcar.

[Cotty]

DrYazz said:

BMW 540i = Q Car
BMW M5 = Sports Car
BMW 525i = Mid-sized luxury.

Perhaps an older 5 series that you don't expect to be that quick that has had a supercharger bolted on and goes like the wind. You expect a 4l BMW to be a bit quick

Think BMW E30 3 series that had a the 2.5l as its bigest engine, not quick?
Gama 4l conversion and looking totally standard, thats a Q car
http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyI...

[kiteless]

E28 M5.

286 ponies in a boxy 4 door 80's saloon? Very Q

[cottonfoo]

My GTB is very Q-like, nobody ever gives it a second look although the exhaust note might give it away.

[XB70]

I have an old 1990's S-Class......happens to have a 389hp V12 under the bonnet and accelerates quick rapidly to the surprise of many

[DrYazz]

Cotty said:

DrYazz said:

BMW 540i = Q Car
BMW M5 = Sports Car
BMW 525i = Mid-sized luxury.

Perhaps an older 5 series that you don't expect to be that quick that has had a supercharger bolted on and goes like the wind. You expect a 4l BMW to be a bit quick

Think BMW E30 3 series that had a the 2.5l as its bigest engine, not quick?
Gama 4l conversion and looking totally standard, thats a Q car
http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyI...

Visually, a 540i with a 4.4L V8 (286bhp) can look very similar to a 525i or 520i, even more so if all cars are debadged.
Without the badge, you'd have no idea what engine was under the bonnet. That surely makes a case for a car being a Q car, no?

[mike9009]

I thought the classic 'q' car was the lotus carlton. Very understated but seriously quick back in the day...

Mike

[Six Fiend]

DrYazz said:

Cotty said:

DrYazz said:

BMW 540i = Q Car
BMW M5 = Sports Car
BMW 525i = Mid-sized luxury.

Perhaps an older 5 series that you don't expect to be that quick that has had a supercharger bolted on and goes like the wind. You expect a 4l BMW to be a bit quick

Think BMW E30 3 series that had a the 2.5l as its bigest engine, not quick?
Gama 4l conversion and looking totally standard, thats a Q car
http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyI...

Visually, a 540i with a 4.4L V8 (286bhp) can look very similar to a 525i or 520i, even more so if all cars are debadged.
Without the badge, you'd have no idea what engine was under the bonnet. That surely makes a case for a car being a Q car, no?

I had more than one "What the fk's in that?" when I had my E34 540. Debadged, utterly standard (no silly alloys) apart from the fruity Torqueflow stainless Most people guessed at a 520 or 525. Few seemed aware of a 4l V8 until they had heard Brian.

[Hell27]

mike9009 said:

I thought the classic 'q' car was the lotus carlton. Very understated but seriously quick back in the day...

Mike

How is this understated?



This is more of a q car



Less subtle brother:

[TBSC]

Isn't a Q car that white H Reg Renault that was at the Sunday Service at the Mini factory?

[Cotty]

Hell27 said:

How is this understated?

Because it looks very simiar to even the "hot" version but is imesurably quicker. Only a petrol head would spot the lotus badges and the cutaway spats

[otolith]

This is the origin of the name:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/southwest/series3/q...

[calibrax]

Rover 620ti. Looks like your grandad's car, but under the bonnet is a 2.0 turbo engine with 200bhp. The badge at the back only says "600", so you don't know it's a ti, and it had very little marketing (due to BMW having taken over MG-Rover, and not wanting to promote it against their 3-series)

[MarJay]

The 130i is a Q car because its a 1 series hatch, but has 265bhp and rear wheel drive.