Behold the 477hp Skoda Superb Sleeper Edition

Very fast Skoda Superbs are no stranger to PistonHeads, with micloi’s build thread from a few years back – where they made a 560hp hatch – capturing the imagination of many PHers. There’s not much as entertaining as a car that looks rather slow and goes very fast, and the old 280hp variants became cult heroes in their time on sale. Skoda launched the model by racing it against retro supercars, it was a much-loved member of the PH Fleet, and many owners really enjoyed the (sort of) Golf R in slippers experience. 

Now, with the fourth generation of Superb on sale (and the 265hp range topper now a little less powerful), Skoda is celebrating the previous model with a very cool sleeper build. Better late than never, right? Beginning with a Royal Green over Cognac Laurin & Klement estate – a very auspicious start for style and stealth factor – the Superb was handed over to RE Performance, the same guys that built the Octavia vRS Bonneville monster. 

So it wasn’t going to stay at 280hp for long, basically. Now boasting a Garrett PowerMax turbo, upgraded intercooler, a custom downpipe and centre exhaust section (but standard pipes, to maintain the illusion), a giant new intake, better fuelling and presumably some ECU wizardry, you’re looking at a 477hp, 486lb ft Skoda Superb estate. That looks like your uncle’s new tow car – fantastic. 

It should be able to handle the extra muscle, too, with KW coilovers dropping the ride height by 50mm, plus a serious brake upgrade: the red calipers can just about be made out behind the standard wheels, six-piston units clamping 390mm, two-piece discs at the front. The rears are 330mm rotors, and there are Goodridge Racing lines. So they may even have sorted the less-than-perfect feel, as well as making it miles faster. Tyres are now Yokohama Advan AO52s, potentially their first fitment on a Superb wagon. 

Skoda hasn’t announced any official performance stats for the sleeper project, though given the standard car can sneak to 62mph in less than six seconds, it’d have to be assumed this goes under five. And surely 170mph or so must be possible now, if not a smidge more. The rest of the car has been left unchanged, so the experience can be enjoyed with all the family in tri-zone climate-controlled comfort, complete with Canton sound system and driver’s seat massage. 

Quite what will happen to the one-off Superb sleeper isn’t clear – presumably it will occupy a space in the heritage fleet with the various vRS Fabias and Octavias. We’re anticipating a go before too long, which is great because it promises a whole lot of under-the-radar entertainment. We’ll keep you posted.