Sports cars are the attention-grabbers of the car industry. Everything from their aggressive appearance to their beefy and loud engines was designed to appeal to automotive enthusiasts and thrill-seekers. That said, when a company like Ferrari, Lamborghini, or even a luxury brand like Cadillac, announces a release of a brand new sports car, it's bound to spark a lot of interest.
Unfortunately, not all of these promising models manage to maintain their credibility among consumers. And there have been numerous models that famously "flopped" and either stopped selling or became hated by the industry.
With 2020 right around the corner, we've decided to celebrate the new decade by listing the biggest and most promising sports cars that everyone thought were amazing 10 years ago, but no one really likes (or cares about) today. Enjoy!
15 Lotus Elise
The Elise was and still is an exciting entry-level sports car, relying on its stature and sporty engine options to deliver surprisingly thrilling performance and cornering capabilities. It was an attractive option 10 years ago. Yet, no one is buying the Elise anymore. In fact, evident from carsalesbase.com, its market share has been steadily decreasing for the past 20 years, down to only 257 units in Europe for 2018.
14 Nissan 350Z
Remember this gem? This JDM from the early 2000s is nothing short of iconic. Featured everywhere from Fast & Furious movies to Need for Speed games, the 350Z was renowned for its tunability and drifting prowess. Despite this, it's a car that simply can't compete in the modern sports car market, with issues such as its cramped interior, minimal rear-seat room, and underwhelming performance versus the competition.
13 Audi TT
10 years ago, the Audi TT was at the peak of its popularity. The 2008 model still impressed with its design and power, which is why it was a favored choice of an entry-level sports coupe. This was despite being awarded poor reliability scores by J.D. Power due to frequent unexpected breakdowns. In the 2010s however, the TT has been becoming decreasingly popular due to its priciness and underwhelming performance versus the competition, resulting in the model facing discontinuation as of 2020.
12 Opel Speedster
Featherlight and attractive, the Speedster was a surprising addition to Opel's lineup when it hit the market in 2000. Unfortunately, it was only available in Europe and England, also known as the Vauxhall VX220. It featured a new mid-engine layout based on the Lotus Elise, with a 2.2L four-cylinder engine pumping roughly 200 horsepower into the rear wheels. Many actually considered it to be a better alternative to the Lotus, but having met its end already in 2005, the Speedster is a car only a few enthusiasts will appreciate today.
11 Dodge Viper
The Dodge Viper needs no introduction. For almost three decades now, this car has been a symbol of raw, unrestrained power, always boasting a gigantic V10. Though the peak of its popularity was around 2003 (when it experienced the highest sales volume in the US), its fourth generation in 2008 still promised success. However, it was after 2010 that the Viper's sales really took a turn for the worse, and we're sad to say it's a car no one wants to buy anymore. According to Carsalesbase, only 5 models have left the dealership this year in the US. The main reasons behind this are its poor fuel economy, the high price versus the competition, and the fact that it's downright intimidating to drive.
10 Saleen S7
There's a good chance you haven't heard about this American supercar, but it was all the rage in the early 2000s. Gorgeous, aggressive, and hand-built featuring Ford's 750-hp V8, the S7 was capable of a 248-mph top speed. This kind of performance gave it quite a lot of hype, though it's been overshadowed by modern hypercars and left completely out of the spotlight after its discontinuation in 2009.
9 Maserati Quattroporte
Once one of the most popular and desirable luxury sedans in the world, the Quattroporte's popularity slowly dwindles each consecutive year, counting its annual sales figures in bare hundreds today. One of the main issues is surely its hefty price tag, which easily climbs up to over $300,000, while not providing any edge over competitors such as Bentley or Rolls Royce. A used 2009 model is still a great buy though, especially for those not deterred by high potential maintenance and repair costs.
8 Pontiac Solstice
The Solstice didn't really have a long life, having been produced between 2006 and 2010. Rarer still is its coupe version, which was introduced in 2009, featuring a hardtop but no engine upgrades. Compact, sleek, and stylish, the Solstice's appearance always seemed to promise more than the car could deliver, as it featured an underwhelming 177-horsepower four-cylinder engine. And while this recipe was great for the few years it was produced, ensuring plenty of sales, the Solstice is a car probably no one would buy now.
7 Cadillac XLR
In 2003, Cadillac figured they'd try making their own version of a Corvette - and failed miserably. The product of this effort was called the XLR, and at first, it was seemingly an attractive new sports convertible from a trusted luxury manufacturer. However, the public soon realized how utterly bad the car was, and its production ceased completely in 2009. Priced higher than the Corvette at the time, the XLR was a clunkier, larger, and slower alternative. Its range-topping variant would take 4.3 seconds to 60 mph, despite boasting a massive V8. Buyers soon caught on, and there's no reason why anyone would want this car 10 years later either.
6 Chrysler Crossfire
Built on the platform of the attractive and luxurious Mercedes-Benz SLK, the Crossfire immediately drew car enthusiasts with its sportiness and affordability. It was instantly recognizable and lauded for its unique design. Its 3.2L V6 makes 215 horsepower yet requires frequent trips to the mechanic. With its underwhelming power and dated looks, the Crossfire is today a very unpopular choice, having been outclassed by almost every newer sports car.
5 Lamborghini Murcielago
The Murcielago was one of the hottest supercars of the 2000s. It sports a traditional mid-mounted Italian 6.2L V12, producing 571 horsepower, which was powerful enough to get you to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds. And despite being synonymous with the term "supercar" all throughout the 2000s, the Murcielago was notoriously pricy to maintain, and it's rarely talked about today, having been succeeded by the Aventador.
4 Aston Martin DB9
If you ask the average supercar enthusiast what the best cars of the 2000s were, they'd likely include the DB9 in their list. This flagship Aston Martin is what made the manufacturer so renowned and popular at the time. Featuring a 5.9L V12, the DB9 was not only incredibly opulent and stylish but could compete with Italian supercars. Today, though, it's left largely overshadowed by its siblings such as the DBS, and few would want to own this pricy and less powerful old gem.
3 Lamborghini Gallardo
More affordable than the Murcielago yet equally exotic, the Gallardo was the most popular "Lambo" ever manufactured. The roar of its 5.2L V10 was unforgettable, and resulted in a stampede of 560 horsepower, that made it only 80 hp less powerful than the range-topping Murcielago, but with a significantly lower price. Despite this, no one really talks about the Gallardo anymore, with the Huracan taking center stage in most Lamborghini discussions.
2 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti
The Scaglietti's arrival was met with a level of hype you'd expect from any brand-new Ferrari. But, soon enough, buyers realized the model was plagued by various engine problems and transmission malfunctions that led to a massive recall of the model in 2008. Today, this 540-hp, front-engined coupe is by no means considered Ferrari's best work and was discontinued in 2011 with just over 3000 units sold in the 7 years of its production.
1 Lexus SC430
The SC430 was among the more desirable luxury convertibles of the last decade. The combination of upscale interior and a powerful 4.3L V8 initially proved quite attractive to buyers. Yet, the 300 horsepower that came out of it, combined with a hefty 3800-lb weight made it sluggish. And without any aggressive lines or thrilling performance, it was merely a comfortable convertible, not a great sports car. In fact, Top Gear called it the "worst car in the history of the world."