The 2000s were a great time for the world – great music was made, urbanization changed the landscape of many underdeveloped countries, and information technology connected the world. It was also a great time for the motor industry, before governments and regulators crushed the sometimes slightly ridiculous dreams of automotive engineers.

The 2000s saw the purchase of Lamborghini by Audi, resulting in the mad Italian company we know today. The decade also saw some of the last big, naturally aspirated engines to show just what they can do, but it also introduced the current era of over-the-top forced induction, culminating in what is unarguably the most important car of the 2000s – the Bugatti Veyron. Thanks to this automotive behemoth, the production car land-speed records have constantly been broken with ever more powerful cars.

Today, we look back at the 2000s and exhale a sigh of nostalgia over the internal combustion engine as the world is moving ever-more towards electrification and hybridization. Luckily, what this means for the used performance car market is heavily depreciated prices, especially for models dating back to the naughties.

The supercars on this list have lost huge amounts of value over the years, making them massive bargains for enthusiasts, and they're worth every penny!

8 2008 Dodge Viper SRT-10

Red 2003 Dodge Viper SRT-10 on the driveway
Mecum Auctions

The Dodge Viper is a legendary American supercar known for its absolutely massive engine. The Viper first showed up in 1991 with the 8.0-liter V10 we all know and love today. Over the years, there have been five generations of Viper, with each new model getting improved and more powerful.

Dodge Viper SRT-10 - Rear
Via WSupercars

The final Viper model was fitted with a much-revised version of the V10 engine, bored out to 8.4 liters, and produced 640 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque while remaining naturally aspirated. The Viper was discontinued in 2017 due to the car being unable to comply with occupant safety regulations. The Viper is definitely one of the most American cars ever sold – with the later models being worthy contenders against the European supercars.

Related: This 2002 Dodge Viper GTS Final Edition Has Only Done 19 Miles

7 2008 Porsche 911 Turbo (997)

2008 Porsche 911 Turbo Coupe
via: Mecum 

The Porsche 911 Turbo has always been the understated German supercar. It didn’t look all that different from the normal 911 – which was and is still the best sports car on the market. The 911 Turbo had all the hallmarks of a supercar, most notably being quick off the line, great handling, and it had a top speed to rival cars much more expensive.

Porsche-911_Turbo-2007-1280-01
Via: Netcarshow

The 911, being a Porsche product, is also built better than many other supercars, and thanks to the German’s reputation, it is also more reliable and easier to drive. The 911 997 Turbo is a great car for anyone who wants supercar performance with GT car comfort and sports car handling. Many are even available for less than $80,000, making it a great package.

6 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 C6

Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1- 205mph - $45,000
Via CorvSport

The Chevrolet Corvette is another of the proper American cars which started out as sports cars, but thanks to their ridiculous power figures, have scared some supercars on a racetrack. The C6 Corvette ZR1 was one of these. It had a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 producing 650 hp and 605 lb-ft of torque – more power than a similar model year Ferrari 599 GTB.

C6 Corvette ZR1
via Hagerty

The C6 ZR1 was incredibly fast and powerful for its time, accentuated by its relatively cheap sale price given its performance. Unfortunately, the build quality was not as good as its performance figures, with the car featuring more plastic than a Coca-Cola factory. Today, the C6 Corvette ZR1 has not depreciated as much as its rivals, resulting in many only costing a few thousand dollars less than when they were new.

Related: C6 Corvette: The Best Model Years, Ranked

5 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo

2003 Lamborghini Gallardo
Via Lamborghini

The Lamborghini Gallardo is the most successful model in the Italian company’s history. It was the second model introduced after the marque’s acquisition by Audi and featured a 5.0-liter V10 engine. The Gallardo was in production from 2003 until 2013, spawning an almost innumerable amount of versions and special editions.

2004 Lamborghini Gallardo
Mecum

The Gallardo saw two facelifts during its production run, updating the styling, technology and replacing the 5.0-liter with a 5.2-liter. The Gallardo was the last Lamborghini available with a manual transmission, making it quite a special car. Gallardos are increasing in value, with many early models reaching toward the $100,000 mark.

4 2009 Audi R8

Audi R8 (2006)
Via Audi

The Audi R8 has always unofficially been described as ‘the thinking man’s supercar’ or ‘the everyday supercar’ thanks to the ease of driving it. Jeremy Clarkson even said “it drives like a Golf” when he had one to test. The R8 has been around since 2006 when it was launched with a 4.2-liter V8 and a manual transmission. Since then, it has gained a 5.2-liter V10 and a dual-clutch transmission.

Rear 3/4 view of the original R8
Audi

The R8 has proven itself to be a great car and an excellent first entry into the world of supercar ownership, thanks to its efficient engineering and easy maintenance. The R8 also makes for an excellent GT car, thanks to the more comfortable suspension as opposed to its Italian cousin, the Lamborghini Gallardo. The best of all? Many R8s are available on the used car market for less than the price of a new Audi SQ7.

Related: 10 Reasons Why Gearheads Should Drive An Audi R8

3 2006 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish S

Aston Martin V12 Vanquish
Via media.astonmartin

In the mid-2000s, there was a big competition to see which premium car company could create the best GT car with supercar performance. The winner was subjective, but Aston Martin gave it their best shot with the Vanquish S. It was the flagship of the Aston Martin range and featured a 5.9-liter naturally aspirated V12 producing 520 hp.

Aston Martin-V12 Vanquish-2001
Aston Martin

The only downside to the Vanquish was the 6-speed automated manual transmission, which was extremely clunky during shifts in fully automatic mode. Today, a Vanquish S can be found on the used car market for around $100,000. Callum Design also offers a special 25 Edition which sorts out the gearbox issues – and customizes almost every part of the car – but comes in at a rather hefty $460,000 starting price. Ouch!

2 2001 Lotus Esprit V8

Esprit V8 - Front Quarter
Via Mecum Auctions

The Lotus Esprit was the firm’s flagship car since it was introduced in 1976 until its discontinuation in 2004. Over this time, there were four generations ranging from S1 to S4 and most of them featured 4-cylinder engines. Lotus introduced a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V8 for the last S4 generation in 1996, which produced 350 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque.

Rear 3/4 view of the Esprit V8, yellow
Via: Lotus

This may not seem like a lot of power, even for the 1990s, but the Esprit S4 only weighed around 2,800 lbs, resulting in some pretty impressive performance figures, including a 0-60 mph sprint of just 4.3 seconds. Lotus Esprits are quite rare these days, especially in North America, and as such, they are available at around the $70,000 mark.

Related: Here's What You Wanted To Know About The Lotus Esprit

1 2002 Ferrari 360

Silver 2001 Ferrari 360 Modena Parked Roadside
Via: Mecum Auctions

The Ferrari 360 was produced between 1999 and 2004 and was available in mid-engine coupé and spider trims. The car was fitted with Ferrari’s F131 3.6-liter naturally aspirated V8, which produced 400 hp in Modena and Spider trims, and 425 hp in Challenge Stradale trim – a more track-focused version of the car.

Silver 2001 Ferrari 360 Modena Parked Roadside
via Mecum

The 360 was available with a choice of either a 6-speed gated-manual transmission, or a 6-speed F1-style electrohydraulic-actuated automated manual, which produced quick shifts when hammering around a track, but became slow and erratic during automatic gearshifts. Regardless of the harsh ride quality and jerky transmission, the Ferrari 360 is a great option when shopping for a 2000s supercar with a $100,000 budget.