The 2000s was a rather peculiar era for car manufacturers. On the one hand, we got the chance to see some timeless icons make their appearance, like the Ferrari Enzo, and on the other, we witnessed some sports car flops like the Pontiac Solstice. That said there was a plethora of 2000s sports cars that cemented themselves in history and will turn into timeless classics sooner than later.
Today we'll have a look at some of the most monumental sports cars from the 2000s. Not only will these incredible creations retain their ageless stature, but if you happen to own one, it will turn into a wise investment.
10 Aston Martin DB9
The Aston Martin DB9 is one of the most beautiful Aston Martin cars ever made. Apart from it being James Bond's weapon of choice, the DB9 is equally impressive on paper as it was appealing to the eye.
Underneath the hood of the Aston Martin DB9 laid a stunning naturally-aspirated 5.9-liter V12 engine that initially emitted 450 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. The DB9 adopted the perfect blend of understated elegance and brutal strength – attributes that make up the perfect Aston Martin.
9 Audi R8
In total, two generations of the Audi R8 exist, but for this list's purposes, we'll only be looking at the first generation. This generation of the Audi R8 offered two different engine choices, a 420-hp 4.2-liter V8 and a 525-hp 5.2-liter V10. Although these powertrains were beyond excellent, two other factors contribute to the Audi R8's soon-to-be-classic title
Those are its transmission options and practicality. To this day, the Audi R8 is the ultimate practical man's supercar, in turn making it one of the few proper German sports cars that are surprisingly cheap to own and maintain. The cherry on the cake however was the fact that the first-generation R8 was also offered with a selection between a six-speed automatic gearbox and a six-speed gated manual gearbox as well (we'd choose the latter).
8 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
It's weird, isn't it? Some cars are the talk of the town when they're announced, but soon after, it seems almost as if everyone forgets they ever existed. Such is the tragic case with the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione.
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This rear-wheel-drive Italian-bred machine engulfed a glorious-sounding 4.7-liter V8 that pushed 444 hp and 346 lb-ft of torque. Although the 8C is often overlooked nowadays, it will certainly become a classic shortly.
7 Honda S2000
The fact that the Honda S2000 will turn into a sought-after classic sports car one day is no secret by now. Not only was it one of the best sports cars Honda ever manufactured, but it remains relevant to this day.
Sure, its little rev-happy naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine only generated around 240 hp and 153 lb-ft of torque, but the S2000's driving experience is immeasurable. This is due to the magical combination of its 2690-lb curb weight, perfect 50:50 weight distribution, silky smooth six-speed standard transmission, and Honda's iconic VTEC technology.
6 BMW Z3 M Coupe
It's difficult to determine which one of BMW's M cars will mature into classic sports cars one day since they build such a massive variety of them. That said, there has never been anything quite like the BMW Z3 M Coupe...
In 2001, the Z3 M adopted the same engine found in the E46 M3 (the S54). This powertrain in particular is a 3.2-liter straight-six that produced up to 321 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. And how could we forget; its clown shoe-like design is one of the Z3 M's most remarkable feats!
5 Tesla Roadster
Yes, we know. Electric cars are boring. That isn't the wholehearted truth though... well at least when it comes to Tesla's first-ever production vehicle, the Roadster. Before the Model S, there was the Tesla Roadster. This unique little convertible sports car was far from perfect, but it acted as a symbol to show the world that fun EVs can be a thing.
The Tesla Roadster inherited its platform from the exciting Lotus Elise, hence its fun personality. Despite its surprisingly hefty weight (2,877 lbs), the Roadster still managed to reach 60 mph from a dig in 4 seconds flat. Nowadays, there are quite a few problems with Tesla nobody talks about, but the Roadster's imperfections are what sets it apart from the crowd.
4 Spyker C8
Back in 2001, a lesser-known Dutch carmaker named Spyker gave birth to the C8. Not only was it a feast for the eyes, but since it had a naturally-aspirated 395-hp V8 strapped towards its rear end, it was one hell of a blast to drive, too.
Its quirky interior design only added to its extravagant personality and the fact that it featured a 6-speed manual gearbox as well only added to the fun factor. These Spykers are already selling for an unholy amount of money, so time is running out to snatch one of these up.
3 Alfa Romeo GTV
We've reached the second Alfa Romeo on our list today, but the GTV is almost the polar opposite of what the 8C stood for. See, the Alfa Romeo GTV from the 2000s was a nimble front-wheel-drive sports car styled by none other than Pininfarina, and it even had the legendary Busso V6 fitted underneath its hood.
Before you start clattering your keyboard, remember who we're talking about; Alfa Romeo. Although it was front-wheel-drive, this little beaut took corners like no other. There is one downside, however... the GTV from the 2000s is rather scarce. We came across a 2004 Alfa Romeo GTV on Autotrader UK that's selling for a startling £12,000.
2 Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG
Just as we've said with BMW's M cars, the same is the case with Mercedes-Benz's AMG cars. There are an endless amount of AMG cars that came to fruition over the years, but if we had to say which one we think will garner classic status, it will be SLK 55 AMG.
As you know, the SLK is Mercedes' microscopic roadster, but the SLK 55 AMG put a slight twist to the magical recipe. The R171-generation SLK 55 inhabited the monstrous naturally-aspirated 5.4-liter M113 V8 which made 355 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque. That amount of power in a Miata-sized car... catastrophically fun.
1 BMW E92 M3
The BMW M3 is the somewhat affordable staple German sports car for any driving enthusiast; there's no debate about it. However, deciding which M3 is the best is a dispute with no correct answer. If you were to highlight the most unique M3 out of the bunch, the award has to go to the E92 M3.
Opposed to other M3 models which nearly all feature a straight-six, the E92 M3 has a ferocious naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter V8 that nests underneath its hood. This harmonious V8 power unit has a redline of 8,300 rpm and pumps out 414 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. There has never, and will never be anything quite as raw and powerful as the E92 M3 ever again, unfortunately...
Sources: astonmartin.com, auto-data.net, ultimatespecs.com