10 LEGENDARY SUPERCARS THAT DEFINED THE 2000S

The 2000s was a wonderful period, the era of Hip Hop music some say, some signify it with the advent of high-speed microprocessors, but in the truest sense, this period was synonymous with some of the high-performance cars that were way ahead of their time. This was a period where sports and supercars were free from all the driver-assist tech mumbo jumbo and were designed to deliver just pure performance.

This list presents 10 supercars that were produced during the 2000s and were legendary in all the senses. These cars defined the era with their peak performance and hyperventilating engines, with ear-banging roars.

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Ferrari Enzo

The untouchable halo, owned by only royals who were cherry-picked by Ferrari to get their hands on this car, the Ferrari Enzo is one of the most legendary Ferraris that was ever created. Adorning the name of Enzo Ferrari, the creator of Ferrari, only 400 pieces of this iconic oracle were created, and in a similarly grand gesture, many perished by high adrenaline owners, who crashed it on roads and tracks, leaving even fewer Ferrari Enzo in this world.

The Ferrari Enzo is an F1-styled racing piece, with a V-shaped hood and exteriors adorned with straight lines, with very few curves. It also has one of the most polarizing designs in the history of Ferrari cars, but what a shame if a million-dollar car does not turn heads! One of the most defining characteristics of the Ferrari Enzo is its engine, a V12 naturally aspirating behemoth that carries insane power of 651 horsepower and 485 lb-ft of torque.

While only a handful are left in this globe, a Ferrari Enzo on sale can be driven home for as low as $1.7 million, as stated on classic.com, but the average price of the Enzo stands near $3 million, a modest number at the hands of the royals who can afford to buy it.

Lamborghini Murciélago

It would have been a historical glimpse to watch the Lamborghini Murciélago drive out of Lamborghini's assembly plant in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy during the 2000s. A successor to the '90s legendary Diablo, the Murciélago was one of the most iconic cars during the pop culture periods of the 2000s. Featured as Bruce Wayne's ride in both Dark Knight & Dark Knight Rises, it was designed by Luc Donckerwolke who also happen to design the Lamborghini Diablo. Featuring a ground clearance of inches, sharp exteriors, and the most notable - scissor doors, the Murciélago speaks volumes when it comes to its design.

Although supercars of this caliber are produced in scarce numbers, the Murciélago enjoyed a decade-long production run, with a total of 3983 cars produced between 2001 and 2010. It gets its engine from the 90s legendary Diablo, a large V-12 engine carrying a displacement of 6.2-liter and powerful enough to generate 572 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. And if that seems less, Lamborghini pitched a more powerful variant, the Murciélago LP 640, increasing the power massively to 631 hp.

But the guys at Lamborghini wanted to make the Murciélago as legendary as they can, and lo behold, arrives the 670-4 SuperVeloce, carrying a peak power of 670 hp and was launched specially in the Chinese market as a special edition car. The SuperVeloce was a blazingly fast car for its time, capable to accelerate 0-60 mph in just 3 seconds!

Porsche Carrera GT

It would be a lie if a gearhead says that he never wished to drive a Carrera GT once in his lifetime. This iconic piece by Porsche has emotions involved, and hours of screen time of many 2000s teens who played the game franchise NFS Most Wanted to get their hands on the costliest car from the roster.

What makes the Carrera GT so special is that even after two decades of it being launched, very few cars could match the caliber or provide the thrill that the Carrera GT would provide. Poised to be a Le Mans race car at the very beginning, the Carrera GT ultimately made its way to city roads with a few modifications here and there. The rear hood is fitted with a naturally aspirated V-10 engine, delivering a massive 612 hp of power and 435 lb-ft of torque.

A Porsche Carrera GT can accelerate 0-60 mph in just 3.9 seconds, but a car is more than its power and acceleration. It was the first car ever to feature an all-carbon-fiber chassis, equipped with an automatic wing to keep it planted firmly on the ground. But more than its racing capabilities, the Carrera GT is known for its ability to be daily driven, with luxurious interiors and only manual transmission.

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Aston Martin V12 Vanquish

Let's face it, who does not want to take a ride in the fancy James Bond car, turning the heads of guys and girls wherever it goes? Featured in the James Bond film, Die Another Day, the Aston Martin Vanquish made headlines and also an entry into the wishlist of many young teens, undoubtedly a remarkable advertising technique for the books.

The Aston Martin Vanquish was unveiled at the 2001 Geneva Motor Show, before the film, and the first edition featured the most powerful engine ever used by an Aston Martin at that time, a V-12 engine with 460 hp of power and 400 lb-ft of torque. But one of the unforgettable features of the V12 Vanquish were its carbon fiber integration with the body, which was also something very new for an Aston Martin.

In 2004, Aston Martin introduced an improved V12 Vanquish S, which packed a similar V12 engine but with more punch. The S models were lighter and quicker, with 520 hp and capably going 0-60 mph in just 4.5 seconds.

Ford GT

One car that best defines the 2000s is the first-generation Ford GT. Some even say that it was the best-looking car ever made, with a striking design that features a big air scoop in the front hood, projector headlights, and great color options including a racing stripe in the middle.

The Ford GT is a stunning looker, with enough power to lock horns with European rivals like Porsche and Ferrari. The power is derived from a massive 5.4-liter supercharged V8 engine, with enough power to speed past bystanders in a blink. The acceleration is as impressive as it looks, going from 0-60 mph in just 3.5 seconds. In terms of technical specs, the Ford GT carries a whopping 500 hp and produces 550 lb-ft of torque.

This 17-year-old car is a collector's item as well, with the aftermarket prices soaring as the car is getting old. The launching price tag for the first generation Ford GT was tipped at $149,995 in 2004, pretty decent for a sports car, but if you decide to buy a used Ford GT today, the prices can go anywhere between $210,000 to $400,000, with the highest Ford GT being sold at $797,500.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4

Hypercars have become quite common recently, with more brands coming forward with their high-powered engines, but in the 2000s, only one brand was synonymous with hypercars, the Bugatti and its flagship offering Veyron. No other hypercar even today can match the credibility that Bugatti Veyron created for itself during the 2000s.

Clenching the title for the world's fastest car and then defending that title for five long years is something only guys at Bugatti can do. The Bugatti Veyron remained the fastest car in the world for five years with a top speed of over 250 mph, and then later gave away that title to its sibling Bugatti Veyron Sport, basically rotating trophies in the same family.

The Bugatti Veyron also holds the most wonderful engine on this list, a W16 engine. For readers who do not know what a W16 is, imagine two massive V8 engines paired together and then turbocharged four times! A W16 engine produces 1,200 horsepower and 1,106 lb-ft of torque, truly a hyper-engineered marvel!

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

Developed after a holy collaboration between Mercedes-Benz and McLaren, the SLR McLaren was born. Designed in the McLaren technology center in Woking, England, the inspiration was drawn by the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, to give it a retro-racing look. The design of this car was mainly handled by Mercedes-Benz, and McLaren executed the build.

The concept for Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren was first teased by Mercedes in 1999 at the North American International Auto Show, and the positive reaction made its production begin shortly. It features a 5.4-liter V8 supercharged engine produced by the AMG, which generates a power of 557 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque. The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren enjoyed a production run that lasted half a decade, and to commemorate its retirement, the collectors' edition SLR Stirling Moss was created, which featured a top speed of 217 mph.

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Audi R8

The Audi R8 is truly a driver's car, bringing the best of both racing and city-centric ride in a V10-equipped car. Launched in 2006 as the top-of-line Audi production, the R8 remained in production more than any production supercar in the 2000s, but sadly, in 2023 Audi decided to end the R8 line-up instead of electric cars.

Made popular in pop culture by the Iron Man as his daily ride to work, the Audi R8 indeed can be driven daily to work. It features a luxurious interior, unrivaled cargo space, and expanded vision from inside the car. But on days you want to savor the true speed of the V-10 engine, put it in sport mode and this beast can wreak havoc on racetracks.

On paper, the Audi R8's engine delivers a whopping 600 hp, and can zoom past 0-60 mph in just 2.8 seconds! A truly legendary sports car, and if you decide to buy a used first-generation R8 for yourself, it can be driven home for under $50,000.

Lamborghini Gallardo

The Lamborghini might seem the vehicle of only the wealthy and affluent, but the Gallardo was the sports car that was not as expensive as its high-octane rivals but offered remarkably high speed and power. Named after a popular breed of fighting bulls, the Gallardo was Lamborghini's sports car that made it regain its foothold in the market.

First launched in 2004, the Lamborghini uses a V10 engine with a displacement of 5.0-liter. Boasting a massive 500 hp, the Lamborghini Gallardo boasted a top speed of 192 mph and can do 0-60 mph in just 4.2 seconds. The owners of Gallardo liked it due to its manual transmission and striking color offerings, making it resemble deeply with the Diablo.

Placed first in the line-up and after the Murciélago, the Lamborghini Gallardo enjoyed a decade-long production run, with more than 14,000 Gallardos on the road today. Today, the Gallardo is also a supercar bargain, with prices in the used car market averaging around $80,000.

Ferrari F430

The Ferrari F430 is the supercar offered by the Italian carmaker in 2004, which was produced to replace the Ferrari 360. The Ferrari was designed by the Italian car designer Pininfarina and shared some resemblances with the Enzo. Although it was touted as the Entry-level Ferrari when it was launched, it was rather a Ferrari that every gearhead should drive once.

The Ferrari F430 was launched at a time of striking competition from many new and well-established brands, so it needed to put its best foot forward. The F430 is powered by a V8 engine with a displacement of 4.3 liters and produces 484 hp of power. A speed run from 0-60 mph would be in just 3.9 seconds.

The Ferrari F430 also came with different trims over its course of production, such as the 503-hp track-focused Scuderia, an F430 biofuel concept car, and a fantastic F430 with pure racing configuration that reduced the curb weight by 650 lbs and giving it 550 hp of power.

2023-05-26T21:35:36Z dg43tfdfdgfd