GTP Top Ten Cars of the '00s

[YSSMAN]

GTP Ten Best Cars of the Decade​

Okay, list-mania is pretty much done on the internets, but I still think this is one of the most-interesting lists that can be compiled at the moment. Given the radical differences in all of our tastes, opinions, and even regions - any Ten Best list from any GTP member is likely to be radically different from that of another. Generally speaking, the idea is pretty simple; What do you believe are the ten best vehicles produced from 2000 to 2009? Include a photo, perhaps some reasoning behind your decision, share an experience, or however else you want to push for your favorite.

#10 - 2000 BMW Z8​

Okay, hear me out… I know the car was too expensive. I know the car was apparently “terrible to drive” (thanks Clarkson). But in person, to touch, to see… Its an amazing car to behold. In my mind, the Z8 is one of those hyper-rare, and yet not particularly special cars that knock you off your feet. I can’t fault the design inside or out, and of all the retro-futuristic designs of the 2000’s, this was by far one of the best. It slides in at #10 only because it did exist, and because I liked it. Nothing else.

#9 - 2004 Subaru Forester XT​

Like one of my other picks, this is one that doesn’t mean much in the context of the decade, but means a lot to me. Take what is arguably the most-sensible of the Subaru products, toss in the power plant from the WRX, tighten up the suspension, and throw a ‘T’ on the trunk lid and call it a day. No one knew the difference, and yet, the car sold quite well. Problem is, Subaru destroyed everything that was good with the XT with the 2006 restyling, which made it a horrible, Samurai armor-looking thing. Capable performance machine, sure. But not when you’re that ugly. What amazes me still about the car is the fact that it was able to do so well while carrying so much mass, in such an awkwardly shaped package. Its one of the ultimate sleepers, and is still one of many cars I'd love to own at some point.

#8 - 2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10​

We needed at least one “B-S Crazy” choice on the list, and this is it. A 500 BHP pickup truck that can not only haul 2X4s to work, but haul ass at the same time. Dodge was so awesome when doing this, they included the six-speed manual gearbox. With a gear lever the length of a baseball bat. And they expected you to make the tires squawk on the 1-2 every time. I mean, we’re talking about a pickup truck that can outrun a pretty wide variety of dedicated sports cars to 60 MPH, and beyond that, can out handle a fair number as well. Its about as American as apple pie, that is, if you figured out a way to stuff it with fake boobs, M4 assault riffles, Michael Bay-style explosions, and the smell of fresh cut grass. Awesome.

#7 - 2009 Saab 9-3 TurboX​

Given the news of today, the TurboX really has become the last hurrah for the Saab brand on the global market. It is a dark and sinister car, most-certainly the Dr. Jekyl to the rest of the Mr. Hyde lineup from Sweden. The formula is pretty simple: Crank up the boost on the cracking-good 2.8L Turbo V6, add on a trick Haldex 4.0 XWD (Cross Wheel Drive) system, and only make enough for the hardcore Saab fans. Sure, its not the fastest car in its segment. Sure, its not the cheapest either. But, I’ll be damned if it isn’t the coolest… In the thick black frames, listening to progressive rock, burning down the wet country road well over the speed limit while drinking Starbucks sort of way. Its really disappointing how quickly the car showed up and then entirely disappeared. Then again, I suppose that is the Saab way.

#6 - 2006 Pontiac Solstice​

While it does sit toward the bottom of the list, this was an important car for the 2000s. Again, like the Z8, not because it was actually a good car, but more or less because it existed. As Bob Lutz’s first “pet project” at GM, the Solstice was a design exercise turned product prototype that was green light and put into production at a pace that I’ve never seen before in the industry. In little more than two years, the car was ready to go, using off-the-shelf bits and pieces to create a sports car that was capable, if not willing, and certainly competitive in the class as the little add-ons came along. The GXP model was a pretty awesome roadster for not much money, and it’s a shame that GM axed both an incredibly capable chassis as well as a brand that could have seen the car evolve and get much, much better with time.

#5 - 2006 Ford Fusion​

Despite a few bright spots in recent memory, up until this point, Ford was not doing well. The Focus was getting on in age, but the Taurus was on its way out, the Fivehundred was floppy in all the wrong places, fuel prices were going sky high, and the Fusion had just launched. What a fresh breath of air this car was when things were beginning to look really grim for America’s oldest automaker. So the kids in Dearborn took something that was already on the shelf (Mazda6), made it “more American,” increased the quality and reliability ten-fold, and ended up making one of the most important cars of the decade. Not just because it was actually a rather excellent sedan, but rather, the beginning of the end for the terrible Ford, and the start of the totally awesome Ford that we see today.

#4 - 2005 Ferrari 575M Superamerica​

As the sole Italian on this list, arguably, I could have chosen better. It is certainly true that the F430 meant far more for Ferrari in this decade than anything else. It is certainly true that the Enzo is perhaps the biggest flagship they’ve had since the F40. And most certainly, the 599 is leaps and bounds better than the 575M, which was only an upgrade on the 550 that came before it. But, this is about as good as it gets for me. The car has the right layout, the right engine, the right transmission (this was back when you could row your own gears), and a look at is absolutely classic. I still say that the 575M Superamerica is one of the best-looking Ferraris ever made, without a doubt the best looking of the decade in my mind. Its rare, its beautiful, and its perfect. Absolutely perfect.

#3 - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette C6 2.0
​

General Motors has a knack for introducing a new car that is pretty good, then waiting a year or two, and making their new-ish car totally freakin’ awesome. The 2008 updates added a lot of small touches that all came together to turn America’s sports car into one of the best sports cars offered anywhere in the world. The updated interior options upped the quality, the addition of the LS3 bumped the power and performance, tweaks in the suspension made the Z51 nearly as fast as the Z06, and it all came with only a modest increase in price. Generally speaking, the C6 Corvette was a massive leap forward not only for the car, but also for GM in this decade. Its no wonder that the car is still my favorite sold on streets today, a choice that probably won’t change any time in the near future.

#2 - 2000 Honda S2000
​

As a car that essentially spanned the entire decade, the S2000 is probably one of the most important keystone sports cars that have ever been created. Not because it was particularly fast, or because it was particularly good-looking, but because it was a back-to-basics approach to motoring that really had been ignored (well, besides the MX-5). Although I’ve never had the opportunity to drive one, just the thought of an S2000 gets my blood boiling. The sound of the car is absolutely incredible, and just sitting in it, you can tell it was meant to do bad things. What amazes me even more is that the car, while very happy on the track, was still rather comfortable on the road. It was a civilized performance car in an extremely uncivilized performance era (I’m looking at you ZR1 and E55 AMG). It is a damn shame Honda has killed the car and the program to replace it, it will forever go down as one of the greatest cars ever built.

#1 - 2005 Ford GT​

This is my car of the decade. I don’t even know how I can wrap up all of my feelings into a single paragraph. The performance standards are still impressive even to this day, and that’s saying a lot given how comparably old the technology in the car actually was. Sticking a big ass pickup truck engine in the back, building a custom chassis, and using a classic nameplate was priceless. The look, feel, and sense of it all was perfect for the time.



So, ultimately not the most practical of lists. Certainly without any solid train of thought either. But with a decade as terrible as the one we just went through, yeah, it probably wouldn't be any better.

 

[TaurusSHO]

nice list

 

[Omnis]

Forget you, man. The 2006 Forester was BAD ASS.

 

[Daniel]

Like the #3... i didnt like the C5 corvettes... they looked ugly (no, you can't shun me )

 

[RyanWreck]

My favorites list for 2009 would look a bit different. I decided to do only 6 cars instead of 10 all of which are either new for 2009 or are older cars that got a whole new makeover in 2009 (not in any specific order).

Mercedes-SL63 AMG

Porsche 911 Carrera

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

Audi TTS

Nissan 370Z

Lexus ISF

I couldn't include the ISF without posting the ISF police car too:

 

[Famine]

Forget you, man. The 2006 Forester was BAD ASS.

And the 2004 one was awful. My brother had one for 3 years and hated every journey in it.

 

[Omnis]

Corvette C6 ZO6
Literally the only thing Chevrolet has to be proud of. Hangs with the rich kids without the expense.

Nismo Skyline GT-R Z-Tune
The last hurrah for one of the most handsome designs in history, and certainly one of the most iconic for tuner culture.

350z/G35 Coupe
These things are everywhere now, and for good reason. There was a ton of hype around this car when it came out. It's totally 2000s.

BMW 335i
Another car that everyone likes. The first car to break out of Banglitis and BMW's hit after which the rest of its lineup would take as far as looks go.

Mercedes E-Class W211
This design is absolutely timeless. The W211 was really a breath of fresh air compared to the previous generation. Panzerbenz strikes back.

VW Rabbit
Probably the best small car of the decade between all its trim levels.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX
This one is the face melter. Wicked quick, and AMS got 1163hp or some crazy number out of the engine. It looks pretty darn good inside and out too.

Acura TL
I just like this car. I can't find anything to complain about. Acura did a good job, but then they went and screwed it up for the new generation. I'll include it out of pity for something pretty good turned awful.

Mercedes/Dodge Sprinter
Excuse me, I carry serious amounts of awesome inside. This is the most awesome van. You can use it for work, as an RV, or as a rotisserie chicken wing truck. Or install a pole and strippers.

Pagani Zonda F
Yeah, this is another one that doesn't really need explanation. ... It's beautiful, sounds beautiful, goes like satan with the runs. The interior is so awesome that I would be ashamed to soil it with my bottom. Normally that would be hyperbole because I keep my pants clean, but in this car they might actually be soiled. This car is definitely the dookie.​

 

[Paulie]

In no particular order

Nissan GTR and SpecV

If you remove all the heavily biased fanboys this car carries with it, and just look at the car itself, it's amazing. It is the new benchmark for all others to follow.

Corvette ZR1

Because it's just awesome and kicks serious arse.

Holden Monaro

A true story of true blue Aussie passion, Mike Simcoe designed the exterior almost entirely himself in his own spare time at home simply for his love of cars and passion for Holden. When he showed his superiors what he'd done they greenlighted a concept car, which was so popular with such a public outcry that Holden essentially had no choice but to put it into production. The Monaro was a rather large success, and also scored export markets to USA and Europe where it also garnered high praise from Top Gear. If I could afford a second car right now, I'd absolutely buy one.

BMW M5

Nowhere near my favourite super sedan but definitely raised the bar for those to follow

Cadillac CTS-V 2009

Trumped the M5 and became the new benchmark.

Pagani Zonda

Pagani was nothing, now they're an absolute sensation, one of the most favourited Italian exotics, thanks Zonda.

2004 Honda NSX Type R

Supercar beater with much less power, what a fanboy crowd that created, but still an excellent car.

FG FPV F6

Best sports sedan in the world under $100k as voted by Top Gear, but I'd wager on this being one of the best sedans period under 350kw, although no real track comparos ever put it up against the M3 or newest E2 GTS.

DC5 Integra Type R

One of the best FWDs ever built, and although we don't know how it compares to modern cars like the Cobalt SS Turbo and Focus RS, even if it's slower it still stood the test of time for over 5yrs.

Really struggling to think of a worthy 10th car.

 

[homeforsummer]

I've, conveniently, just done one of these myself today on my blog, so I'll briefly summarise my choices here too.

In no particular order:

Smart Roadster​

If I were to write my "ethos" of my perfect car, the Smart would probably be it. Small, lightweight, looks great, fun, economical, handles well. Would literally be perfect for me if a) I could afford one and b) it had a proper manual gearbox.

Lotus Elise S​

This is what the sports car is really all about. It's the classic British sports car brought into the 21st Century. All the fun of before, with a near perfect chassis and an engine that's both revvy and reliable.

Tesla Roadster​

A load of people claim that EVs will be the death of the car. Au contraire, EVs will likely save the car when the ICE could kill it through legislation. The Tesla is the best of the bunch, with a good range and impressive performance showing that EVs don't necessarily have to all be like the G-Wiz. It's essentially a car that's years ahead, but available today.

Renaultsport Clio Cup 200​

The best hot hatch, all things considered. Offers all the performance you realistically need, and remains true to the old-school of a mental engine and great handling rather than whacking on a big turbo and hoping the front end can cope, then loading the whole thing with weight. Evo and Autocar both list it as their top hot hatch.

Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale​

A race car for the road. One of the best looking Ferraris in 20 years, and amazing performance. That's before you even get to the sound, which is spine-tingling. Wonderful, wonderful machine.

Volkswagen Scirocco​

VW in "we've made a pretty car" shocker. Performs, drives, looks and sips less fuel than the equivalent Golf. The looks win it a place in my 10 alone though.

Jaguar XF​

Jaaaaaaaag's return to form. Arguably the best car in it's class, looks great, has a completely up-to-date interior and technology, some fantastic engines, and perhaps most importantly of all, has given Jag a future, with some help from Ratan Tata.

MINI Cooper​

The best BMW MINI is the original. The spirit of the original brought up to date. The most balanced styling of any new MINI, perfectly adequate performance, great controls and fluid handling. At its very best with a Cooper Works upgrade to 140bhp but left on the standard 15" wheels and fat tyres. Incidentally, the only one of my ten that I've actually driven. So I know this one is good.

Audi A2​

Ten years ahead of it's time. Aluminium body and chassis giving light weight and benefits in all areas from economy to performance. And of course, economy is helped by the efficient engines and very aerodynamically efficient shape. Ironically, supposed to have the best steering of any Audi back in 2000 when it was released, as they'd actually given it some steering feel and accuracy.

Porsche Cayman​

Porsche accidentally makes a car better than the 911, and goes straight to the top of the class with it. Supposed to be one of the best handling production cars in the world. And being a Porsche, you can use it as a daily driver with no worries.

If I'd had room for an 11th, I would have put the current generation BMW 3-Series on there, which offer pretty much all the car you could ever need. You can have extremes of economy and performance with the 316d and the M3, and yet the diesel still has good performance and the M3 is still a useable daily driver. And then, you can choose a bunch of different body shapes to suit your needs, including an off-roader in the shape of the X3, if you must. The current 3er really is very good.

 

[YSSMAN]

Interesting how different all of our lists are. That's what I love around here.

I think the only car I regret not putting on my list is the E39 BMW M5, but since that straddled the '90s and '00s so evenly, I couldn't count it.

 

[CarBastard]

Well, making lists make me happy, so I'll give it a go. I won't post pics since I dont know how to re-size them and don't want to ruin the thread.

10. Fiat Nuova 500.

It's small, it's stylish, it's retro, it's (reasonably) fast, it's cheap, it's Italian. A very "Chick"/"Cool" or whatever adjective you want to imply it's interesting. You'll look good driving it weather you're a man or a woman and (in the case of the Abarth) it performs well that being economical. It really is cheap and cheerful, one of the first cars ever to do it well.

9. Audi R8 Road Car.

You have to specify "Road Car" because there was an LMP racer with the same name, and it had the same succes. The Audi R8 is the sportscar by the german brand that strives to do everything as best as possible with top notch technology. It's also one of the first fast, good looking, fun cars that actually is quite comfortable, and its 4WD system mean it can be easily driven on a track. V10 version also available for extra "Vroom".

8. Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni.

After being purchased by the VAG group, Lamborghini model lineup has always been 4WD. I have no issues with 4WD cars, in fact I adore that they're easier to drive. But thats the issue, "Easier to drive" it's not very Lamborghini-ish, so here it comes a wild, shouting, stylish two wheel drive supercar with a stripe. Ferruccio would be proud.

7. Pagani Zonda C12.

Proof that independent automotive manufacturers can be succesful. The first in the lineup of Mr. Horacio that led to incredible, mind boggling beauties. The design is out of this world, it's four rear tailpipes make a rare sight, and it's roaring V12 engine, make it a very competitive fun machine. Take that Ferrari!

6. Ariel Atom.

Thrill seekers and plastic surgeons rejoice! No roof, no windshield, no doors, no interior. Raw, basic, pure motoring experience with all the thrills involved. Feather-weight car with more than decent power that is prone to be an adrenaline rush for the weekends, and as Jeremy Clarkson prooved, an alternative to facial surgery when driven without a helmet.

5. Brawn GP BGP001.

F1 bores me. F1 cars not. In this over-regulated F1 of modern day there is few room for imagination and surprises, so almost everytime all the runners in the front of the grid are big car manufacturers. Then came Ross Brawn, with a car that Honda left behind, a engine he pinched from Mercedes and all of a sudden, on his first season, with a car that didn't looked like a bloody billboard, wins the constructor and drivers championships. On it's maiden year. On a year when Ferrari sucked.

4. Audi R10 TDI LMP.

A personal favourite. I absolutely love all Le Mans cars, to me they're prove of engineering effort. Trying to run twenty four hours straight, on a grueling and demanding circuit, trough chicanes and almost infinite straights, trough day and night, and rain, and public roads. That is simply sublime. This car did that, three times, and at the same time proved diesel was no longer dirty fuel for trucks and buses. This car is one of those that bent the rules, and made new ones in the process. Truly amazing.

3. Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Soleil de Nuit.

The "Soleil de Nuit" is in my view the best looking version, of the best body-type (Targa), of the best fun-inducing, awe-inspiring, four-wheel machine ever. The Veyron not only broke the rule book, it used it as toilet paper. It might be heavy, and it might not be one of the most beautiful front ends in the world, but it's a brutal piece of engineering perfection. It's like the Audi, but a tad more creative, and road-legal. Oh, and more powerful. And like the Audi LMP, it has no roof so you can enjoy the breeze...while at 200MPH+.

2. Volkswagen L1.

Sad, but true. The car looks lame, and the performance is lame. But, its the future. Petrol won't last forever, face it. This car is what you'll daily driver will look like. However, it's uses brilliant design and engineering solutions, and it can do 170 MPG, 100 MPG more than a Prius. And it has a "Performance Mode" (although it doesn't make it fast by any measure). Impressive.

1. Tesla Roadster.

See Volkswagen L1, the future. But the difference is that this one is an exciting future. Electric car, yeah, boring sound-less piece of crap. Until now. This baby is based on a performance benchmark car, a Lotus Elise, and ticks every "A sport car needs: " box. A car that will provide fun, while not providing guilt. Thats like getting drunk, but not having hangover. It also comes with a CD player in case you want to remember those good 'ol petrol V8 days.

PS: Can someone please tell me what is the BBcode for image size?
PS2: Constructive feedback would be much appreciated.
PS3: YSSMAN, what about counting the cars we repeat so we can make a GTP Top Ten list? The most repeated car wins #1 spot and so on. Is it a stupid idea or not?

 

[LSX]

Nice van Omnis. I will say they look better than a Ford or Chevy equivalent.

I am a child, bear in mind that most of these I think are just downright cool, some are there because of good things they do though.

10.) 2003 SVT Lightning.

Yeah wow, I never expected a truck to move like this when I first went for a ride. It just pulls and pulls. You can shred the tires and asphalt so easily it's scary. atonthebackford: Even being an Autobox, this thing is too much fun. And the chicks dig it.

9.) VW Jetta TDI.

Not a bad looking car that gets amazing fuel mileage. I can't say I would not sport one, if only for the way it sips.

8.) Ford F-250 Diesel.

Pull a trailer, pull half your town, and when optioned correctly, look good while doing it. It's as big as a semi in some trims, and that's cool.

7.) Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Great lines, great tuck when properly outfitted. Can take you to the store OR the perfect secluded fishing hole, through the mud and marsh, with the A/C on and leather on your backside. 👍

6.) Pontiac G8-GT.

IF ONLY it had more time, this was something I desperately wanted, they just look so right. Another thing GM did right, but maybe at the wrong time. There is the chance for a second hand model one day I suppose.

5.) 2003-2004 Mustang SVT Cobra.

Reliable horsepower from Detroit that could handle, sounds as good as it looks, goes like hell. The 32v DOHC 4.6 with the stock Eaton is nothing to mess with. These snakes still bite, even in the wallet.

4.) Subaru WRX STI.

Has grip like nothing I've ever experienced. The stock WRX is so capable off road that I'd be scared to see what I could get one of these into. Boy racer looks, backed up by real racing hardware. Most likely to be the car I personally would have the most fun with, turning it into a sandbox.

3.) C6 Corvette ZR-1/Z06/Z51.

Yes please? I don't think much explaining needs to be done for this. GM did something right for once. !

2.) E39 BMW M5.

I'm looking to find one priced right without many miles on it, which is not easy. Technology taken directly from the BMW F1 efforts in a comfortable, spacious, good looking street car that tips the scales less than most modern coupes? Yeah, I'll have two please.

1.) C63 AMG.

Absolutely bat-shat crazy when opened up. Weird choice I guess, but I have a weird thing for these cars. They just tick the right boxes on my check list, whatever those may be. Makes me want to acquire a German accent and speed everywhere. I can't explain that either...

 

[C-ZETA]

Listing things is always complicated, especially for something like this. Here's my top 10.

10. Fiat Nuova 500

Best city car of the decade by a massive landslide. This is a great retro car, it has all the right things and the Abarth is one hell of a pocket rocket. Great job, I'd like to see Fiat even try to top this in the distant future.

9. Porsche 997

The perfect supercar. Styling the same as before, yet still the same performance and feel. And now the GT2 is coming back

8. BMW M6

When you think that Chris Bangle comes into the picture, you think an obvious 'uggh'. But it looks a lot sportier than any other model BMW makes. This M version is the icing on the cake of what is a very agile car in all versions.

7. Ferrari P4/5

Because no list should be without a Ferrari. This is my choice simply because of the lovely retroness and the sheer exclusiveness (1 in the world). What this car is is a Ferrari that exists, but doesn't really because there's only one. However, the performance is just incredible. This is Ferrari's distant future for sure.

6. Lotus Exige

A super stealth car, especially in black. In short, it's basically an Elise with a solid roof, and extra performance. However, one thing is...it's better. More modern. More fast! Of course, everything will fall off over time, but it's a Lotus... so that's not really a criticism.

5. McLaren MP4-23

The car that took Lewis Hamilton to the championship. Needn't anything else be said? It's an F1 car with a true pedigree, this. Now, what we need is a re-emulation of the success....and they now have Jenson Button, most recent world champion. Nothing more thatn a Constructors Championship can be accepted this year, surely...

4. Peugeot 908 HDi FAP

The Peugeot 905 was a legend. Back-to-back Le Mans winner, 1-2-3 in '93 and in general, one of Peugeot's finest constructions. Then Polyphony ruined it...before the Le Mans legacy was revived for Peugeot with the 908. They started off with a pair of second places, before the '09 1-2...largely thanks to Audi ruining their main car with the R15. Now Pescarolo use these...and they have quite the history...of second places.

3. Bugatti Veyron

A list here can't be without this either. Pure engineering coming from, quite honestly, the least likely of the somewhat well known names. This car needs no description: I'm sure everyone knows its main statistic of 253 mph (407 kph), and while it has now been surpassed by the SSC Aero, this thing is still arguably the most loved car to date.

2. Honda CR-Z

The best overall shape of the decade. Such a brilliant looking concept, with all of the facts to match. This thing couldn't possibly be passed up as a production car in the near future. Plus, the retroness of the CR series is also here. If this doesn't make it to the Honda production lines, then there is no justice in the world.

1. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X

This...is a car. This is a fast car. This is one of the best products out of Japan. This is a car where the UK-only FQ-400 will beat a Gallardo or an F430 in a drag race. This...is the best of Mitsubishi, all rolled up into a 2.0 turbocharged engine. This...is domination. It is the benchmark for all Japanese sportsters.

 

[CarBastard]

1. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X

That should be my #11. I quite like this car (In fact, I've driven it...in GT5P). But the list only goes to 10, sadly.

PS: Awesome signature 👍.

 

[MatskiMonk]

2.) E39 BMW M5.

I'm looking to find one priced right without many miles on it, which is not easy. Technology taken directly from the BMW F1 efforts in a comfortable, spacious, good looking street car that tips the scales less than most modern coupes? Yeah, I'll have two please.

Not going to disagree with the choice... although BMW's F1 efforts didn't start till a couple of years after the E39 M5 was released? The M went on sale in 1998 IIRC and the BMW.Williams F1 team didn't hit the grid until 2000... not sure what technology was taken directley from BMW's formula 1 efforts?

.. sorry to be a pedant.

.. unless you meant the E60/E61 M5? (with the V10)

 

[LSX]

No I meant the intake system on the later cars. That's at least what I've read in reviews.

Quoting M539.com on the 2001 model.
"not much is changed for the 302 cubic inch V8 powerplant other than some improvements with the mass airflow sensing nodes to better manage its ability to swallow massive amounts of air needed to mix with fuel so that the now famous 400 horses can run free. The induction system is improved in this model year – known as the double VANOS system - an electronic and mechanical marvel of engineering that includes a dual air cleaner/ air flow meter arrangement mated to eight individually monitored throttle bodies. This proprietary technology comes straight to your 2001 BMW M5 from the BMW Sauber F1 racing team technology."

Even though the VANOS system was around long before all that. It still sounds somewhat similar to F1 intakes with their individual throttles. So I don't really know how to answer that I guess.

It spent the majority of it's life in the early 2000's. Either way, over-engineered and well built. I know it does not take as much as the newer M5 did as far as racing technology, but it's still something. I prefer a V8 over a 10 anyways, not to say I would not like the 10, cause I know I'd have a hard time keeping a straight face driving it. I'd just rather row my own gears to a sweeter tone, for fairly cheap for how good this car is. 13,000-15,000USD

 

[exigeracer]

#4 - 2005 Ferrari 575M Superamerica​

As the sole Italian on this list, arguably, I could have chosen better. It is certainly true that the F430 meant far more for Ferrari in this decade than anything else. It is certainly true that the Enzo is perhaps the biggest flagship they’ve had since the F40. And most certainly, the 599 is leaps and bounds better than the 575M, which was only an upgrade on the 550 that came before it. But, this is about as good as it gets for me. The car has the right layout, the right engine, the right transmission (this was back when you could row your own gears), and a look at is absolutely classic. I still say that the 575M Superamerica is one of the best-looking Ferraris ever made, without a doubt the best looking of the decade in my mind. Its rare, its beautiful, and its perfect. Absolutely perfect.

This kind of list is pure preferences, and nobody can change those opinions, but this car always jumped out at me whenever people mention it, more specifically its beauty. I think it may have even been you that I asked the same thing to, if I remember correctly. All I ask with the 575 Superarmerica, is that if you could refrain from calling it "one of the best-looking Ferraris ever made" until you've seen one in person. That is a lot to ask, I know.

If you spotted one, or saw it at a dealer or a show, then by all means call it the nicest thing from Italy ever. But having seen two separate ones, I can safely say it is the car most-different from photos I've ever seen. It's offensively mis-shaped, almost hunch-backed, which destroys the car's gorgeous proportions as well as handsome graphics. The 575M is just spot-on, and would be closely considered for inclusion in my top 10 list, but the Superamerica in person is just so sour. I wasn't expecting it to be so wildly different when I first saw one.

If you've seen one in the flesh, then call it whatever you want, but you may be very surprised. I certainly was.

 

[kingcars]

I'm actually very surprised with how much I do agree with on your list...

#8 - 2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10​

We needed at least one “B-S Crazy” choice on the list, and this is it. A 500 BHP pickup truck that can not only haul 2X4s to work, but haul ass at the same time. Dodge was so awesome when doing this, they included the six-speed manual gearbox. With a gear lever the length of a baseball bat. And they expected you to make the tires squawk on the 1-2 every time. I mean, we’re talking about a pickup truck that can outrun a pretty wide variety of dedicated sports cars to 60 MPH, and beyond that, can out handle a fair number as well. Its about as American as apple pie, that is, if you figured out a way to stuff it with fake boobs, M4 assault riffles, Michael Bay-style explosions, and the smell of fresh cut grass. Awesome.

That whole paragraph is FTMFW!!!

#4 - 2005 Ferrari 575M Superamerica​

The car has the right layout, the right engine, the right transmission (this was back when you could row your own gears), and a look at is absolutely classic.

THANK YOU!!! I've been saying this for a long time now. I *really* hate how sports cars are getting away from true manual transmissions. It really deprives the overall driving experience. I've also preferred the front engine/RWD Ferraris over the mid engine ones.

 

[McLaren]

As the sole Italian on this list, arguably, I could have chosen better. It is certainly true that the F430 meant far more for Ferrari in this decade than anything else. It is certainly true that the Enzo is perhaps the biggest flagship they’ve had since the F40. And most certainly, the 599 is leaps and bounds better than the 575M, which was only an upgrade on the 550 that came before it. But, this is about as good as it gets for me. The car has the right layout, the right engine, the right transmission (this was back when you could row your own gears), and a look at is absolutely classic. I still say that the 575M Superamerica is one of the best-looking Ferraris ever made, without a doubt the best looking of the decade in my mind. Its rare, its beautiful, and its perfect. Absolutely perfect.

What do you mean back when? Ferrari still offered a 6-speed transmission on the F430, 599GTB, & 612 Scaglietti for 4 more years after the SuperAmerica. In fact, they were standard options. It was only after 2009, the 599 GTB was still given a 6-speed manual as a standard option.

Concepts, prototypes, and racing vehicles are ridiculous. Only include cars that you could actually buy and drive.

I really do agree....

 

[Omnis]

Concepts, prototypes, and racing vehicles are ridiculous. Only include cars that you could actually buy and drive.

 

[homeforsummer]

Concepts, prototypes, and racing vehicles are ridiculous. Only include cars that you could actually buy and drive.

Yup. So this:

2. Volkswagen L1.

Sad, but true. The car looks lame, and the performance is lame. But, its the future. Petrol won't last forever, face it. This car is what you'll daily driver will look like. However, it's uses brilliant design and engineering solutions, and it can do 170 MPG, 100 MPG more than a Prius. And it has a "Performance Mode" (although it doesn't make it fast by any measure). Impressive.

...is daft, because VW haven't even confirmed they're making it yet, let alone that it wasn't on sale at any point in the last ten years. Plus, it looks awesome.

And C-ZETA - The CR-Z hasn't yet been released either and wasn't shown as a production car until this year.

Can people maybe use a photobucket to host pictures too so they actually show up? I'm seeing a hell of a lot of NetCarShow Corvettes up there.

@ LSX - great choice on the Lightning. I've always had a strong desire to own one of those. Perhaps one day when I move to the States I might find me one...

 

[PeterJB]

In no particular order:

Mercedes-Benz S 63 AMG

Giant picture

Scuderia Toro Rosso STR3

Renault Radiance (If it counts)

Renault Clio V6

Red Bull RB5

Hummer H2

Pagani Zonda C12-F

Nissan Pivo Concept

Giant picture

Lamborghini Murcielago LP640

BMW M5

 

[Turbo Lag]

Concepts, prototypes, and racing vehicles are ridiculous. Only include cars that you could actually buy and drive.

Agreed, alot of people don't understand this about the cool walls either. 👍

 

[homeforsummer]

Renault Radiance (If it counts)

It's not even a car, they don't produce it now let alone produce it in the last ten years, so no.

 

[Live_Fr0m_NY]

I'll keep mine in a list...

10: Ferrari F430
9: Mitsubishi Evo X
8: Porsche Carrera GT
7: Nissan 350z
6: BMW M5 (E60)

5: Ferrari 575M - Always loved this car, FR ferrari FTW!
4: 2005 Subaru WRX STI - Pinnacle of the WRX, the car got uglier every year after that... it looks like a ford focus now.
3: Cadillac CTS-V - 550+ HP Corvette engine in a sexy cadillac? yes please!
2: Bugatti Veyron - HP:Ugly ratio about even out, as nasty as this thing looks its just too fast to deny.
1: Nissan GT-R(35) - It's been a long time coming...

 

[Famine]

Concepts, prototypes, and racing vehicles are ridiculous. Only include cars that you could actually buy and drive.

Apparently this passed people by...

Concepts, prototypes, and racing vehicles are ridiculous. Only include cars that you could actually buy and drive.

In no particular order:

Any chance you could include one or two slightly bigger pictures? Only some of those are a little small for me to be able to see
FROM SPACE.

 

[Murcie_LP640]

#10
Jaguar XF-R

Jaaaaaaaag's saloon in an M5-matching 500hp 5.0L supercharged V8 form. Looks pretty damn good, goes like a bat out of hell, and most importantly I would absolutely love to have one.

#9
Ford Performance Vehicles F6 Typhoon/Tornado

Nothing like a boosted 6 to finally show that you don't need 8 cylinders to deliver brutal performance. Case in point: The F6, on track and on the strip, beats almost absolutely everything Ford or Holden/HSV has produced.

#8
Honda S2000

It's a Honda I would actually WANT to buy. Need I really say more?

#7
Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder

In coupe form, the Gallardo is already very good. Chop the roof off, and it's almost completely perfect. That screamer V10 will never get old.

#6
Bugatti Veyron

Well it had to be included at some point. Large pricetag and idiot sinking it into a swamp and then blaming it on a non-existant pelican aside, the Veyron is a wonderous piece of technology. 407kph top speed and famously as easy to drive as a Golf.

#5
Ascari A10

The definitive racecar for the road. Yes, it is slower around Top Gear's test track than a Gumpert Apollo, but it looks a hell of a lot more pretty and it makes a much better noise.

#4
Dodge Viper SRT10 American Club Racer (ACR)

Aside from the aforementioned Gumpert Apollo smashing its laptime, for an American car to finally show the Euros how it's done on the Nurburgring is quite simply astounding. And yet it is still the absolutely bat-****-crazy Viper that I always have and always will love.

#3
Nissan GT-R (R35)

Yet another technological overload. But to do what it does with that much weight and such a relatively small engine compared to the number of cars it's beaten, this car demands respect in my opinion.

#2
Subaru Impreza WRX (MY05)

This is my #2 simply because my family owned this car, and we absolutely loved it to bits. Absolutely brilliant to drive in every respect, although that insurance is a bit of a bugger. Long live SIC EM.

#1
Lamborghini Murcielago LP670-4 SuperVeloce

Surprised? Neither am I. But this is a brilliant last-hurrah for the Big Murcie. Looks absolutely bad-ass, sounds epic, and has the performance to match. Such a shame it's gone.

 

[Omnis]

Apparently this passed people by...





Any chance you could include one or two slightly bigger pictures? Only some of those are a little small for me to be able to see
FROM SPACE.

Also, if you're going to take the time to make a list, please make sure you don't pull a hotlink fail.

Don't pull a hotlink fail.

 

[neanderthal]

Tata Nano. A model T for the noughties.

Dacia Logan. A better model T for the more noughties.

Honda S2000. 9000rpm. From a streetcar that is NOT a Ferrari.

Bugatti Veyron. Stupidly excessive. And just plain stupid.

Ford GT. A supercar for the working man. By the working man.

Ford Raptor. Dakar ready, in a street driven truck.

Toyota Prius. Developed when petrol wasn't too expensive and successful despite its metier.

Subaru Forrester. Stuck to its common sense roots even as the SUV craze got nonsensical (see Hummer H2)

VW Lupo 3.0l. 78mpg. The way forward.

Mazda 6. Bringing dynamics back to the bread and butter segment.

 

[Philly]

@C-Zeta: I think something's wrong with your pictures... Because the C6 convertible certainly isn't good enough to take 9 of the top 10 spots...

Anyway, here's mine. I tried to lean towards cars that I thought were the most important but it's definitely biased. In alphabetical order:

BMW E46 M3

BMW managed to create a very impressive sports car with this thing. It looks perfectly good in a businessman's driveway and perfectly at home on the track. It has a pretty incredible version of the I6 as well, which I think is a pretty awesome engine. It sits on my small list of dream cars I can hope of owning one day. So I figured it had to be on here...

Honda S2000

A light, FR car with a small, high revving engine. It's just so awesome. There's a reason it was on sale for 10 years. There's a reason it's still a very relevant car. I never personally really liked it, but I very much respect it for what it does. It's a very hard car to dislike (unless you're tall, but then you're just mad that you couldn't drive it).

Lotus Elise

A cheap car that can kill giants. It seems to be the only car that knows the race car formula of making the car fast by losing weight. It's a pretty tru road-going track machine. or maybe just an overgrown go-kart?

Mazda 3

Yes, it's an economy car, but it just does everything well. So maybe my bias is coming through a little bit here, but it's a car that should be on every car shopper's list if they're looking for something near the price range. It's reliable, inexpensive, pretty nice and fun to drive. Is there anything really wrong with it?

MINI Cooper

It very successfully brought cool and quality to the compact car segment. Combined with gas prices, I think it has a very important role in the trend toward smaller cars among Americans. There's a reason they're still selling very well.

Pagani Zonda

To me, this is among the last of the cars that represent what I think "supercar" means. It hasn't conceded to celebrities by going all AWD automatic like the Lamborghinis have. It seems like you'd have to be a pretty big car guy to want to own one, which makes it special. Plus that Mercedes engine sounds amazing. And the looks. It's one of, if not the best looking car of the decade.

Porsche Carrera GT

It's the only other supercar that can overcome it's price tag to make me still want one badly. It looks awesome, sounds awesome, goes like stink and is a Porsche. I've never driven one but it seems like another one of the few supercars of the decade that haven't gone "soft."

Subaru Outback

This could easily just be the Seattle in me speaking. But every other one of my people owns one. It's a very Seattle car. A wagon with actual soft-roading capabilities? Yes please. Awesome in the snow, awesome in the city and awesome at getting you to any trailhead anywhere. It's not as great for the sedan-loving, indoors dwelling people elsewhere, but that's their loss. Definitely the curve ball of the list but I like a car that can perform better than most soft-roaders on and off road while hauling as much junk.

Subaru WRX STI

Weird that Subaru is the only one to get two spots here. But the STI is one of the top performance icons of today's youth. Or it serves as a representative of that group at least. It excels for street racing, track racing and rally racing yet can still be used daily. It's a shame to see these homologation specials fading off...

VW GTI MKV

A pretty obvious one. It brought the hot hatch back to America and Volkswagen. It's incredibly fun to drive and performs well yet is still a very 'nice' car to be in. It's a great car for everybody from VW kids to businessmen. Plus it offers new technologies like direct injection with turbocharging and the DSG gearbox. Pretty awesome for a <$25k car.