2000s supercars
Tue, 15 Jul 2008
By Tim Pollard and Ben Oliver
15 July 2008 12:41
Supercars in the Noughties
They say power can corrupt, but the horsepower race raged well into the current decade. Ferrari built the Enzo, Porsche the Carrera GT and then came the car that trumped them all: the Bugatti Veyron. The definitive hypercar once again moved the goalposts – although this time, we suspect they’ll remain moved forever. It’s difficult to imagine a car that will outdo what VW’s incredible legacy model achieved. However, in future we suspect that manufacturers will be forced to trim weight and seek more intelligent solutions, rather than merely adding more bhp. The supercar will have to adapt to survive in this new eco age...
Browse our GBU-style pick of the decade's landmarks below – and vote for your favourite supercar decade in our poll
Make and model
Year
Price
Engine
0-60mph
Top speed
2000
£350,000
4700cc V8, 665bhp, 553lb ft
3.2sec
240mph
For
Another holder of the production car speed record at
241mph in 2005
Against
The early, blue-collar Ford V8 engine, now heavily worked over
Verdict
Veyron go – for half the dough
Remarkably well sorted and long-lived for a supercar from an independent maker. The green ethanol version makes over 1000bhp but as a 50-grand option takes the price north of £500,000. Ouch
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Make and model
Year
Price
Engine
0-60mph
Top speed
2001
£170,228
6200cc V12, 580bhp, 479lb ft
3.7sec
205mph
For
With scissor doors and a mad cabin, it's a proper old-school
supercar
Against
We call it character, but it's crude compared to newer rivals
Verdict
New owner Audi produced the best Lambo in years
Same basic layout as the underwhelming Diablo – but so much sexier and better to drive. Amazingly, the latest 640bhp V12 engine is derived from Lambo's first in 1963
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Make and model
Year
Price
Engine
0-60mph
Top speed
2002 - 2004
£217,375
5998cc 48V V12, 660bhp
3.7 sec
217mph
For
Super-smart aero package means no wing is needed even at 217mph
Against
Limited colour choice
Verdict
Money talks: it now sells for close to double the original £420,000
Only 400 Enzos were made and you had to be invited to buy one, but we'll forgive Ferrari its arrogance; the Enzo is a tech masterpiece and drives way better than it looks
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Make and model
Year
Price
Engine
0-60mph
Top speed
2003
£235,000
4941cc V8, 500bhp, 406lb ft
3.7sec
200 mph
For
Uber exclusive – only 50 will ever be made
Against
Verdict
Owned by a Dutchman, named after a long-deceased Italian racer, built in a shed in Banbury. At least it's got an M5 engine – but you'd get a Ferrari 430 Scuderia and an M5 for this money.
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Make and model
Year
Price
Engine
0-60mph
Top speed
2003
£350,000
7291cc V12, 543bhp, 370lb ft
3.7sec
220mph
For
Massive 7.3-litre AMG V12 is tractable and docile
Against
Don't bin it: a rear carbon clamshell costs £40,000
Verdict
A new name is added to the big three in Supercar Valley
Argentine former Lamborghini man Horacio Pagani gave his Zonda the shock-and-awe the Countach had but the Diablo couldn't muster. Huge price and power, baroque styling and hand-built in tiny numbers: it's a proper supercar.
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Make and model
Year
Price
Engine
0-60mph
Top speed
2004
£138,625
4308cc V8, 483bhp, 343lb ft
4.0sec
196mph
For
Even Ferrari's entry model is epically fast. Stunning is Scuderia form
Against
Preparing to move into the retirement home
Verdict
Junior Ferrari equals major pace. Quite an event
It might be four years old, but the F430 is still a sublime bit of kit. It's telling that the cheapest Ferrari now costs £140k and is knocking on the door of 200mph
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Make and model
Year
Price
Engine
0-60mph
Top speed
2005
£840,000
7993cc W16, 987bhp, 921lb ft
2.5sec
205mph
For
Given VW's eye-watering costs, even a million quid is a bargain
Against
It's an engineering struggle to contain all that power, weight
and heat
Verdict
There might never be another supercar like it
At launch, the brilliant Bug stole all the supercar superlatives: fastest, most powerful, most expensive, most complicated... We thought Ferdinand Piech's pet project was a folly, but it turned out pretty good
Make and model
Year
Price
Engine
0-60mph
Top speed
2007
£78,105
4163cc V8, 414bhp, 317lb ft
4.6 sec
187mph
For
Appears to do everything well
Against
It isn't expensive enough for real supercar status...
Verdict
A supercar for our times
Another is-it-isn't-it supercar, but the R8 has the looks, the configuration and – when the 550bhp-plus V10 finally arrives – it will certainly have the beans. Amazing that Audi can get a supercar so right at its first attempt
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Make and model
Year
Price
Engine
0-60mph
Top speed
2007
£131,070
3600cc flat-six, 523bhp, 501lb ft
3.7 sec
204mph
For
The fastest, most brutal 911 ever
Against
Still sits uncomfortably between the GT3 and Turbo
Verdict
No longer the 'widow-maker', but all the better for it
Less grip, less refinement and more power than the Turbo. Even more extreme than bonkers original, but GT's solid ride and nuclear power delivery mean a GT3 RS is more exploitable on the road
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Make and model
Year
Price
Engine
0-60mph
Top speed
2008
£147,330
5204cc V10, 552bhp, 398lb ft
3.7 sec
202mph
For
Visual drama, barmy performance. Our favourite junior supercar
Against
We're nitpicking, but those Audi parts still grate
Verdict
Cleaner, meaner, leaner... what's not to like
German/Italian interbreeding shouldn't work but it does, so you get the old school supercar experience without the bad bits. But Ferrari is more intuitive to drive hard
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By Tim Pollard and Ben Oliver