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
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Make and model
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Year
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Price
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Engine
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0-60mph
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Top speed
|
|
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2000
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£350,000
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4700cc V8, 665bhp, 553lb ft
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3.2sec
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240mph
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 |
For
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Another holder of the production car speed record at
241mph in 2005
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Against
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The early, blue-collar Ford V8 engine, now heavily worked over
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Verdict
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Veyron go – for half the dough
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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
Related Articles: News
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Make and model
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Year
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Price
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Engine
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0-60mph
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Top speed
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|
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2001
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£170,228
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6200cc V12, 580bhp, 479lb ft
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3.7sec
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205mph
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 |
For
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With scissor doors and a mad cabin, it’s a proper old-school
supercar
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Against
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We call it character, but it’s crude compared to newer rivals
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Verdict
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New owner Audi produced the best Lambo in years
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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
Related Articles: News | Car reviews
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Make and model
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Year
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Price
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Engine
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0-60mph
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Top speed
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|
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2002 – 2004
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£217,375
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5998cc 48V V12, 660bhp
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3.7 sec
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217mph
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 |
For
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Super-smart aero package means no wing is needed even at 217mph
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Against
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Limited colour choice
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Verdict
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Money talks: it now sells for close to double the original £420,000
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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
Related Articles: News | Car reviews
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Make and model
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Year
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Price
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Engine
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0-60mph
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Top speed
|
|
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2003
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£235,000
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4941cc V8, 500bhp, 406lb ft
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3.7sec
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200 mph
|
 |
For
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Uber exclusive – only 50 will ever be made
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Against
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No real heritage
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Verdict
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Save for the track-biased A10 version
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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.
Related Articles: Other Ascari stories
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Make and model
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Year
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Price
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Engine
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0-60mph
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Top speed
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|
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2003
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£350,000
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7291cc V12, 543bhp, 370lb ft
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3.7sec
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220mph
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 |
For
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Massive 7.3-litre AMG V12 is tractable and docile
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Against
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Don’t bin it: a rear carbon clamshell costs £40,000
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Verdict
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A new name is added to the big three in Supercar Valley
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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.
Related Articles: News
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Make and model
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Year
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Price
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Engine
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0-60mph
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Top speed
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2004
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£138,625
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4308cc V8, 483bhp, 343lb ft
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4.0sec
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196mph
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 |
For
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Even Ferrari’s entry model is epically fast. Stunning is Scuderia form
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Against
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Preparing to move into the retirement home
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Verdict
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Junior Ferrari equals major pace. Quite an event
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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
Related Articles: News | Car reviews | Other Ferrari stories
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Make and model
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Year
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Price
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Engine
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0-60mph
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Top speed
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2005
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£840,000
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7993cc W16, 987bhp, 921lb ft
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2.5sec
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205mph
|
 |
For
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Given VW’s eye-watering costs, even a million quid is a bargain
|
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Against
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It’s an engineering struggle to contain all that power, weight
and heat
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Verdict
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There might never be another supercar like it
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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
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Make and model
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Year
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Price
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Engine
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0-60mph
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Top speed
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2007
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£78,105
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4163cc V8, 414bhp, 317lb ft
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4.6 sec
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187mph
|
 |
For
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Appears to do everything well
|
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Against
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It isn’t expensive enough for real supercar status…
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Verdict
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A supercar for our times
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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
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Year
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Price
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Engine
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0-60mph
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Top speed
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2007
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£131,070
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3600cc flat-six, 523bhp, 501lb ft
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3.7 sec
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204mph
|
 |
For
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The fastest, most brutal 911 ever
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Against
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Still sits uncomfortably between the GT3 and Turbo
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Verdict
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No longer the ‘widow-maker’, but all the better for it
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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
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Year
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Price
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Engine
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0-60mph
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Top speed
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2008
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£147,330
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5204cc V10, 552bhp, 398lb ft
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3.7 sec
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202mph
|
 |
For
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Visual drama, barmy performance. Our favourite junior supercar
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Against
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We’re nitpicking, but those Audi parts still grate
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Verdict
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Cleaner, meaner, leaner… what’s not to like
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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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