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2004-2006 Pontiac GTO: The Second Coming Yes, the Pontiac GTO's second generation was nothing like the original, but that was not a bad thing. This two-door coupé first debuted with a 5.7-liter V8 and generated 350 horsepower, with 365 lb-ft torque, however the styling was not as stylish as the classic. The engine was upgraded to a 6.0-liter V8 with 400 horsepower and 400 lb-ft torque the following year, making this automobile a powerhouse. It was the ideal muscle-sports car combination, but sales were poor due to its plain appearance. Porsche Boxster: No More Bull’s Eye The "fried egg" headlights were not well received when the Boxster was first introduced, and by 2005, the next model of the Boxster had lost them. In its debut year, it was available with two engine options: a 237-horsepower 2.7-liter flat-six and a 276-horsepower 3.2-liter flat-six. Both cars reached high speeds of 160 mph and 167 mph, respectively. You could choose between a manual or automatic transmission, making driving the Porsche Boxster a truly delightful experience. On the historic automobile market nowadays, early manuals are also reasonably priced. Dodge Viper: Third Gen Demonic The Dodge Viper was a car unlike any other in the United States, if not the entire world. The Viper set benchmarks in its first and second incarnations, with a V10 engine under the hood and a really sleek, chew-up-the-road type of a determined design. Then came the third-generation Viper, which debuted in 2003 and was the edgiest Viper yet. It was lighter than its predecessors but also a little larger, with an 8.0-liter V10 that now produced 500 horsepower and 525 lb-ft of torque. The 2005 Viper SRT10 brought even more power and appeal to this magnificent sports vehicle. Honda S2000: The Sunniest Roadster The Honda S2000 was an amazing roadster, so much so that Honda has never been able to match it with another sports car since its retirement. In 2004, the AP2 model's little more than 2.0-liter inline-four engine produced 240 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque. Driving this car almost made your day, and its value on the secondhand car market continues to rise in lockstep with inflation. It was elegantly designed, with stylish décor, and it made every terrible day seem a little brighter. Mazda Miata NB: Tried, Tested, Trusted The Mazda, like the MR2, ditched the pop-up headlights, or is it the other way around? Pop-up headlights were not only dangerous to pedestrians, but they also had no effect on aerodynamics, particularly in the Miata. The automobile, like the engine, was small and light, with the four-pots producing no more than 143 horsepower on this side of the Pacific. In 2001, the outside styling was updated to make the Miata look more sporty, and the interiors were upgraded as well. Ferrari 360: Edges Out, Curves In Ferrari was doing a lot of edges and pop-up headlamps with the 355/ Now until the 1999-introduced 360 brought all the curves back in. It also reduced the price slightly to make it more accessible. It was a wonderful car to drive because it had manual gearboxes, and a Ferrari is a Ferrari, right? The engine now produces 394 horsepower and 268 pound-feet of torque. The Ferrari became a sports vehicle with a near muscular feel with higher torque in the lower revs, and for that, it has our respect and eternal love. Lamborghini Murcielago: The Quintessential 2000s Supercar There was no escaping the Lamborghini Murcielago in the early 2000s, whether it was on wallpapers, music videos, or teenage lads' bedroom walls. It was the archetypal yellow supercar, along with its younger brother Gallardo, that you'd see everywhere. These Luxury Sports Cars Are Still Rocking Manual Transmissions It's difficult to pinpoint exactly what made the Murcielago so appealing, although the 6.2-liter (later increased to 6.5-liter) V12 engine with 571 horsepower certainly helped. Then there was its one-of-a-kind design, which ran from the tip of the nose to the rear wing in a single continuous line. It was nothing short of awe-inspiring. Saleen S7: European-Looking American Muscle The Saleen S7 appears to be exotic, and you could envision it being built in Modena rather than America's heartland. The Saleen S7 is a track-focused sports car that is almost a hypercar. Its engine comes from Detroit's Ford. The Saleen's all-aluminum 5.7-liter V8 produced 550 horsepower, and the TT S7 variant, which debuted with a twin-turbocharged 7.0-liter V8, produced 750 horsepower and claimed a top speed of 248 mph. Who says the United States can't build a nice sports car? Chevrolet Corvette Z06/ZR1: Decimating Foreign Imports The European vehicles were left in the dust, red-faced from the exertion, as they attempted to catch up to the Corvette ZR1's pure savage prowess, which debuted in 2009. They were unable to succeed. With a 6.2-liter supercharged V8, the Corvette ZR1 produced 638 horsepower and 604 lb-ft of torque, demonstrating Chevy's commitment to the ‘Vette. With a 385-horsepower 4.7-liter V8 that made 405 horses the next year, the 2001-introduced Z06 shattered the egos of most current sports cars. The Corvette is the unquestioned king of the millennium. Ford GT: Retro Done Right We said the Corvette Z06/ZR1 was almost king of the 2000s, but the Ford GT took the crown in the end. It encapsulated the essence of the GT40, the car that annihilated Le Mans and produced a Matt Damon-Christian Bale blockbuster. And it had supercharged V8 performance, which was revolutionary at the time. The Ford GT's 5.4-liter supercharged V8 produced 550 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque, which was just enough power to make your hair stand on end, but not too much. It was a racetrack fear that caused the competition to spill oil and withdraw. It's still a show-stopper.

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10 Coolest Sports Cars Of The 2000s, Ranked