TLDR
- Best overall: Ford GT (2005-2006). Also the most expensive, by a wide margin.
- Best performance per dollar: Corvette C5 Z06 (2001-2004) or C6 Z06 (2006-2009).
- Best weekend toy under $20,000: Pontiac Solstice GXP or Saturn Sky Red Line.
- Best sleeper: Dodge Neon SRT-4.
- Buy the cleanest, best-documented example you can find. Prices below are rough used-market ranges, so check current listings before you commit.
The 2000s were a strange, great stretch for American performance cars. Detroit was spending money it didn’t really have, the retro craze produced the Mustang and Challenger of the next decade, and Pontiac and Saturn went out swinging with cars nobody expected from them. Most of what’s on this list is cheaper to buy now than it was new.
Contents
- What counts as a sports car here
- The icons
- The attainable fun
- The sleepers
- Comparison table
- Buying one today
- Why the decade mattered
What counts as a sports car here
Two-seat coupes and roadsters, plus a couple of compact performance cars that earn their place through sheer capability. No pickups, no big sedans. That rules out the Cadillac CTS-V, the Pontiac GTO and the Ford F-150 Lightning, all great, all on other lists. Two exceptions slip in at the bottom: the Neon SRT-4 and Cobalt SS Turbo. They aren’t two-seaters, but they embarrassed plenty of cars that were.
Rankings weigh speed, driving feel, and how much the car mattered. Used prices are rough ranges, not quotes.
The icons
1. Ford GT (2005-2006)
Quick specs: 5.4L supercharged V8, 550 hp, 0-60 mph in about 3.5 seconds, top speed around 205 mph. Built 2005-2006, 4,038 units. Used today: Roughly $400,000 and up for a clean one.
Ford built the GT to mark its centennial and to mimic the 1960s Le Mans-winning GT40, at 40 inches tall, hence the name. It’s the only car here that feels like a proper supercar from the driver’s seat: low, wide, loud, with a supercharger whine and a mid-mounted engine behind your shoulders.
The weakness: The cabin is tight for taller drivers, and the price has left the realm of sensible. Most owners keep them in climate-controlled garages, which is a shame.
2. Corvette ZR1 (2009)
Quick specs: 6.2L supercharged V8 (LS9), 638 hp, 0-60 in about 3.3 seconds, top speed 205 mph. 2009 model year in this decade. Used today: Roughly $70,000 to $100,000.
The “Blue Devil” was GM’s answer to the question of whether a front-engine car could take on the Europeans. Carbon-fiber roof, magnetic ride control, and a hood with a polycarbonate window over the supercharger. It cost over $100,000 new, which was a lot for a Chevy. Now it’s far cheaper than any foreign rival with similar numbers.
The weakness: The interior is still Corvette-grade plastic, and parts and tires aren’t cheap.
3. Corvette C6 Z06 (2006-2009)
Quick specs: 7.0L V8 (LS7), 505 hp, 0-60 in about 3.7 seconds, top speed 198 mph. Built 2006-2009. Used today: Roughly $40,000 to $55,000.
A 427-cubic-inch naturally aspirated V8 in an aluminum-framed, magnesium-braced, 3,100-pound car. That LS7 is why people still call it the best bargain in American performance. It’s the best-handling Corvette of the decade, and it still gets mistaken for a modern car on track days.
The weakness: Early LS7 engines had valve guide problems. Look for service records or a replaced head before you buy.
4. Dodge Viper SRT-10 and ACR (2003-2010)
Quick specs: 8.3L V10 at 500 hp (2003-2007), 8.4L at 600 hp from 2008. ACR 0-60 in about 3.5 seconds. SRT-10 prices start around $40,000. Used today: SRT-10, roughly $45,000 to $65,000; ACR, $100,000 and up.
The Viper has never apologized for anything. Its roots are in the 1993 RT/10, which arrived with no roof and no traction control. The 2008 ACR set a Nürburgring lap record for production cars at 7:22.1, a number that embarrassed cars costing three times as much. The SRT-10 is the one to buy if you want drama: no stability control until 2008, manual only, side pipes that get hot enough to burn your leg.
The weakness: It will bite a careless driver. Cabin heat and a rough low-speed ride keep it from being a casual daily.
5. Corvette C5 Z06 (2001-2004)
Quick specs: 5.7L V8 (LS6), 385 hp in 2001, 405 hp from 2002, 0-60 in about 4.0 seconds. Built 2001-2004. Used today: Roughly $22,000 to $35,000.
The C5 Z06 is where the argument starts: C5 vs C6. The C5 is lighter than you’d think, easier to live with, and the cheapest way into a Corvette that can still out-corner most of what you’ll meet. The fixed-roof body is stiffer than the convertible, and the Z06 only came as a hardtop for good reason.
The weakness: Interior quality is dated even by 2001 standards. The C6 Z06 is quicker, but the C5 costs half as much.
6. Saleen S7 (2000-2009)
Quick specs: 7.0L V8, 550 hp (naturally aspirated); twin-turbo version at about 750 hp from 2005. Hand-built, fewer than 100 produced in the first run. Used today: Roughly $400,000 and up; twin-turbo cars cost more.
Steve Saleen’s mid-engine supercar was the first fully American-built exotic in decades. Mosler’s MT900 and the Panoz Esperante were built in this same boutique spirit, but the S7 got the headlines. It was fast, loud, and rare.
The weakness: Low-volume parts, specialist servicing, and a price that puts it beyond almost everyone reading this.
The attainable fun
7. Shelby GT500 (2007-2009)
Quick specs: 5.4L supercharged V8, 500 hp, 0-60 in about 4.5 seconds. Built 2007-2009. Used today: Roughly $25,000 to $40,000.
Ford took the Mustang and gave it a supercharger. Simple recipe, and it worked. It’s heavy and it understeers, but straight-line it’s one of the cheapest ways to 500 horsepower, and it sounds exactly right.
The weakness: A solid rear axle and a nose-heavy chassis. It’s a muscle car first. Tires disappear fast.
8. Corvette C6 base and Z51 (2005-2009)
Quick specs: 6.0L V8 (LS2), 400 hp in 2005-2007; 6.2L LS3 and 430 hp from 2008. 0-60 in about 4.2 seconds. Used today: Roughly $18,000 to $30,000.
Nobody talks about the regular C6, which is odd. It’s the car with 90 percent of a Z06’s feel for the price of a used Camry. It debuted in 2005 with a smaller body than the C5 and a roomier cabin. The Z51 performance pack adds larger brakes and tighter suspension tuning.
The weakness: Not exciting enough to make the rest of the list’s owners jealous. That’s the price of being a bargain.
9. Ford Mustang Bullitt (2001, 2008-2009)
Quick specs: 4.6L V8, 265 hp (2001) or 315 hp (2008-2009), 0-60 in about 5 seconds, 6-speed manual only on the 2008 car. Used today: Roughly $15,000 to $28,000.
Dark Highland Green, no spoiler, no badges to speak of, a tribute to the 1968 car from the movie. The 2008 version is the one to chase, with the stiffer suspension and a V8 that sounds better than the number suggests.
The weakness: Every car sold used is a high-mileage one, and the plain Mustang GT of those years gives you 90 percent of the experience for less.
10. Saturn Sky Red Line (2007-2009)
Quick specs: 2.0L turbo four, 260 hp, 0-60 in about 5.5 seconds. Rear-wheel drive. Used today: Roughly $12,000 to $20,000.
A roadster with a long hood, the cleanest design GM produced in the decade, and a turbocharged engine that made it a real sports car. It comes from the same architecture as the Solstice and shares its engine. The Red Line has the better styling in my opinion, with a tidier interior and the nicer cabin.
The weakness: Almost no trunk space with the roof down. Parts availability for a defunct brand is a concern.
11. Pontiac Solstice GXP (2007-2009)
Quick specs: 2.0L turbo four, 260 hp, 0-60 in about 5.5 seconds. Rear-wheel drive, five-speed manual. Used today: Roughly $12,000 to $20,000.
Same engine, same chassis, different face. The GXP is the Solstice with the sports-car seasoning: the turbo, a limited-slip differential, and better brakes. The Solstice vs Sky debate comes down to taste. The Pontiac looks more muscular; the Saturn looks more European.
The weakness: Interior plastics, a tiny trunk, and a roof mechanism that needs patience.
The sleepers
12. Dodge Neon SRT-4 (2003-2005)
Quick specs: 2.4L turbo four, 215-230 hp (240 on the 2005 Commemorative Edition), 0-60 in about 5.5 seconds. Front-wheel drive. Used today: Roughly $8,000 to $15,000, more for a clean, unmodified car.
Nobody expected this from a Neon. The SRT-4 took a rental-lot economy car, added a turbo, and wrecked European hot hatches on the street. It’s a four-door, so it doesn’t strictly meet the definition. We let it in anyway.
The weakness: Torque steer will pull the wheel out of your hands, and the cabin is pure Neon. Most have been modified, so finding a stock one is the challenge.
13. Chevrolet Cobalt SS Turbo (2008-2010)
Quick specs: 2.0L turbo four, 260 hp, 0-60 in about 5.5 seconds. Front-wheel drive, five-speed manual. Used today: Roughly $8,000 to $14,000.
GM’s sleeper took the Solstice GXP engine and put it in a coupe. It set a front-wheel-drive Nürburgring record at the time of its release in 2008, which is the kind of fact that gets repeated for years at car meets.
The weakness: A conventional Cobalt interior. And that engine, in many cars, has been tuned and driven hard.
Comparison table
| Car | Years | Power | 0-60 mph | Used price (rough) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford GT | 2005-2006 | 550 hp | ~3.5 s | $400,000+ |
| Corvette ZR1 | 2009 | 638 hp | ~3.3 s | $70,000-$100,000 |
| Corvette C6 Z06 | 2006-2009 | 505 hp | ~3.7 s | $40,000-$55,000 |
| Dodge Viper SRT-10 / ACR | 2003-2010 | 500-600 hp | ~3.5-4.0 s | $45,000-$130,000 |
| Corvette C5 Z06 | 2001-2004 | 385-405 hp | ~4.0 s | $22,000-$35,000 |
| Saleen S7 | 2000-2009 | 550-750 hp | ~3.3 s | $400,000+ |
| Shelby GT500 | 2007-2009 | 500 hp | ~4.5 s | $25,000-$40,000 |
| Corvette C6 base/Z51 | 2005-2009 | 400-430 hp | ~4.2 s | $18,000-$30,000 |
| Mustang Bullitt | 2001, 2008-2009 | 265-315 hp | ~5 s | $15,000-$28,000 |
| Saturn Sky Red Line | 2007-2009 | 260 hp | ~5.5 s | $12,000-$20,000 |
| Pontiac Solstice GXP | 2007-2009 | 260 hp | ~5.5 s | $12,000-$20,000 |
| Dodge Neon SRT-4 | 2003-2005 | 215-240 hp | ~5.5 s | $8,000-$15,000 |
| Chevrolet Cobalt SS Turbo | 2008-2010 | 260 hp | ~5.5 s | $8,000-$14,000 |
Buying one today
Run the VIN. Every car on this list has been recalled for something. The NHTSA recall database takes a VIN and tells you whether the work was done. Do it before the test drive, not after.
Pay for a pre-purchase inspection. For the Z06s, that means a compression test and a look at the valve guides. For the Viper, it means a clutch and a check of the exhaust heat shielding. For the Solstice and Sky, it means the convertible top, the seals and the turbo.
Look for documentation. A binder of receipts beats a low odometer. Many of these cars were tracked or modified, and an unmodified original is worth a premium.
Mind the orphaned brands. Pontiac and Saturn no longer exist, but the shared GM parts bin makes most mechanical work simple. Body panels and trim are the hard part.
Budget for tires. A set for a Z06 or GT500 costs more than most people expect, and the ZR1 and Viper ACR cost more still.
For a first purchase, the C5 Z06, the C6 base car and the Solstice/Sky pair give the best return per dollar. If you want something to put on a lift and show off, find a GT500 or a Viper. For safety context on older cars generally, the IIHS ratings database is worth a quick look.
Why the decade mattered
Three things happened in this window. Retro design came back, with the 2005 Mustang and the Challenger concept that became the 2008 Dodge Challenger. Supercharging went mainstream at the Detroit factory, with the GT500, the Ford GT and the ZR1 all showing what was possible without a European badge. And GM’s strategy of trying everything produced the Solstice, the Sky and the Cobalt SS right before the 2008 financial crisis killed Pontiac and Saturn.
It was also the last time American makers built so many weird, low-volume performance cars before the market moved to crossovers. That’s why this list reads like an inventory of one-offs. Many of them won’t be built again.
Summary
The best American sports cars of the 2000s split into three groups: the six-figure icons, the five-figure bargains, and the sleepers that cost less than a used Camry. If you have the money, the Ford GT is the answer. If you have $30,000, the Corvette Z06 is. If you have $12,000, buy the Solstice GXP or Sky Red Line and drive it with the top down.
Marco Delantero
More from Marco DelanteroHow we reviewed this article
This article was researched against manufacturer records and editorially reviewed before publishing. We accept no payment for coverage. Some guides contain affiliate links; see our affiliate disclosure.
