TLDR
The 2000s were the last stretch of mostly naturally aspirated, manual-friendly sports cars before turbochargers, hybrid systems and screens took over. Best buys today: the Honda S2000 for pure driving, the BMW E46 M3 for all-round usability, the Corvette Z06 for speed per dollar. Cheapest way in: a Mazda RX-8 or Nissan 350Z. Every car below has a known failure point, so budget for it.
Table of Contents
- Why the 2000s were different
- Affordable 2000s sports cars
- Analog icons
- Supercars and hypercars
- Quick-reference table
- How to buy a 2000s sports car
Why the 2000s were different
Take a 2005 sports car and a 2025 one and put them side by side. The 2005 car is lighter, has more steering feel, and probably revs higher. It also has fewer airbags’ worth of nannies, no drive-mode dial, and no turbo lag to hide because there’s no turbo.
Hydraulic steering was still normal. Big naturally aspirated engines were still normal. Manual gearboxes still showed up in cars costing six figures. The 2000s also gave us the first real hypercar arms race: Ferrari, Porsche, Ford and Mercedes all built limited-run halo cars, and Bugatti broke 1,000 horsepower in a road car.
The cheap ones have now bottomed out in value, and the good ones are climbing. That’s why this list is grouped by what you’re trying to do, not ranked in a flat countdown. Prices are rough used-market ranges for the US; condition and mileage move them a lot.
Affordable 2000s sports cars
1. Honda S2000
The F20C engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 240 hp and revs to 9,000 rpm. Honda got 120 hp per liter without a turbo, which almost nobody has matched since. 0-60 takes around 5.4 seconds and the six-speed is one of the best shifters ever fitted to a road car.
Typical price: $20,000 to $35,000, more for low-mile examples. Weakness: early cars (2000-2003) snap into oversteer if you lift mid-corner, and they punish sloppy driving. Honda softened the rear suspension for 2004.
2. Mazda RX-8
The 1.3-liter Renesis rotary makes 231 hp (212 hp with the automatic) and spins to 9,000 rpm. The RX-8 has rear-hinged back doors, a usable rear seat, and handling that regularly beats cars costing twice as much. 0-60 is about 5.9 seconds.
Typical price: $8,000 to $15,000. Weakness: the rotary eats apex seals, and the engine floods if you shut it off before it’s warm. Check compression and expect to rebuild or replace the engine in the long run. Buy on engine health, not on looks.
3. Nissan 350Z
The 350Z is the plain-spoken option: a 3.5-liter V6 with 287 hp (306 hp in the later 2007 and 2008 cars), rear-wheel drive and a six-speed manual. 0-60 comes in around 5.3 seconds. It isn’t delicate, but it’s quick, cheap and easy to modify.
Typical price: $10,000 to $18,000. Weakness: the later VQ35HR engine has a reputation for oil consumption, and early cars have worn synchros and clunky interiors.
4. Subaru Impreza WRX STI
The US got the STI in 2004 with a 2.5-liter turbo flat-four making 300 hp, a six-speed manual, a limited-slip center differential and all-wheel drive. 0-60 is about 4.9 seconds. It was a rally car with license plates, and it drives like one: loud, hard-riding and fast on bad roads.
Typical price: $18,000 to $30,000, depending on how many mods are bolted on. Weakness: the EJ257 engine can damage its piston ringlands under detonation, and many cars have been tuned hard. Find a stock one.
5. Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (C5)
The 2001 Z06 put a 5.7-liter LS6 V8 with 385 hp in the lightest C5 body. In 2002 power rose to 405 hp. 0-60 is around 4.0 seconds. It’s the best performance bargain on this list, because a Z06 will keep up with cars worth five times as much on a track.
Typical price: $25,000 to $35,000. Weakness: the interior is hard plastic and dated. Many Z06s were also driven hard, so check for track abuse and old accident repairs.
Analog icons
6. BMW E46 M3
The E46 M3 has a 3.2-liter inline-six (S54) with 333 hp that revs to 8,000 rpm, a six-speed manual and one of the best-balanced chassis BMW ever built. 0-60 is about 4.8 seconds. It still works as a daily car.
Typical price: $25,000 to $45,000, and rising. Weakness: rod bearings. The S54 is known for bearing wear, so budget for replacement. The rear subframe mounts can also crack, and the VANOS system needs attention.
7. Porsche 911 Carrera (996)
The 996 got the 911’s first water-cooled flat-six: a 3.4-liter with 296 hp, later 3.6 liters and 316 hp. 0-60 is around 4.7 seconds with the manual. The headlights were controversial, but the car drives like a 911 should.
Typical price: $15,000 to $30,000, which makes it the cheapest way into a real 911. Weakness: the IMS bearing. A failure can destroy the engine, so a documented IMS retrofit matters more than low mileage. The rear main seal also leaks.
8. Lotus Elise (Series 2)
The Elise weighs under 2,000 lb, so even 190 hp from the Toyota 1.8-liter in the US-market cars (2005 on) makes it feel quick. 0-60 is around 4.9 seconds. The steering has no power assist and tells you everything.
Typical price: $35,000 to $50,000. Weakness: getting in and out is awkward, the soft top leaks, and body panels are expensive if you crash. The Toyota engine itself is reliable.
9. Ferrari 360 Modena
The 360 has a 3.6-liter V8 with 400 hp and a 8,500 rpm redline. 0-60 is about 4.5 seconds. It was lighter than the 348 and 355 that came before, with an aluminum body, and the engine note still sounds good. Look for the gated six-speed manual, which is rare and valuable.
Typical price: $80,000 to $120,000, with manuals higher. Weakness: the F1 automated gearbox. Clutch wear and hydraulic pump failures are common, and the cam-belt service needs the engine out of the car.
Supercars and hypercars
10. Ford GT
A 5.4-liter supercharged V8 with 550 hp in a car styled after the GT40. 0-60 is about 3.3 seconds. It’s an American supercar with a real manual gearbox and a design that has aged well.
Typical price: $400,000 to $500,000. Weakness: the price. Values have gone up fast, and cars with delivery mileage cost more still.
11. Porsche Carrera GT
A 5.7-liter V10 with 605 hp, a carbon-fiber chassis and a manual gearbox with a tiny ceramic clutch. 0-60 is around 3.5 seconds. The engine was developed for a Le Mans prototype, and it sounds like one.
Typical price: $1.2 million to $1.6 million. Weakness: it’s unforgiving at the limit. Early drivers crashed them regularly, so check for accident history and tire age.
12. Ferrari Enzo
A 6.0-liter V12 with 651 hp and a single-clutch F1 gearbox. 0-60 is about 3.4 seconds. Only 400 were built, plus one for the Pope. It was the fastest road-going Ferrari of its time.
Typical price: $3 million to $4 million or more. Weakness: the gearbox is slow by modern standards, and servicing costs are very high.
13. Bugatti Veyron 16.4
An 8.0-liter quad-turbo W16 making 1,001 hp, all-wheel drive, and a top speed of 253 mph. 0-60 is about 2.5 seconds. It was a technical statement more than a sports car, and nothing else from the decade was this ambitious.
Typical price: $1.5 million to $2 million. Weakness: upkeep. Tires alone cost tens of thousands, and routine service runs to five figures.
14. Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
A hand-built 5.4-liter supercharged V8 with 617 hp, carbon-fiber body and a long-nose, gullwing-door design. 0-60 is about 3.6 seconds. It’s more grand tourer than track car, and it was built with McLaren in Woking.
Typical price: $400,000 to $500,000 and up for special editions. Weakness: the brake system uses expensive carbon-ceramic discs, and the car is heavy compared to its rivals.
Quick-reference table
| Car | Engine | Power | 0-60 | Used price | Main weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda S2000 | 2.0L I4 | 240 hp | 5.4 s | $20k-35k | Snap oversteer (early cars) |
| Mazda RX-8 | 1.3L rotary | 231 hp | 5.9 s | $8k-15k | Apex seals |
| Nissan 350Z | 3.5L V6 | 287-306 hp | 5.3 s | $10k-18k | Oil consumption |
| Subaru WRX STI | 2.5L turbo flat-4 | 300 hp | 4.9 s | $18k-30k | Ringlands, tuned cars |
| Corvette Z06 | 5.7L V8 | 385-405 hp | 4.0 s | $25k-35k | Hard use, cheap interior |
| BMW E46 M3 | 3.2L I6 | 333 hp | 4.8 s | $25k-45k | Rod bearings |
| Porsche 996 Carrera | 3.4-3.6L flat-6 | 296-316 hp | 4.7 s | $15k-30k | IMS bearing |
| Lotus Elise S2 | 1.8L I4 | 190 hp | 4.9 s | $35k-50k | Access, body panel cost |
| Ferrari 360 Modena | 3.6L V8 | 400 hp | 4.5 s | $80k-120k | F1 gearbox, belt service |
| Ford GT | 5.4L supercharged V8 | 550 hp | 3.3 s | $400k-500k | Entry price |
| Porsche Carrera GT | 5.7L V10 | 605 hp | 3.5 s | $1.2M-1.6M | Unforgiving handling |
| Ferrari Enzo | 6.0L V12 | 651 hp | 3.4 s | $3M-4M+ | Gearbox, service cost |
| Bugatti Veyron | 8.0L quad-turbo W16 | 1,001 hp | 2.5 s | $1.5M-2M | Running costs |
| Mercedes SLR McLaren | 5.4L supercharged V8 | 617 hp | 3.6 s | $400k-500k | Brakes, weight |
How to buy a 2000s sports car
Start with the failure point. Every car above has one, and each is cheaper to find before you buy than after. Ask for proof that the 996’s IMS bearing was replaced, a recent rod bearing inspection on the M3, and compression numbers on the RX-8.
Run the VIN through the NHTSA recall lookup to see whether recall work was completed. Cars of this age often have open recalls that previous owners ignored. If a car has an odd problem, you can also check what other owners reported on the NHTSA safety problem database.
Pay for a pre-purchase inspection from a specialist who knows that exact model, not a general mechanic. For an S2000 or M3 that costs a couple hundred dollars. For a 360 or Enzo it’s money well spent.
Then budget for ownership. A realistic yearly figure for a car under $40,000 is $1,500 to $3,000 in maintenance and tires, before any big repair. A Ferrari 360 service can reach $5,000 to $10,000. Hypercars sit in another category entirely.
If you want one pick: a clean S2000 or E46 M3 with full service history. They’re the 2000s sports cars most likely to hold their value while being fun to drive every week. If you want the cheapest honest thrill, a well-checked 350Z or Z06 does the job.
Marco Delantero
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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.
