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These Are The 10 Reliable American Performance Vehicle From Year 2000s
Before the 2000s American cars couldn’t keep up the competition with the European manufacturers. But in the 2000s decade American car makers started to build better and faster performance cars that are also reliable for daily use. This marked the growth of sport compacts, pickups, and supercars. American manufacturers produced some born-to-compete vehicles in 2000s that took the automobile industry by storm. Here are the top 10 most reliable ones from the 2000s.
10. Chevrolet Cobalt SS Turbo
The Chevy Cobalt SS Turbo was one of the American cars that is available for a limited time in the market from 2008 to 2010, making it one of the rarest GM cars. Only 3,168 units of coupe version were produced , whereas the sedan was limited to 474 units. It featured a 2.0L turbocharged inline-four engine that produces 260 hp and same lb-feet of torque.
9. Pontiac GTO
Another underrated American car from GM is Pontiac GTO. It was also available only for limited years, from 2004 to 2006. GTO couldn’t do much in terms of sales due too its high price tag, but nowadays, you can find it around $23,000. The first model of GTO was equipped with a 350 hp 5.7 L V8. Later in 2005, the GTO got a more powerful 400 hp and 400 lb-ft torque producing 6.0L V8 engine. The power was delivered through a six-speed MT or four-speed AT.
8. Ford SVT F-150 Lightning
The first pickup truck making its way to this list is Ford SVT F-150 Lightning. It is a high performance muscle genre pickup truck. The SVT- lightning made its debut in 1993, proving that trucks can fulfill the best of both worlds. The second generation SVT-lightning was introduced four years after with a step-side bed. A 5.3L V8 powers this truck that is capable of producing 360 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque.
7. Cadillac CTS-V
The Cadillac CTS-V debuted in 2004, with a vision to establish its parent Cadillac in the auto market. Under its hood, it had a 5.7L V8 peaking 400 hp. Only available with six-speed MT, these models priced about $22,500 in the used market. The Cadillac was very serious about performance. As a result of which they introduced more powerful 6.0L V8 in the 2006 model. Whereas, the 2009 launched second generation CTS-V, equipped with a supercharged 6.2L V8 that produced 556 hp and 551 lb-ft of torque.
6. Chevrolet Corvette Z06
When Corvette Z06 was introduced in 2001, it was the one of the American cars that everyone asked for. At first, the Z06 was available with a 5.7L V8 producing 385 hp, and with 405 hp in 2002. The C6 generation was manufactured from 2006 to 2009, and it returned with a massive dry sump of 7.0L V8 giving 505 hp. Likewise C5 Z06, it received substantial upgrades, that improved handling and performance.
5. Dodge Viper ACR
Even with the Hellcat making the headlines, there is a lot to admire about the Viper. The ACR was a thorough bred car taken to the next level. It contains a 8.4L V10 under its hood, that produces 640 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque. The Viper ACR received decent upgrades, like aerodynamics and ultra-sticky tires. Its one of the fastest on-road cars.
4. Ford Mustang GT
The fifth generation Mustang was one of the best and most recognizable muscle cars with its retro and modern styling. It was inspired from the Lincoln LS and Jaguar S Type. Its having a 4.6L V8 featuring 24 valves rather that 16 in the previous setup. The change increased the power by 40 hp and torque by 18 lb-ft. Unlike previous Mustangs, this one was more gentle and predictable, making it a more fun-to-drive car.
3. Dodge Challenger SRT8
Another big-power, old school muscle car that ran parallel to the Mustang GT was Dodge Challenger SRT8. Under its hood, it had a 425 hp 6.1L V8 with 420 lb-ft of torque. Unlike the other muscle cars, Challenger was more of an off-road vehicle. It could easily compete with the likes of Mustang and Camaro, but didn’t have the same all-round performance.
2. Ford Shelby Mustang GT500KR
The Shelby GT500KR was named as the King of the Road, due to its performance and presence in every aspect. GT500KR had a 5.4L supercharged V8 that is capable of 540 hp along with a 510 lb-ft of torque. That is 40 hp and 30 lb-ft more than the base Shelby Mustang. Unlike the most Mustangs, GT500KR was fitted with staggered tires.
1. Ford GT
The first-gen Ford GT was inspired by the Ford GT40 in terms of style. The GT was also limited to the two-year production, while 4,038 first-gen units were built altogether. A mid-engine sports car, it is equipped with a 5.4L supercharged V8 crunching out 550 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque. The GT was only available with the six-speed MT that sends power to the rear wheels. Everyone is still a big fan of its exhaust sound.