Fastest Cars of the 00s You Probably Never Heard of

Whether most people realize it or not, the 2000s were a time when many, many feats of engineering had been achieved. It was an era of gorgeous cars like the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder (a discontinued line), bulky cars like the Hummer (remember those?), ultra-luxury Maybachs (they, too, are no longer around), and of course, fast cars.

Truth be told, a lot of the coolest cars from this era got brushed under the rug. They weren't really featured in many Fast and Furious race movies, and Vin Diesel never got to drive them on camera. Maybe that's why a lot of the fastest cars of the 00s, such as the ones on this list, aren't really as famous as they should be.

The Shelby Ultimate Aero TT (2009)

Most people who are really into cars, particularly the best muscle cars from the 60s, might recognize the Shelby name. However, this was not exactly a Shelby-filled decade. Shelby, once known as Shelby SuperCars, works with very niche car buyers—specifically, those who really want a lot of power in their vehicle.

This decade, their crown jewel was the Shelby SSC Aero line. Most of the Shelby SSC Aeros pushed out over 1,000 horsepower. The Shelby Ultimate Aero TT was a recordbreaker, though, with over 1,300 horsepower in its massive engine.

The Ultimate Aero TT ended up breaking Guinness records, making it the speediest of all the fastest cars of the 00s.

Top Speed: 257.41 miles per hour, OR 273, depending on modifications

The Saleen S7 (2000-2009)

Once again, most people will not recognize the car brand "Saleen," but make no mistake about it, the guys at Saleen were the makers of one of the fastest cars of the 00s. This gorgeous sports car was one of the first cars to bring the speed crown back to the American market.

The original Saleen S7 was produced for four years, and clocked in at a maximum speed of 220 miles per hour. This cool car then got upgraded to get an even higher top speed of 249 miles per hour.

Top Speed: 249 miles per hour

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 (2005-2006)

Bugatti has always been a brand that loved being associated with supercars, so is it really that surprising that one of the priciest models of the decade happened to be one of the fastest cars of the 00s? Not really.

The gorgeous, W-16 quad-turbocharged engine is what made this the car that made automotive history, and in 2005, that meant you got 987 horsepower. It also had a body that would give the Alpha Romeo Disco Volante a run for its money.

No matter how you look at it, the Bugatti Veyron was impressively good and regularly went head to head with Shelby Ultimate Aero TT because of it.

Top Speed: 254 miles per hour

The Koenigsegg CCR (2004)

The Koenigsegg CCR is one of the few vehicles that is banned in the United States for being too dangerous to drive—and not because it's poorly built, either. The fact is that Koenigsegg made quite a few of the fastest cars of the 00s, and the Koenigsegg CCR is one of the most obvious examples.

Along with a very McLaren-like body kit, the CCR had a V8 turbocharged engine that launched it into the hall of fame for being one of the fastest cars in the world. Only 14 of these babies were made, so if you see one, appreciate it for its power and rarity.

Top Speed: 241 miles per hour

The Gumpert Apollo 4.2L V8 Twin Turbo (2005)

Gumpert is a name that even gearheads might not recognize—but a number of their cars ended up being some of the fastest cars of the 00s. These very oddly-designed cars were known for gull wing doors, a strikingly unique body kit, and for having a seriously powerful V8 engine.

The Apollo 4.2L V8 Twin Turbo may not have been as well known as the Bugatti Veyron or the later-made Hennessey Venom GT, but by no means was it something to be ignored. It could go from 0 to 60 in three seconds, flat.

Top Speed: 220 miles per hour

The Caparo T1 (2007)

Another very obscure supercar name you might not know is the Caparo. Caparo made two of the fastest cars of the 00s, but the 2007 release of the T1 is really the one that blew competition out of the water. Along with having a futuristic racecar body kit, this car's engine was capable of hitting 60 miles per hour from a standstill in only 2.5 seconds.

That being said, this wasn't a car that was known for having high speeds, just high acceleration. However, acceleration is a form of being fast, which is why it's made our list.

Top Speed: 202 miles per hour

The Porsche 9FF GT9R (2009)

Finally! A name a typical layman will recognize! Porsche! Well, at least the brand is recognizable to most, but that's usually where the mainstream-ishness ends. The 9FF GT9R was one of the most exclusive makes that Porsche rolled out with in the aughts—and it's easy to see why.

Few cars are capable of packing as much power as the Porsche 9FF GT9R is, and even fewer drivers are capable of handling that speed. With over 1,100 horsepower and a hyper-powerful V6 engine, it's not surprising that this ended up making waves in the motor world with its ridiculously high speeds.

Top Speed: 256 miles per hour

The Ariel Atom V8 500 (2008)

This car isn't really a sports car, per se, but then again, it's not really a normal car by any means of the word. If you look at its body style, it's clear that this was a car that was literally designed to be as fast as humanly possible.

Perhaps that's why the Ariel Atom can get from 0 to 60 in only 2.3 seconds. Once again, with this car, it's a matter of showing acceleration and power rather than a high top speed. Either way, it's still considered to be one of the fastest cars of the 00s.

Top Speed: 170 miles per hour

The Pagani Zonda Cinque (2009)

Here's a major favorite among gearheads with a need for speed: Pagani. This brand may not be well-known to the mainstream, and truth be told, the one contribution they have to this list was also one of the smallest production lines of cars in the decade.

However, only having five cars in its production line didn't stop the Pagani Zonda Cinque from being one of the fastest cars of the 00s. A high top speed, a gorgeously aerodynamic body, and a $2 million price tag made these major collectors' items.

Top Speed: 220 miles per hour

The Lotec Sirius (2009)

Lotec is yet another name that produced one of the fastest cars of the 00s, but hasn't really become known in mainstream media quite yet. This German auto manufacturer became known for its hyper-powerful Lotec Sirius release, which also ended up being one of the most controversial of its kind.

The reason why it gained controversy was because it really didn't look good—at least, according to some people. Jalopnikcalled it "the ugliest supercar" ever made. Despite the shade it received, its 12-cylinder engine with twin turbos made this capable of pumping out 1,200 horsepower and a lot of speed.

That being said, the Lotec Sirius never really caught on.

Top Speed: 249 miles per hour