I have a real fondness for the period of time between 2000 and 2010, which is maybe an odd thing to say given that my experience was book-ended by the 9/11 attacks and a global financial crisis. For all that was bad, it was also a time of listening to The Whitest Boy Alive on my iPod Shuffle en route to a Scrubs viewing party at my friend’s house. It’s when I graduated from high school, went to college, somehow got my dream job, and met the love of my life.
For the first time ever, RADwood is going to have a Millenia class for cars built between 2000 and 2010 (come to RADwood, we’re going to be there!), which hits me hard. This was my heyday! I was excited to hear from Art what he and his team selected to fill this historic first-ever display, and while it was not 90% Volvos as I’d assumed, there are some poignant picks.
Here are just a few of the cars that’ll be appearing, and what makes them particularly representative of that era in time.
The Lexus IS300 SportCross
There has been exactly one Lexus wagon sold in the United States, and that it was sold in the 2000s is a sign that the decade that brought us The O.C. also was able to produce a car that fulfilled a lot of enthusiast desires.
The IS was already a car that caught my attention, thanks in no small part to the Altezza-style (since this was the Altezza in Japan) taillights. Lexus was a pioneer of the clear-framed rear lights that suddenly became a hallmark of the era, like low rise jeans or butterfly tramp stamps. With an engine upfront driving the wheels in the back, it’s no surprise that the car was the work of Nobuaki Katayama, who also made a little car called the AE86.
Did I mention it came with a naturally-aspirated version of the 2JZ-GTE motor found in the MkIV Supra?
With its steeply raked d-pillar and narrow little trysail of a window added on, the SportCross barely even qualifies as a wagon. I feel a thrill every time I see one, though, and the only real downside of the IS was that only the sedan was available with a stick shift.
2000 Mitsubishi Evo VI Tommi Mäkinen
While Subaru had realized first that Americans would buy a rally-inspired car even if they didn’t know or car about rally racing, it took only took Mitsubishi a couple of years to decide that it wouldn’t be too hard to sell their own Evo in the United States.
This means that we missed out on a few special editions (I-VII). The designation of the most desirable Evo is probably something hotly debated in Mitsubishi circles, but I remember being obsessed with the performance and aesthetics of the EVO VI, and the Tommi Mäkinen Edition is the special edition version of that, so you could make an argument this is the one to have.
Some of this is just simply because we didn’t have them in the United States (we would get the Evo VIII), but the idea of having a car named after Finnish rally hero Tommi Mäkinen that looks remarkably like the actual race car is just too appealing.
997.1 Porsche 911 Turbo
The Porsche 911 is one of the few cars that has been built continuously for decades and never had a bad year. Is there a best, year, though? I’m a sucker for a 997 911, which combines the power of a modern water-cooled flat-six with the old-school, high-feel steering of classic 911s.
This isn’t to say I don’t adore a modern 911 Turbo, because I do. It’s the modern supercar of choice for me, in that it combines incredible performance with a low-key aesthetic and extreme livability. The 997 Turbo, though, might be the ultimate sweet spot between the feeling of utter power in the past and the 911 Turbos new turn towards a more luxury experience.
If you’re going to have one European high performance vehicle to represent the era, it’ll have to be the E46 M3 (don’t worry, there will be one there, too). It is the video game/poster/dream car for many people who grew up listening to and/or avoiding Nu Metal, and still remains maybe the best M3.
If you’re going to have two, though, I think a 997 Porsche is a no-brainer, and the 997.1 Turbo is the ultimate version (if you’re going to ask, and it sounds like you’re going to ask, a 997.2 GTS is the one I’d want).
What Says The 2000s To You?
Honestly, there are so many good ways to go. If you lived through the era (even if you were smol), what is the vehicle that stands out in your mind? What’s the most Milennia-coded car you can think of? If you’re anywhere near the Bay Area this weekend you can get a free ticket and join us at the event and see if your ideal car showed up!
Top photo:
Can we do a shake to agree that the 00s class should not come with factory Bluetooth music support?
Its like how W220 S class would sneak into 90s radwood on that technicality of being a 90s car but it changes the vibe entirely.
I’m down if I can bring my 2017 with no Bluetooth support.
In that spirit, I’m bringing a 2027 Chevrolet Express.
I could bring my 06 Dodge Magnum RT, honestly the thing stopping me from attending Radwood was that I have old muscle cars and cars too new, so this is perfect for my still mostly stock daily driver
If they’re going to include the first decade of 2000s, then I think they should change the name to dopewood or sickwood or something else ;p
Also, I think the most striking cars I remember from that era was the 350z/G35 and the Wrx/Sti. I remember visiting the storefront for nissan design in La Jolla during college circa 2001-2002 when I was going to school there, and they had that copper concept 350z on display. I thought it looked so futuristic and cool.
+1 for sickwood. I got so tired of hearing that back then, but now…retro baby!
The E46 M3 is a great pick, as I’d argue it is the most iconic video game car of all time. I am also a big fan of VW ‘crazy era’ of R32 Golfs, W8 Passats, V10 TDI Touaregs, & W12 Phaetons.
If I had the time to drive all that way (from OK), I’d take my 2005 VW Phaeton V8.
My most Millenia-coded car is my 2005 Tundra, which I purchased new in 2004.
It just rolled over 300,000 miles last month!
Great choice, I have a 2005 4Runner with the same V8. Mines barely broken in a 260,000km
Sweet! Barely broken in!
R34 Skyline
New Edge Mustang
Late ’00s Civic Si Coupe
Ford Excursion
Any civilian Hummer
F-Body Finale
C5 Corvette
Custom Choppers, pre-big-wheel-bagger
(…also Shadow the Hedgehog.)
On a more serious and less Ow The Edge note: 2nd-gen Prius. And maybe the New Beetle, too.
Good call on the Excursion.
Man, my old 350z would have been peak “Millenia”. Not that many around any more in nice condition. They get my extremely biased vote!
My first bought-new car was a 2002.5 Mazda Protege5. The go did not match up with the show, but it was a reliable, fun, practical car that I gave up way too soon. I distinctly remember seeing it in an ad before a moving and thinking, hmm, I should check that out.
Mine is still running at 190k miles. Mostly trouble free so far.
The P5 started the whole Zoom Zoom campaign for Mazda. Very 2000’s.
Chevy SSR , I literally can’t think of a more 2000’s car
I saw one in the wild this weekend, and it took me a minute to realize what it was. I never see them…now or then, for that matter.
Oh yeah, they didn’t build very many but I can’t think of any other era that such a ridiculous car could have been green-lit lol
I desperately want to build a first gen Scion XB for such a show. Specifically, the RS2.0 (Bright yellow) with every TRD and Scion accessory that I can find. Those cars were such a fun part of the fast and furious era products that OEMs brought out.
My workplace had like a weird little collection of people who all enthused on scions. Most have retired by now but theres still an Xb guy that fawns over the first gen from the seat of his 60k mile second gen.
2002 Bugeye WRX? I loved mine when I loved it, hated it when I hated it. But the love was greater than the hate.
Or at least the 2004 STI?
We have a 2006 blobeye poverty spec 5 speed impreza 2.5i wagon that we bought new. Still love it but it’s getting pretty tired. Lately i’ve been looking for a clean stock-ish WRX wagon from the same gen. Apparently i’m not alone cause they’ve been selling in the neighborhood of $15k on the auction sites. It’s funny—you can find nice STIs all day (for more $$ of course) but most of the WRXs have been modded to death and driven into the ground.
Obviously there should be a 2003 Civic LX Sedan there, with a manual transmission, “Mugen” parts, and in black. Not that I’m biased.
Only if it has the white shopping list decals on the sides. Preferably for parts it doesn’t actually have. 😉
We used to call that the Roll Call.
Heck (not smol here). 2000s are the new stuff for me. My 2006 LC 105 series 5MT HD-FTE which is my DD, I still, consider “new”. They never sold stateside but I love seeing them, anywhere. Makes me feel “millenial” lol
STi/EVO have to be there. It was a seismic shift in new affordable speed.
Scion bB/xB – It took the 90’s brand of ‘funky’ ‘youth’ (the Neon) in a new direction.
PT Cruiser – the boomer pandering begins
Scion tC. Really the Scion brand as a whole, a bold attempt to sell new cars to Millennials who were a decade or longer away from being able to afford a new car. Though the xB was probably the best and most practical car Scion ever had it doesn’t feel like an aughts car to me like the tC does. It may have been Camry parts in performance car’s skin but it was considered a cool car to own at the time. Now someone help me tie these onions to my belt so I can chase the kids off my lawn!
If I still had mine I’d already be heading for the coast.
Bought a 2006 xB right after my wife & I separated in ’08 (and I totaled my POS Blazer). I had wanted one when they came out, she had to have HER new fancy car.
I drove that thing probably 100k miles, autocross twice, TotD trips, met local Scikotics that I’m still friends with today. I bought a cheap ’04 a few years ago hoping to relive the fun but it was in rough shape.
Mazda Protege MP3. Featuring an MP3 capable CD deck with animated dolphins plus subwoofer and Racing Beat suspension.
That’s one of my holy trails!
S2000 but is it rad enough
2004 VW R32. *mic drop*
The best feature of the IS300 is that when you scoot the driver’s seat up a bit there’s just enough length to fit a twin size mattress in there, while leaving the driver just enough room to get to a bathroom half a mile away at 4am.
“Once upon a time, as a young Abdominal Freezing Rain Main, I…”
LOL, no, this was an “adult” purchase… I had a Yukon XL 2500 that I hated driving but loved camping in the back of at Lemons races. When it got retired and I was no longer in charge of trailering duty I wanted a fun project car again that still let me camp at the track in a quiet insulated cabin instead of a tent. This lets me drink as much as I want without having to drive to a hotel, and I get to sleep as late as gd possible before my annoyingly early-bird team-mates show up to hurry up and wait.
I have been woken up by rain pouring in through the sunroof directly onto my head a few times so I’ve been an Abdominal Rainman several times.
The melting dashboard is the worst feature.
Oh no, I’m…..Old!
It passes.
I was gonna bring up the CT200h, but naw that’s definitely a hatchback. It’s also way, waaaay less cool than the IS300 since it’s a dressed up Prius, but I still think they at least look good.
I never liked that funky C-pillar that’s on the CT 200h, but one with a souped-up engine (even the 2.5-liter that was in the Camry and tC) would be cool.
I really wanted to like those but had the same objections re: the C-pillar and performance. “Much of the efficiency of a Prius, but heavy with the crown of luxury” dulled the appeal when I was considering a city car.
True, that side profile is messed up by that. For some reason I never seem to see them from that angle so I tend to forget.
Matrix/Vibe
First-generation Focus, especially the hatchbacks
A 1990s holdover redesign of an already-old platform and a really outdated concept, but the Panthers.
I am searching for a first gen GT or XRS. so much want.
First gen focus wagons were super unique too
The first-gen Focus 2-door hatch was esp. striking when it came out. I remember wondering “will they tip over in hard turns?”
One of my coworkers at the time had the first ZX3 in town, another had a ’97-99 Escort wagon. One time I saw them parked side-by-side and the new sporty “coupe” was taller than the outgoing-model wagon.
Early 2000s was a good time for me, made many friends, still friends to this day. Met them through car related stuff like forums and meets. Golden era of forums and meets.
Probably explains why ever since 2000, there has been a millenia era car in my garage, sometimes two.
In terms of something completely of that era that’s already rare now, how about the Mazda RX-8?
They were everywhere back then, seemed the possible evolution of the venerable sport coupe idea (“it’s got extra doors!”), but then we all know how things played out.
Based on teh current YouTuber trends, the RX-8 is on the upswing.
This is not good news for me.
Do you have a stash of them somewhere? How much for a running example. with three pedals?
Those are the questions that I am asking. But if all the youtube jebronis make them popular, we will have price increases on our hands that I do not want.
Sorry I misread your comment, thought you said it was good news for you.
Im gonna start this stash search son. I will reach out if anything turns up.
Most youtubers I see end up buying one that looks good on camera, tries to squeeze anything fast out of it, fails once, and then lets it rot. Its a very disrespected platform
Haven’t seen one them in years.
I drive mine regularly, and see a few from time to time around me.
Bonus points if you’ve got a carful of people dressed like students at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.