RICE'S TOP 10 CARS OF 2000
Date: 9/20/2000
By: Rice
#6: BMW M5 Sedan
Engine: 4.9 L, 394 horsepower V8
Price Range: ~$75,000
Desired Color: Stunning Silver
Germany's Bavarian Motor Werks is often synonymous with luxury and performance. Even James Bond ditched his old clunky Aston Martins and hopped aboard the band wagon in his new incarnations. The M5 sedan is a special mix of the above two attributes, with an extra dose of the latter thrown in for good measure. Weighing in at 394 horsepower grinded out by a 4.9 Liter V8 engine, this is the fastest and most expensive car yet in this roundup. But my, oh my, you can see how every penny of that 70 grand price tag is put to use in polishing thet quality of the M5. You have your classic BMW front grill and logo, add high performance luxury, and you get a sedan so sexy on the road it ought to leave blistering trails of fire behind it. SWWEEEET!
#5: Mercedes-Benz CL500
Engine: 5.0 L, 302 horsepower V8
Price Range: ~$85,000
Desired Color: Sparkling White
As we climb the ratings ladder, so do we climb the pricing ladder, it seems. I never thought for the life of me I would've included a clunky Benz in my roundup. I used to dogpile them with the Rolls-Royce and Bentley crew, but for the 2000 models, it seems the German company totally revamped its looks. Of all the various classes, the CL500 rises to the top in my chart simply because it coveys a sense of tremendous power AND complexity. Unlike the American brutes featured earlier on, the CL holds a level of sophistication attainable only by Mercedes-Benz. Its 300+ horsepower is nothing to sneeze at, but what attracted me to it was the feel of a very stylish yet intelligent design. The front has been aerodynamically slimmed and its traditional 120 degree angled lines logo has been flattened into the body itself. It's gorgeous, expensive, and powerful.... just another day at work for the German juggernaut company.
#4: Acura NSX
Engine: 3.2 L, 290 horsepower V6
Price Range: ~$88,000
Desired Color: Streaking Silver
Don't be fooled by the NSX's 3.2 Liter V6 rating. Honda, Acura's parent company, is famous for making overachieving engines, and the NSX's is easily the little engine that could. As the first vehicle in the world to be equipped with Honda's proprietory VTEC system, it can dole out the torques at low RPM's without sacrificing hard-revvin' driving. Best of all, it's quick and unnoticable when it kicks in, unlike the rough jolts you experience with turbocharged engines. If that was all, it'd be hard to justify the $85,000+ price tag of the NSX, because most modern Honda's are now equipped with VTEC as well. Also coming along with the package is a low-riding no frills exterior that offers the best handling and lateral-g ratings in its class. Folks, this is one helluva sports car that can bounce with the best of the European powerhouses. Even if you're like me who ain't especially partial to Honda and its derivatives, the NSX commands respect, if nothing else.
#3: Porsche Boxster S
Engine: 3.2 L, 250 horsepower H6
Price Range: ~$50,000
Desired Color: Racing Red
Who's top cars list is complete without one of them sizzling roadsters on the market right now? Move aside BMW (M Roadster), Honda (S2000), and Audi (TT Roadster), Porsche wins my roadster race! Because the Boxster is dubbed as the most affordable Porsche, it comes at a performance penalty. After whizzing through all those 300+ horsepower V8 behemoths, we arrive to a relatively petite automobile sporting no more than 250 horses. The boxer engine (yes, boxer, not Boxster) is designed differently than standard 6-cylinders in the fact that it's horizontal rather than vertical, hence the H6 tag. The result from the engineering geniuses at Porsche AG is a lively sports car that handles like a champ. Given, it's gonna be burned on a straight-away versus a snorting V10 Dodge Viper, but put both of them on a twisting slalom and watch the Viper painstakingly attempting to control its engine at low RPMs while the Boxster whizzes away... oblivious to centripital force.
#2: Porsche 911 (996) Turbo
Engine: 3.6 L, 415 horsepower H6
(twin-turbo)
Price Range: ~$115,000
Desired Color: Blinding Yellow
One glimpse at the
above shots of the Porsche 911 Turbo evokes one response from my head: "I MUST HAVE
IT! I MUST HAVE IT!!". The newly introduced 911 Turbo based on the
996 outer shell featured on the Carerra's is the pure essence of a supercar. Its stats are
humble; 3.6 Liters displacement pumping out 415 horsepower on a horizontal flat-6
water-cooled boxer engine (featured on all modern Porsche's since the induction of the
Boxster) pales in comparison to other similarly priced vehicles. However, few (if any) in
its class can boast a 0-60 mph acceleration in 4 seconds flat. Twin Turbochargers, anyone?
In addition to power, it adds grace with its proprietory Porsche Stability Manegement
(PSM... stop the PMS jokes) system. Trying to fish-tail the all-wheel drive turbo is like
trying to dunk if you're 4 feet tall. Yeah, you want one now too, don't you? All of these
features ring the cash register past 100 grand!! Unless you're already well off, I suggest
investing that dough in a nice house first.