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The 2000s weren't the best of times for Ford financially, but that didn't stop the automaker from building some really cool models.
With more than a century of experience under its belt, it is not surprising that Ford has built some amazing road machines. The company sells cars mostly under the Ford brand, the Lincoln luxury brand, and the defunct Mercury brand. From the Model T to the Mustang and the F-Series truck, Ford also has several bestsellers to its name. One of its landmark achievements in the 2000s was setting a US sales record of 939,511 with the F-Series.
Ford also recorded huge success with the Mustang - debuting the Bullitt version in 2001 and reviving the Mach 1 nameplate in 2003. In 2004, a 2004 Mustang GT convertible 40th-anniversary edition became Ford's 300 millionth car. Some SUVs Ford birthed in the 2000s include Ford Flex, Excursion, Escape, Lincoln Aviator, and Mercury Mariner. Battling debts and faced with the possibility of closing down shop, the automaker forged on. Now, let's look at the 10 greatest cars Ford created in the 2000s.
The 2005 GT started life as the Ford GT40 concept that was unveiled at the 2002 North American International Auto Show. Although it was inspired by the legendary 1960s GT40, the modern GT was much bigger. Clad in aluminum body panels, it had roll-bonded floor panels and an aluminum friction stir welded center tunnel.
A supercharged 5.4-liter V8 mill hooked to a 6-speed manual transmission cranked out 550 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque. Zero to 60 mph happened in 3.3 seconds on the way to a top speed of 205 mph.
In the twilight of the Mustang's fifth generation, Ford introduced the Bullitt, a variant of the GT. Inspiration for the car came from a Dark Highland Green GT-390 Mustang used in the 1968 movie - Bullitt. Compared to the standard Mustang GT, the Bullitt's modified suspension gave it an aggressive stance and better dynamic handling.
It also got unique wheels and stainless steel exhaust tips. From its lair under the hood, a 4.6-liter V8 engine sent down output of 315 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. Dressed in black leather and trimmed in metallic satin, the interior is understated but comfortable.
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The race-ready but street-legal Cobra R was SVT's only high-performance Mustang in 2000. Unlike the standard Cobra, it lacked features like air conditioning, radio, cruise control, and rear seats. It was only available as a red-colored coupe with a Dark Charcoal interior and manually adjustable Recaro seats.
Power came from a 5.4 V8 mill that paired with a 6-speed manual transmission to make 385 hp and 385 lb-ft of torque. Eibach springs, Bilstein shocks/struts, Brembo brakes, Gerodisc hydro-mechanical differential, and a unique Borla dual side-exiting exhaust all found their way into the Cobra R.
Arriving in 2002 as a 2003 model, the Cobra, code-named "Terminator" was a meaner machine than previous Cobras. Power came from a supercharged 4.6-liter V8 engine rated at 390 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. Routed through a 6-speed manual transmission, this was enough for an ungoverned top speed of 180 mph.
The Terminator Cobra could hit 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and clear the quarter-mile in 12.67 seconds at 110.11 mph. In addition to the extra firepower under the composite hood, it also got body-painted foldable side mirrors and a new set of 5-spoke machine-faced aluminum rims.
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The second generation of the Ford SVT Lightning arrived in the 2001 model year. It was built on the stock F-150 frame but with a lowered suspension setting to improve handling. For 2001, SVT engineers tuned the supercharged 5.4-liter V8 under the hood to crank out 380 hp and 450 lb-ft.
With these new numbers, the sprint to 60 mph took 5.2 seconds with the quarter-mile whooshing by in 13.8 seconds. Rocking 4-wheel ABS disc brakes, it had impressive stopping power and could haul a payload of 800 pounds.
Following a redesign for 2007, the 2008 Sport Trac shared a chassis with the fourth-generation Ford Explorer SUV. It used a 4-wheel independent suspension system and got a rust-proof plastic composite bed. Offered in 2 trims, the 2008 Sport Trac came with 2 powertrain options and a 5-speed automatic transmission.
While the standard V6 engine made 210 up, the optional V8 engine dialed up power to 290 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. Also on offer was a SYNC infotainment system and the Adrenaline appearance package.
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The Ford Escape is a compact SUV that arrived in the 2001 model year riding on the Ford CD2 platform. A more efficient gasoline-electric hybrid version was launched in 2004 for the 2005 model year. Producing a combined output of 155 hp, the hybrid system could switch between electric power, gasoline power, or a combination of both.
Standard equipment included power windows, an 8-way power driver's seat, cruise control, and dual-zone automatic air conditioning. Thanks to the positive reception it received, Ford ended up building much more than was originally planned.
The first Ford SVT Contour arrived in 1998 as the high-performance variant of the 4-door Contour Sedan. Modified by Ford's Special Vehicle Team, it got performance upgrades like a re-tuned suspension and larger wheels wrapped in high-performance rubber.
For its last model year, 2000, it was powered by a 2.5-liter Duratec 25 V6 engine hooked to a 5-speed manual transmission. With 200 hp and 169 lb-ft of torque on tap, it could hit 60 mph in 7.6 seconds and the quarter-mile in 15.6 seconds. Handling was great and stopping power was supplied by 4-wheel ABS vented disc brakes.
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First offered for the 2000 model year, the Excursion was marketed as a direct rival to the 2500-series Chevrolet Suburban/GMC Yukon XL. Derived from the F-250 Super Duty truck, the 2005 Excursion rides a 137-inch wheelbase and provides seats for up to nine passengers.
The three powertrain choices offered are a 5.4-liter V8, a 6.8-liter V10, and a 6-liter turbo diesel V8. With the bigger engines under the hood, the 2000 Excursion can pull up to 11,000 pounds. This behemoth is perfect for hauling a large family with their luggage for a week's vacation.
Arriving 40 years after the original GT500 King of the Road, the 2008 Shelby GT500KR was a king in many ways. It was powered by a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 mill tuned to churn out 540 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque. Uniquely tuned shocks and springs plus a Ford Racing strut tower brace gave it a handling advantage over the standard GT500.
Thanks to a long list of upgrades, the 2008 KR accelerates faster, corners better, and stops shorter than the GT500. Furthermore, it can run the quarter-mile in 12.1-seconds at 115 mph.
Jay Moren is a car enthusiast who loves everything with an engine. When he's not writing about cars, he plays the saxophone and keyboard. He also plays as a goalkeeper for a non-league side in his native Nigeria