Birmingham ― The Woodward Dream Cruise is in town next week for the annual class reunion across generations of muscle cars, hot rods, Tin Lizzies, boulevard cruisers, supercars, convertibles and more.
In particular this year, we honor the great Class of 2000.
Now 26 years young, 2000 models are officially antique cars under Michigan law. Why does Michigan celebrate after 26 years rather than a quarter century? Hey, you say pot-ah-tow, we say po-tay-tow. The antique destination makes 2000 models eligible for historic plates at a flat fee of $30 for 10 years. Lower insurance costs are an added bonus.
At the turn of the 20th century, the Detroit Pistons’ newly hired GM Joe Dumars kicked off the Ben Wallace era, the Tigers moved into their new Comerica Park home, the Red Wings suffered a shock first-round exit to the LA Kings in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and the Lions went 9-7, narrowly missing the postseason. Motown’s own Eminem broke through with The Marshall Mathers LP. Gladiator won Best Picture, PlayStation 2 sold like hotcakes, Vlad Putin was elected Russian president, Al Gore demanded a recount, America Online bought Time Warner and Santana’s “Smooth” became a mega-hit.
On the automotive front, the new millennium birthed a fleet of automotive notables from American sedans to sleek sports cars to a BMW SUV made in the USA.
Here’s a look at the new antiques.
Audi TT. With its distinctive style (inside and out), the TT sportscar became an instant classic. “We predict this wonderfully glamorous Audi will eventually join the Cisitalia and Jaguar E-type in the Museum of Modern Art,” wrote enthusiast publication Car and Driver, which immediately named TT to its 10 Best Cars list. The aerodynamic shape did not come without controversy, however. On Germany’s high-speed Autobahn, the wing-shaped body caused instability, necessitating a rear spoiler be added for the 2001 model year.
The TT was built across three generations before being shelved in 2023.
BMW Z8. The Z8 was also hailed as one of autodom’s best new designs. With its long hood and 394-horse V-8, the roadster fits right in on Woodward with Detroit muscle. Only 5,703 were made and it was featured in the Bond film “The World Is Not Enough” ― complete with remote control and air-to-air missiles. Alas, its movie turn was cut short when it was cut in half by tree-cutting saws.
Ford Taurus. The fourth generation of the wildly successful sedan was distinctive for being less distinctive. After critical pushback to the third-gen model’s obsession with oval shapes, the 2000 Taurus bore more conventional lines.
Emphasis instead was on safety with an innovative “Advanced Personal Safety System” that coordinated driver and seatbelt position in a collision with airbag inflation to reduce the chance of airbag-related injuries. Alas, sales continued to fall and Taurus was retired in 2006, only to see the badge resurrected in 2008 as a full-size model under new CEO Alan Mullally.
Nissan Xterra. The first Nissan conceived, designed and made in the USA, the Xterra was the Japanese brand’s appeal to Americans’ love for going off the grid. Aimed at the Jeep Wrangler, Xterra was built on the same truck frame as the midsize Frontier pickup and featured four- and six-cylinder engine choices.
Features included a washable, plastic-lined cargo bay. The Xterra was discontinued in 2015. Gone but not forgotten. With a surge in interest in overlanding, a new Xterra is due in 2028.
Honda S2000. The high-revving S2000 was part of a wave of late-20th century roadsters following the Mazda MX-5 Miata, BMW Z3, Porsche Boxster and Audi TT (see above). At 8,800 RPM, its 2.0-liter 4-banger put out more power per liter than any other car in the world. It was offered in a six-speed manual, rear-wheel-drive model only and remains a legend since its 2009 end.
Honda Insight. If the S2000 was aimed at speed enthusiasts, then the Insight appealed to tree huggers. Alongside the Toyota Prius, the Insight was the first gas-electric hybrid model offered for the U.S. market. The wee nerd-mobile was rated at 70 mpg freeway with aerodynamic mods like covered rear wheel wells to maximize fuel economy.
BMW X5. Made in America for American tastes. The performance brand’s first SUV (heresy!), Bimmer couldn’t even bring itself to call the X5 a ute. “Sport Activity Vehicle” was the preferred nomenclature. No matter. Made in South Carolina, it couldn’t fit on many European roads but sported a very BMW-like unibody chassis (still rare for utes at that time) and a killer 282-horse V-8 engine to hunt the Mercedes ML SUV.
Ford Focus. Featuring Ford’s “New Edge” design, the handsome compact was a looker. Its beauty wasn’t just skin deep. Ford imbued it with an independent rear suspension ― in contrast to class competitors ― and offered a pair of peppy 4-cylinder mills to drive the front wheels on three models: three-door hatchback, sedan and wagon. Standard features included manual transmission and CD player. Remember those?
Saturn L-Series. The second model line of GM’s no-haggle brand, the L-Series was offered as a midsize sedan and wagon. Sales were tepid and the L-series was ditched in 2005 in favor of the Aura. For many, the best thing about the L was it was replaced at GM’s Delaware plant by the terrific Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky roadsters.
Toyota Tundra. The Tundra was the Japanese brand’s bold alternative to the Detroit Three pickup juggernaut. Built in Indiana, it featured competitive V-6 and V-8 engines and a smooth ride ― but was small for the class.
Ariel Atom. Extra points if you see one of these street-legal racers at the Dream Cruise. The first generation (of eight, Atom is still in production), the lightweight British two-seater was essentially a racing chassis with an exoskeleton. Powered by a Rover engine and weighing just over 1,000 pounds it was a hoot to drive on a track.
Ferrari 360. I know, I know, the 360 debuted in the 1999 model year ― but it was glaringly missing from last year’s list. Apologies. The gorgeous 360 pioneered a series of comfortable, mid-engine Italian stallions that could still take your breath away when pushed. Ferrari’s first aluminum chassis, its last six-speed manual. Its epic, 3.6-liter V-8 engine pushed out 400 ponies at a screaming 8,700 RPM. Now that’s great Italian opera.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Class of 2000: Meet the new Dream Cruise classics
Reporting by Henry Payne, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Henry Payne, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
