The 23 Most Memorable Movie Cars To Hit The Big Screen
Anytime a vehicle takes the spotlight away from a movie's actors and becomes a superstar in its own right, that's when a great movie car is born. For example, it's nearly impossible to think about the original James Bond movies without thinking about the Astin Martin that helped 007 with his globe-trotting adventures. Honestly, without Q's heavily armed but sleek-looking vehicle, the movie would be missing an important part of its allure.
And let's be honest, Caped Crusader would be less impressive if he ran around Gotham City on foot. From the Mirthmobile to cruising around in a Ford Explorer, these famous cars from the silver screen will bring back some fond memories — even if a few of them are clunkers in the real world. Read on through to find out more about these famous cars.
1963 Volkswagen Beetle Model 117 Deluxe Sunroof Sedan from Herbie: The Love Bug
The car was never referred to as a Volkswagen in the first film as all branding had to be removed in Herbie: The Love Bug. However, the company would be on board for the sequel, Herbie Rides Again. Normally, the interior of the beetle would have been white, but the film's production team painted it gray so it wouldn't reflect off the studio lights.
In all five films, Herbie appeared slightly different as over 100 cars were used in each production. Walt Disney Studios built 11 cars for the first movie, and only three of them are known to still exist today.
The 1970 Dodge Charger from The Fast and the Furious
The classic Dodge Charger is both a star of TV and movies. The most famous of all was the '69 Charger "General Lee" as you will recall was used in the classic TV series, The Dukes of Hazzard and then in Dirty Mary Crazy Larry. In 2000, the car took to the screen once again, this time as a street-racing machine for Vin Diesel in Fast and the Furious.
It was equipped with giant rear tires, a massive engine, and a supercharger sticking out of the hood, The car was in the climactic action scene with Dom Toretto lining up against Brian. Then, he floors the throttle and the Charger does a wheelstand and a burnout at the same time.
Read More: The Fastest American Muscle Cars From The '60s and ’70s
The Ectomobile From The Ghostbuster's Franchise Is A 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor
The Ectomobile, or ECTO-1 and ECTO-1A, from the Bill Murray era, is as famous as the actors riding inside it from the Ghostbuster films. Made from a 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor, it's an end-loader combination of an ambulance and a hearse with a 6.3-liter V8 engine, equipped with 320 horsepower.
The original idea for the cruiser was much more sinister as it would have been painted black with purple and white strobe lights. Two cars were initially purchased, but the final converted version was used during filming. Car accidents occurred on several occasions in New York City when drivers failed to pay attention to the road while staring down the ECTO-1 during its promotional tour.
1976 Lotus Espirit Series I from The Spy Who Loved Me
Cars in the seventies were pretty radical in design. Pointy cars such as the Lancia Stratos and Lamborghini Countach changed the automotive landscape. However, neither car was driven by James Bond.
In The Spy Who Loved Me, the iconic secret agent drove the white Series I Lotus Espirit and fans loved it. The moment that comes to mind is when the car transforms into a submarine after Bonds jumps the car into the water. Later on, it drives up to the beach, morphing back into a car.
The 1948 Ford De Luxe Convertible Was 'Greased Lightning,' in Grease
While there are many classic cars used throughout Grease, the 1948 Ford De Luxe is the car that caught everyone's eye. It's also the same car Danny Zuko daydreams about and the same one he and Sandy fly away in after the carnival.
From the scrapheap that's first seen in the shop to the souped-up Saran-wrapped car, it's got many cool features, with chopped front fenders, a Plexiglass hood, and tail fins. It's clear that the "four-speed on the floor" transmission Travolta sings about is nowhere to be seen in the race scene as he uses a column shifter.
1967 Austin Mini Cooper S 1275 From The Italian Job
The Minis in the 2003 remake are great, but they don't compare close to the models from the 1969 film. The British Motor Corporation refused to donate any cars to the film, selling the production crew six Minis at trade price.
Since the company was uncooperative, screenwriter Troy Kennedy Martin refused to trade out vehicles for one of the world's most-famous chase scenes. The head of Fiat, Gianni Agnelli, was excited about the film, as he offered to donate all the cars they need in place of the Minis. The red, white, and blue getaway cars feature a four-cylinder, 75-hp engine, with a top speed of 97 mph.
The 1979 Ford LTD Country Squire Is A Staple Of National Lampoon's Vacation
While Chevy Chase is the star of the Griswold's misadventures, he wasn't always the main attraction. Instead, it's the "Wagon Queen Family Truckster" or the modified Ford LTD County Squire that played a big role in National Lampoon's Vacation.
Shooting for the film allowed the cast and crew to take a road trip in real-life as they shot scenes in 15 locations across four states. There were five stations wagons made for filming, allowing for each one to be altered in the way the script had intended. The cars managed to survive vandalism, an amazing jump, and a breakdown in the desert, along with shifty mechanics.
1985 Modena GT Spyder California Is A Crucial "Character" In Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Movie magic with the limited budget of Ferris Buller's Day Off are the culprits of this Ferrari imposter. A replica was built to resemble a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California. Its combined parts include a steel-tube subframe, a Ford-sourced small-block V-8, and Ferrari-inspired fiberglass bodywork and emblems.
Thankfully, a real Ferrari wasn't killed in the infamous car scene. Instead, the car was a 1985 Modena GT Spyder California. Three replicas were made for filming, with one being used for most of the movie, a second for stunts, and a third for other shots.
1971 Chevrolet Nova SS From Death Proof
Kurt Russell was ideal for being in Death Proof, the story of a stuntman who liked to take unsuspecting women for rides. In the movie, the driver's seat is a proper racing seat with padding and a reinforced roof panel.
As for the passenger side, the seat is a tractor with Plexiglass surrounding it. There were only four of these famous cars built for the movie, and the single fully caged vehicle that ran good enough to do the driving scenes was named "The Jesus." The other, called "The Prius," was destroyed while filming, which left "The Jesus" up for grabs.
The 1992 Ford Explorer XLT UN46 From Jurassic Park
Even though the cars in Jurassic Park appear to be Jeeps, they're actually Ford Explorers. While the Touring Vehicles didn't see much off-roading, they're an integral part of the movie's experience. The cars were modified for the illusion of having fully-automated driving. The actual driver hid in the vehicle's trunk, where they watched a small TV that was fed outside images through two cameras.
Only six cars were used in the film as they were charged at, stomped on, flipped over, and buffeted around by prehistoric dinosaurs. Three dumpsters full of car parts were hauled away at the end of filming.
The Mirthmobile From Wayne's World Is A 1976 AMC Pacer
The Mirthmobile in Waynes World resurrected both the Pacer and Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody." But, the car was intended to break ground in the compact-car category at the time. Its main selling point was its unusual width that was as wide as many midsize cars on the market at the time. It's typical for movies to have multiple versions of the same car.
However, it's believed that only one Pacer was used for the casts' trip to Stan Mikita's Donuts. This Pacer has a larger 4.2-liter I-6 motor that was paired up with a three-speed auto transmission. The hatchback was modified for the film inside and out while being equipped with a hole in the roof allowing for the addition of the red-vines licorice dispenser.
The Bluesmobile From Blues Brothers is a 1974 Dodge Monaco
The Bluesmobile may not be the Batmobile, but the decommissioned police cruiser is recognizable as Jake and Elwood Blue's vehicle of choice or perhaps convenience. Born from the beloved Saturday Night Live sketch, there were 13 different cars used in filming, all of which were former California Highway Department patrol cars that were made up to look like Mount Prospect patrol cars.
Between both movies, The Blues Brothers even managed to go through a combined 200-plus cars while filming. However, the Dodge Monaco version was only used in the first Blues Brothers film as the sequel featured a 1990 Ford LTD Crown Victoria.
The 1964 Aston Martin DB5 Appeared in Goldfinger
James Bond has a history of driving famous cars installed with some pretty crazy gadgets and that history can be traced back to its star with one very specific car. The 1964 Aston Martin DB5 was the same car driven in both Goldfinger and Thunderball. However, the special effects of the model have made the car one of the most beloved movie cars of all-time.
The extensive list of cool tricks included the ram bumper, machine guns, an ejector seat, and much more. If you look back on the history of the Aston from those famous films the most interesting feature may be the map screen in Bond's car, a feature that foreshadowed today's navigation systems.
Batmobile/Tumbler, Batman Begins
Like the Bond cars, Batmobiles have transcended for many generations. But the militaristic Batmobile Tumbler first appeared in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. The beefy 350-cid Chevy V8-cylinder powers the tank-like Tumbler to reach a speed of 60 mph in five seconds.
The front tires on this custom Batmobile are mounted to an independent suspension with 30 inches of suspension travel. What makes the Tumbler stand out compared to many movie props these days is that it's a real thing. In no way or form is the car a computer-animated fantasy.
The 1968 Mustang GT 390 From Bullitt
Any vehicle driven, ridden, or stood next to by Steve McQueen was considered cool. But, the Highland Green 68 Ford Mustang GT 390 in Bullitt didn't need much help. The chase scenes on the public streets of San Francisco are some of the best ever recorded on film. Plus, the stripped-down look of the movie's Mustangs made them meaner-looking in the film.
The original magnesium American Racing Torque Thrust wheels help to give McQueen's car its aggressive stance. The GT 390 was transcended into a cult movie status, becoming an icon when the company makes a limited edition version twice.
The 1977 Pontiac Trans Am Is The Iconic Car From Smokey and the Bandit
Director Hal Needham made the right choice by going with the Trans Am for Smokey and The Bandit. The model looked more or less the same after more than half a decade before the film was released in 1977. This iconic car captured the imagination of the movie's fans as the classic Trans Am slid around corners, leaped over broken bridges, and constantly evaded Sheriff Buford T. Justice.
Sales increased by 30,000 cars from 1977 to 1978 and another 24,000 in 1979. Americans went nuts for the Straight light Black Special Edition paint job, the T-Top roof, and the car was better-handling than the Corvette of the same generation.
The Gigahorse From Mad Max: Fury Road
Every fan of the Mad Max film series has the right to make the argument that those films possess the most exceptional vehicles. If you've seen the latest installment, Mad Max: Fury Road, then you might feel compelled to become a fan as well.
It took three decades between sequels when Fury Road was released, but there was little disappointment. The Gigahorse was a centerpiece vehicle that stole the show. With a double '59 Cadillac body powered by twin Chevy V-8s, this thing was spectacular.
Ferrari 550 Maranello From Bad Boys II
Martin Lawrence and Will Smith star in the film series Bad Boys playing two Miami cops. Naturally, Smith is the smooth-talking, body-building cool cop, while Lawrence is the more serious partner. You can't be "cool" in Miami without having the wheels to match.
Featured in Bad Boys II was one of the wildest chase scenes in movie history. Not only that, but they drove one of the greatest front-engined Ferraris, the 550 Maranello.
1958 Plymouth Fury From Christine
It's hard to get any more classic than this right here. The John Carpenter directed horror film Christine featured a sleek 1958 Plymouth Fury. Sources say film producers used around 25 cars for this movie, but not all of them were Furys.
In Christine, the illusion of the car regenerating herself came from using hydraulic pumps found in the car attached to the sides of a plastic-paneled body double. All the tricks came out of the bag to make this movie and car even more special.
The Subaru WRX From Baby Driver
Yes, Baby Driver wasn't released too long ago, but that won't stop us from including one of their main marketing ploys of the film. Baby from the film drove many cars you can get excited about, but the smoothness of this one takes the cake.
A Subaru WRX with black rims and red body paint was an excellent way to start the movie. They also used this vehicle heavily as an advertising trick leading up to the release. People love Subarus.
Toyota Supra Turbo MKIV From The Fast And The Furious
There was only one car that could compete with Vin Deisel's classic muscle car, and it was this 1995 Toyota Supra Turbo MKIV. The two stars of the movie squared off in an emotional race, then Paul Walker's character offers him the keys so he can flee the scene after Dom crashes.
Not only did this Supra have slick pieces of vinyl and a clean orange coat, but it was also incredibly fast. With a few performance mods, it was able to keep up with the Deisel's Dodge.
The Camaro Bumblebee From Transformers
Transformers might be nothing more than giant machines that can replicate vehicles but in the 2007 Transformers film, excitement filled the Camaro community thanks to the birth of the Camaro Bumblebee.
This was a Camaro Concept model built for General Motors with a Pontiac GTO chassis as a base. Did you suddenly start to notice more of these type of cars on the street after the release of this movie like we did?
1981 DeLorean DMC-12 From Back To The Future
There's no way the 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 wasn't making this list. This car raised the bar when it hit the big screen in 1985. The legendary Giorgetto Giugiaro designed this stainless-steel beast, which only adds to the legend of it. The prop staff, however, did help by replacing the V-6 with a V-8 from the Porsche 928.
Despite how popular the movie became, the DeLorean didn't do so well on the market in the '80s. Still, the car gained a significant following by fans, so there's that.
