The 10 Most Awesome Cars in Movies
With Fast Five opening in theaters this weekend, we thought it would be time to take a look at some of our favorite cars ever featured on the big screen. Needless to say, this was a tough list to pare down and will make for plenty of arguments for all the great cars that were left off. Make sure to let us hear it in the comments!
So without further ado, let us count down the 10 most awesome cars in movies:
Honorable Mention: The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car
Don’t you dream of riding this to the grocery store? Maybe not. A total of six cars were created for the 1968 musical, including a fully functional road going car, GEN 11. Built in 1967, this car was designed by the film’s production designer, Ken Adam and cartoonist/sculptor Frederick Roland Emett. Powered by a Ford 3000 V6 engine and automatic transmission, this uncommon car is about to go on auction in May with an estimated price tag of between $1 and $2 million.
10. 1976 Ford Gran Torino, Starsky & Hutch
Good thing they made a movie in 2004 because it’s an iconic car. Starsky and Hutch’s vehicle of choice for cruising the streets of “Bay City, California” was the 1975 Ford Gran Torino (subsequently upgraded to the 1976 version). Colored in an eye-catching tomato red with a vector white stripe on the sides, the car looked great although one couldn’t exactly deem it a muscle car with the base 250 hp engine .
9. 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor Futura Duplex, Ghostbuster
While the Ectomobile doesn’t look like the speed demon that other cars on this list are, it makes up for it with sheer style. Painted white with red tailfins, the car features white walled tires with chrome hubcaps. The roof rack holds more gear and equipment than the tower of an aircraft carrier. While it’s never explained what they are in the movie, we can make accurate assumptions that a radar, satellite communication device, microwave oven, strobe lights, and dishwasher machine are immediately available to our ghostbusters wherever they go.
8. 1963 Model 117 Volkswagen Type 1 (aka the Beetle), The Love Bug
The anthropomorphic 1963 Volkswagen Beetle named Herbie has been featured in numerous Disney movies, starting with 1968′s The Love Bug all the way to Herbie: Fully Loaded in 2005. Painted with red, white and blue racing stripes as well as the racing number “53″, this car has become iconic for opening its doors, or squirting oil by himself. Yes, he has a capricious personality but that’s what make Herbie unique.
7. 1961 Ferrari 250 GT, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
This car is red, Italian, sexy and it meant everything to Ferris Bueller: The freedom, the excitement, the means to make his day off thoroughly memorable. Yet, with a price tag of more than $2.5 million and only 55 of them in existence, one cannot blame his friend Cameron for being so reluctant to take it out for a joyride. While Cameron’s father hand-built convertible may have suffered catastrophic damage in the movie, rest assured that it wasn’t a real one.
6. 1967 Ford GT 500 Mustang Shelby, Gone in Sixty Seconds
It’s not often that Hollywood makes a movie starring a car (yes, the car Eleanor is actually credited) and any Mustang lover absolutely had to see Gone in Sixty Seconds even though, let’s face it, it’s not a very good movie. Eleanor isn’t actually a genuine Shelby GT500 but a creation from the mind of Hot Rod illustrator Steve Stanford. A total of 12 were built specifically for the movie, and of whose, 7 survived shooting. Because they were made to look good in the movie, the cars saw expedient engineering and things like the side exit exhaust were only aesthetic additions.
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52 Comments
How can you overlook the Batmobile or Speed Racer’s Mach 5?
They warranted some consideration but didn’t make the cut.
The Batmobile is a tough call, there’s so many of them that if you say “Batmobile” we think, “Which one?” But if you say DeLorean, we all know it’s the one with the flux capacitor.
But since you mention it, my favorite Batmobile is a toss-up between the one in Batman (1989) and the Tumbler in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Though I’m very, VERY interested in seeing where they’re going to go with that in the next movie.
Great list! I might add a few cars from “American Graffiti” but it is hard to argue with these.
Thanks Chimesfreedom
i still want to own a batmobile.
Yeah me too! I LOVE Tumbler. As Bruce says, ‘Does it come in black?’
The Tumbler was so close to making it but then I thought it would be more manageable to restrict it to actual cars
Make sense, I won’t hold it against you, ahah.
Like time-travelling DeLoreans?
Exactly like time-traveling DeLoreans, Fletch. I think I saw one yesterday, actually.
I love the detail on this. Once you hit the Challenger from “Vanishing Point”, you’d fulfilled my requirements.
Personally, I would’ve gone with Walt Kowalski’s Gran Torino (the one from, um… what’s the name of that movie again?) but that’s just me. I can see that it might have been too obvious a choice.
The car in Gran Turino is a beautiful car indeed.
I love that one too!
Growing up w/ two brothers, naturally I love cars! The Bond movies always have the coolest cars, my fave are the Ashton Martins of course, it’d be a dream to own this one: http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-2006/2006-Aston-Martin-DBS-James-Bond-Casino-Royale-SA-1280×960.jpg
Sweet car!! Needless to say, most of us can only look at a picture of it
I know! I bet even if it’s available on the dealers in town, we’d have to put a $10 grand deposit before we can even test drive it!!
Thanks for the nod to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I was certain that I was the only person to ever see that movie.
Was happy to see “Nervous” and even more excited you added the Shelby Gt. “Eleanor” was a sexy bitch.
Can’t argue with your top five either. All epic standards or cars in movies and 100% most recognizable to people.
Woohoo
I’m honored to have Heather’s golden thumb of approval!
My thumb is golden!!!!!!!!!!!!
My index finger is green, but we won’t go there, let’s talk about how I too can have a golden thumb!
I have perverted dreams involving #6…mmmm…
The Ford Gran Torino.
I was waiting for that!
My favorite car of those movies is the 1970 Dodge Challenger from “Vanishing Point” which also appeared in “Death Proof”. That’s enough for me.
No love for Aston Martin DBS from Daniel Craig’s two Bond films? I do like the Mustang from Gone in 60 Seconds.
It’s a great car indeed but I wanted to keep it to one car per movie/franchise.
Just for shits and giggles…a nod to Garth’s car in Wayne’s World.
Or the Dude’s car!
http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2009/09/02/gal_cars_big-lebowski.jpg
Of course you mean AFTER the vagrant used it as a toilet right?
Great choices, especially the car from Vanishing Point, Bullit, and the Bond car. 3 of my all time favorites.
There were some good cars in Two Lane Blacktop as well.
I’d throw out the mini cooper from Italian Job (both releases) just because I always wanted to drive one throughout random public places just to annoy people. I’m mean that way.
Another one that would place high on my list is the cop car from Blues Brothers. Just pure fun.
The Mini Cooper was #10 until Starsky and Hutch came on board. Indeed, an awesome little car.
I LOVE Minis!! I rode in my colleagues’ Mini Cooper to lunch once, that thing is surprisingly roomy. If I’m into compact cars I’d definitely consider one of those.
You should be with gas at $4 a gallon
Love this post! and the cars!
While it may not be one of the most awesomest cars in a film, ya gotta give credit to Raimi’s 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 codenamed “The Classic” that has made a cameo in all of his films!
Yes, yes, and yes. Excellent choices, all of them! James Bond, of course, but especially points on the Back to the Future car, which most might leave off their list.
@ Terrence, M: Thanks folks
I am a bit disapointed that you didin’t go with the 1973 Elenore (yellow one) instead of the one from the remake.
It’s a great car as well. It was a toss up between the two versions.
What a great list Mr Castor!! Fantastico!
I would have chitty chitty bang bang at number one. But that is only as I am totally brain washed my my kids watching it 3 times over the weekend!!! ARGGGGHH
Thanks for posting
C
Thank you Custard!
Great list, Castor! You’ve even included my very first car, the 1963 Beetle. (no, I’m not quite that old, the car was 10 years old when I got it.)
But, what, no Batmobile?!
Thanks PrairieGirl! I gave Batman’s Tumbler some consideration but then decided to stuck with actual vehicles.
Really great top 10! Even though there’s a strong presence of American cars its James Bond’s British-made Aston Martin that wins the day!
…of course, in dreamland I’d love that Delorean with all the extras – that means manual gearbox and Flux Capacitor!
What about the Pussy Wagon from Kill Bill? I get chills just thinking about its awesomness. Well, I suppose most of the awesomeness comes from the person driving it.
Yeah, I would definitely include the Pussy Wagon.
GREAT LIST! But the Delorean wins!
What about Kevin Pickford’s 1970 Pontiac GTO from Dazed and Confused. When it first comes on the screen to Aerosmith’s Sweet Emotion – wow, what an opening shot. Of course this moment has a lot to do with the song as well as the car.
Great, great list! Everything on here is wicked cool. The only thing I’d argue is placement because there is no way the Delorean should rank above the Challenger or the Mustang GT 390. Even if it does time travel. I’d also add the 66 Thunderbird from Thelma and Louise and the 58 Plymouth Fury from Christine.
You forgot to include the Hemi Charger from Dirty Mary Crazy Larry. The closing scene shows the Charger smashing into the train (as seen in the beginning credits of “The Fall Guy” TV series.
Hey, Great list but 2 cars u forgot. The original Batmobile(from the ’60s TV show and movie) and the car from the movie with most police cars wrecked trying to catch
Jake and Elwood, the 1974 Dodge Monaco x-police car. I know its not a flashy car or an xotic. But hey they were on a mission from God.LOL
thanks Tom
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