Films can be memorable for many reasons; a standout performance, an impecable bit of camerawork, the sets, or sometimes it can be the vehicles that stel the show.
You can tell a lot from a character in a movie from the car they drive. If it’s an Aston, well they’re probably suave and sophisticated. If it’s a massive black tank, they’re probably on their way to take down the Joker. Cars in films have longsince had the ability to become just as notorious as the actors themselves. Here’s some of the cars to have done just that:
DeLorean DMC-12
Films: Back to the Future, Back to the Future II, Back to the Future III
The DeLorean DMC-12 is up there with the TARDIS in terms of iconic time machines. The car was the only ever model made by DeLorean Motor Company, with the company itself only lasting seven years before it died. The unusual gull-winged sportscar was immortalised by Back to the Future as the Doc’s peculiar time traveling machine. Fitted with a Flux Capacitor, the car in the films could achieve time travel once it hit 88 mph. The war was only produced from 1981 and 1983, with little more than 9,000 models made. Despite the car being a commercial flop at first, its cult-film status means the cars now sell for more than US $30,000.
Video from Movieclips
Herbie
Films: The Love Bug, Herbie Rides Again, Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo, Herbie Goes Bananas, The Love Bug (1997), Herbie: Fully Loaded
Disney is no stranger to whipping up iconic characters, Herbie however is one of its few automotive success stories. Modelled on a Volkswagen Beetle, already one of the world’s most recognisable cars, Herbie was an anthropomorphic race car capable of driving himself to victory in numerous races. Starting way back in 1968, the Herbie franchise is a long-standing one, with six films contributing to Herbie’s old-school notoriety. The car was infamous for its absurd physics and mannerisms set in the real world, such as driving itself while cut in half and thus coming first and third in a race. The Beetle itself is too one of the best-selling cars in history.
Video from Jalen Moran
Bumblebee
Films: Transformers, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Transformers: The Last Knight, Bumblebee
Yet another anthropomorphic vehicle, Bumblebee is one of the most known robots in the Transformers franchise, alongside Optimus Prime. Bumblebee has taken the form of a few different cars over the years, most notably the Chevrolet Camaro, though originally it was a Beetle. Bumblebee has in fact taken the form of Camaros ranging from the year 1977 all the way to 2010 depending which film you’re watching. It’s up to you which car is the most eye-catching, but we can all distinguish the Autobot by his yellow and black colour scheme. Thanks to Michael Bay’s blowy-upy movies, most people call black and yellow Camaro a Bumblebee.
Video from Paramount Pictures
Batmobile/Tumbler
Films: Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises
The only car out there that can go toe to toe with a Bond car is a Batmobile. Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy has been praised for many things and its reimagining of the Batmobile is no exception. Called the Tumbler, it’s a massive military vehicle made of carbon fibre that has machine guns, rocket launchers, a deployable motorcycle, and even the ability to fly. Outside Wayne’s suit, it’s the most identifiable bit of Bat tech around. Better yet, the car wasn’t all CGI and visual magic, it’s a real car, with a real engine, with 65 real carbon fibre panels comprising it. A replica of the colossal car was once for sale for a cool US $1 million.
Video from Mrfreezy
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Films: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Not only is ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ incredibly fun to say, it’s also an incredibly famous car in the eponymous film and line of childrens’ novels. The movie car was a modified Ford, depicted as a Victorian racecar. Chitty later became scrap and was reinvented by a British man to allow it fly, drive on water, and act as a submarine. The magical car itself was inspired by racing cars of the same name as used in the 1920s. The film car was designed in secret for seven months, with its wooden boat body made from red and white cedar, the car was then finished in aluminium, brass, and copper. Though the car was from 1936, it was reworked for the 1968 film.
Video from Nemms
Ectomobile
Films: Ghostbusters, Ghostbuster II, Ghostbusters (2016)
Sure it’s a weird ambulance and hearse combination, but for US $4,800, how could the Ghostbusters turn it down? The vehicle, modelled on a 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood, was the Ghostbusters’ top choice of transportation when catching ghosts and ghouls around New York City. Once repaired by the Ghostbusters, the ‘car’ was used to carry all their crucial ghost-trapping and hunting equipment. The car was driven around after the release of the first film and caused crashes as fans went crazy when they saw such an iconic cruising down Manhattan streets.
Video from IrisCorven
Lykan Hypersport
Films: Fast and Furious 7
When you’re deciding upon an iconic car in the Fast and Furious franchise, you’re not exactly short of choices. Vin Diesel’s Dodge, Paul Walker’s Supra. Our pick goes to the Lykan Hypersport in the Fast and Furious 7 film. This mutli-million dollar car means business, it has the option to put diamonds in the gearstick and headlights if you so wish, not to mention a repair service brought to you by helicopter. This luxury doesn’t stop Vin Diesel from smashing the car through the Jumeirah Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi like a hot knife through butter. It stands as one of the most memorable scenes in FF’s long history, and it introduced a fairly esoteric hypercar to the world.
Video from Halekou Productions
Aston Martin DB5
Films: Goldfinger, Thunderball, GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, Casino Royale, Skyfall, Spectre
The 1964 Aston Martin DB5 is not only the most iconic James Bond car of all time, which is saying a lot, it’s perhaps the most iconic film in all of cinematic history. Appearing first with Sean Connery in 1964’s Goldfinger, the car went onto make a presence in a further six films, soon to be seven. Even with the Q-Branch touch up it’s a seriously sleek car, but once kitted out it has some of the most famous Bond gadgets of all, from machine guns, to the revolving number plate, to the passenger elector seat. Any DB5 will be guaranteed to fetch millions of dollars.
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