To the automotive enthusiast, cars mean everything. So it should be no surprise that when a new movie comes out we car people have the tendency to get caught up on the automobiles featured in the films, rather than the actors. So we at TFLcar made a list of the top 10 most famous movie cars counted down.
Editors Notice: There is no real scientific method to this list. We picked this order as an editorial team based off of our own perceptions of these vehicles.
10: 1973 Ford Falcon XB GT coupe (Mad Max)
While the demeanor of Mad Max himself is quite reserved and quiet, his car surely isn’t. This heavily modified Ford Falcon is about as bad ass as movie cars get. With a huge supercharger on top of an already large V8, this Aussie market Ford was Max’s trusty steed in the harsh, post-apocalyptic wasteland of the Australian desert.
9: Any car that James Bond Drives (James Bond)
Some disagreement occurred in the office over what version of the Bond car should go here. Should it be the submarine Lotus Esprit from The Spy Who Loved Me? Or is the latest DB-11 concept the most famous car that Bond has driven? My argument is for the DB-5, the classic Aston Martin. However, we came to the conclusion that all of these cars were made famous by the man himself and for that reason, the ninth most famous movie car is any car that Mr. Bond has had the pleasure to drive (and in many cases wreck).
8: 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am (Smokey and the Bandit)
While Burt Reynolds certainly shined in the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit, it was his car that stole our hearts. With a stunning black and gold paint scheme plus a monstrous 6.6-liter V8 engine and best of all, T-tops, it’s hard not to fall in love with this classic piece of American muscle. For these reasons, the Trans-Am takes the number eight spot on this list.
7: K.I.T.T. (Knight Rider)
With a stunningly long list of technological features (30+), including artificial intelligence, K.I.T.T. represents a technological marvel of engineering and computer science. All of this was placed on a modified 1982 Pontiac Trans-Am which perhaps upped the cool factor even more. Although it technically is not a movie car, we felt it was still important to include this automotive icon in the list because of how well known it is, plus it did show up in the movie The Benchwarmers for a brief moment.
6: Mach V (Speed Racer)
Originally run in the 60’s and later remade in the 90’s and late 2000’s, the Speed Racer series was a car kid’s dream. A cartoon about a kid who gets to drive around in a race car with a myriad of cool options such as front mounted saw blades and bulletproof tires, Speed Racer captured the minds of millions of children in both America and Japan. The timeframe over which this franchise has remained relevant, as well as the uniqueness of the vehicle, are what put the Mach V at the number 6 spot on our list.
5: The General Lee (The Dukes of Hazard)
While the Confederate flag on this 1969 Dodge Charger’s roof may be the cause of much controversy, it may also be the reason that this car is so famous. Whatever them Duke boys were up to, their trusty General Lee always had their back, despite the doors being welded shut. The quirky demeanor and wild stunts performed in the car ascended this car to automotive legend which is why the General Lee takes our #5 spot.
Fun fact: 255 Dodge Chargers were used in the filming of the original TV series, which is on average, more than one Charger per episode. Only 17 are left in various states of repair.
4: 1970 Dodge Charger R/T (The Fast and the Furious)
With a famed 900 horsepower and a record 1/4 mile time of 9 seconds flat, we consider Dominic Toretto’s Charger to be the star car of the long-running Fast and Furious franchise. Some of you may complain that we have two Chargers and two Trans-Ams on the list, but really it is just a testament to how great these two American muscle icons are.
3: DMC DeLorean (Back to the Future)
How could we not include the DeLorean? This is perhaps one of the most recognizable cars of its time. With wild 1980s styling and a stainless steel surface, the DeLorean was the perfect car to be transformed into a time machine (sorry Austin Powers). The movie was so successful that the DeLorean is instantly recognizable to almost anyone.
2: Herbie (The Love Bug)
The VW Beetle is already one of the most famous cars ever produced, so it only made sense for this 1968 classic to make use of the Beetle as its protagonist. This lovable bug captured the hearts of millions with its adorable mannerisms and its surprising attitude. Everyone knows Herbie, and it should be no surprise that this car made the number two spot.
1: The Batmobile (Batman)
To finish off our top 10 list, we have chosen the Batmobile as the most famous movie vehicle. However, this time we are specifically talking about the one from the Dark Night trilogy, nicknamed the Tumbler. The product of Wayne Enterprise’s Applied Sciences Division, the Batmobile is a marvel of modern technology and engineering. Designed to look like the mix between a Lamborghini and a tank, the Tumbler Batmobile ticks all of the cool boxes. The popularity of the Batman franchise and of his most famous vehicle makes this Batmobile our definitive number one choice for most famous movie car.
As always with TFLcar we have chosen to include a bonus car. While it did not make the top 10, we still felt it deserved an honorable mention. That car is Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters:
This behemoth ambulance-wagon is based on a 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood professional chassis with a Miller-Meteor Futura Ambulance/Hearse body. What set this Caddy apart were its crazy sirens, lights and radio antennas mounted to the lengthy roof of the 1950’s ambulance/hearse. It would be hard to say that this car was the star of Ghostbusters, given the assortment of comedy geniuses in that film. The fact that the car was still able to shine through the star studded cast may tell you everything you need to know.
Fun fact: Allegedly, during promotion following the film’s release in 1984, Ecto-1 was driving around New York City and drew so much attention that it actually managed to cause multiple accidents.
Thanks for checking out out top 10 most famous movie cars counted down list, and check out this TFLcar video of another top 10 list, this time of badass family haulers:
