For gearheads, cars and other vehicles are the real stars of some movies. Whether it’s sweet vintage cars like those seen in movies like Dazed and Confused or highly customized one-offs like K.I.T.T. on Knight Rider, cars play a huge role in Hollywood history.
K.I.T.T.
If you grew up in the ’80s, you know what one car we have to include here. The talking supercomputer/Trans-Am driven by Michael Knight (David Hasselhoff) known simply as K.I.T.T. The “Knight Industries Two Thousand” car, voiced originally by William Daniels could do just about anything, and it’s one of the few examples where the car truly was the star of a show.
James Bond’s DB5
Without question one of the most iconic cars in film history is the ultra-cool Aston Martin DB5 driven by James Bond. Audiences first saw the car in Goldfinger in 1964 and it has since appeared in Thunderball, GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, Casino Royale, Skyfall, Spectre, and No Time To Die. You simply can’t separate the spy from his sportscar and while there are other very cool cars in other Bond flicks, the DB5 reigns supreme.
Starsky And Hutch’s Gran Torino
Nothing epitomizes ’70s cool like the 1976 Ford Gran Torino driven by the police partners in Starsky and Hutch. There’s nothing super special about it, it doesn’t have machine guns or ejection seats, it’s just cool. Fans of the show in the ’70s argued over who they wanted to be, Starsky or Hutch, but everyone agreed they wanted to drive the Gran Torino.
Ecto-1
Before the modifications made by the Ghostbusters, the 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor Sentinel that became “Ecto-1” was pretty darn cool. After the modifications in the first Ghostbusters, it became the envy of kids all over the world. From the great siren to the logo on the side, to the ghost storage unit in the back, this is one cool station wagon.
Batmobile
It’s impossible to pick the coolest Batmobile. Throughout the years, every version of Batman has had his own version of the iconic car, and all of them are cool in their own way. Still, it’s hard not to highlight the modified ’59 Cadillac from the 1960s TV show. It’s first among equals.
Mr. Frye’s Ferrari California
The 1961 Ferrari 250GT California. Less than a hundred were made, as Cameron (Alan Ruck) explains in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, which might just be the coolest car in the world, on screen or off. While the cars in the movie were actually all replicas, it still has to be included here. Real 1961 Ferrari 250GT California Spyder’s are insanely expensive too. One of the most famous has been owned by Hollywood star James Coburn and Former Top Gear host Chris Evans and is thought to be one of the most valuable cars in the world.
Magnum’s Ferrari 308 GTSi
Thomas Magnum is one of the coolest TV characters in history, so it makes sense that the star of Magnum, P.I., played by Tom Selleck, would drive a really cool car. “Robin 1” as it was known (named after the license plate), Magnum’s Ferrari 308 was actually a few different 308s over the 8-year run of the show, but they were all super cool.
The Mystery Machine
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! debuted in 1969, and in a fitting tribute to the era, the Scooby gang roamed around the country in a van painted in psychedelic colors, just like many of the hippies of the era. It’s vaguely reminiscent of a VW Bus, of course, but The Mystery Machine is something all its own.
Eleanor
While “Eleanor” from Gone In 60 Seconds isn’t a factory-perfect 1967 Mustang Shelby GT500, as it’s portrayed in the movie, it’s still one of the coolest cars ever, both in the movie and in real life. The car used in the movie was modified for filming, but that doesn’t make it less awesome.
The Bandit’s Trans-Am
If you’re going to bootleg stolen beer across state lines, you’re going to need a fast car. The Bandit’s Trans-Am in Smokey In The Bandit is maybe the most iconic car in movie history. Not only was it the first Trans-Am, but it’s still the version you’d want to buy, a black T-top with a gold eagle. Admit it, you want one.
Dom’s Dodge Charger
If we’re honest here, we could populate this entire list with nothing but cars from the Fast franchise. Instead, we’ve chosen one – Dom’s black 1970 Dodge Charger – to represent the entire series. It’s the muscliest muscle car that ever muscled with the beefy supercharger poking through the hood and equipped with a nitrous system, and it’ll blow away anything else off the line.
The Bluesmobile
The Bluesmobile, driven by the Blues brothers in the movie of the same name, might not look like much, but, as Elwood (Dan Aykroyd) says, “It’s got a cop motor… cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks…” so it goes hard. You’ll need to fix the lighter, though.
Frank Bullitt’s ’68 Mustang
You simply can’t talk about cool cars and Hollywood without talking about the late Steve McQueen. The actor was almost as famous for his love of cars as he was for his movies. Of course, at the top of the list of cars he drove in movies is the ’68 Mustang he tears around San Francisco in in Bullitt.
Pickford’s Pontiac GTO
Dazed and Confused is chock full of amazing ’70s cars, so we need to pick just one to represent them all. Wooderson’s (Matthew McConaughey) Chevy Chevelle SS might be the obvious pick here, but there isn’t anything cooler than the opening notes of “Sweet Emotion” at the beginning of the movie as audiences see Pickford’s (Shawn Andrews) 1970 Pontiac GTO cruising around the parking lot.
The A-Team Van
Not every cool vehicle on TV is a car, either. Any child of the ’80s will tell you they grew up dreaming about riding around in the black, grey, and red van that belonged to the crew of military misfits in The A-Team. While stock GMC Vandura’s may not be all that cool, the paint job and other modifications make the A-Team’s van special.
Sonny Crockett’s Ferrari Testarossa
Miami Vice was a show that could’ve filled up this list all by itself with all the cool cars that appeared, but none were more iconic than the Ferraris driven by Sonny Crockett (Don Johnson). We’ve included the Testarossa he drove in the latter seasons, not because it’s cooler than the Daytona he drove early on, but because the Testarossas were actual Ferraris, whereas the Daytona was a replica built for the show and was actually a Corvette made to look like a Ferrari Daytona.
The Bad Boys’ Porsche 964
In the original Bad Boys, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence had the pleasure of driving a very cool Porsche 964. The sports car was actually owned by director Michael Bay, and eventually sold (after Bay sold it years ago) for over a million dollars. It’s easy to understand why, as the Bad Boy franchise has only gotten more and more popular over the years.
John Wick’s Mustang
The beginning of the first John Wick is rough for the titular character, played by Keanu Reeves. He loses his wife, then the dog she gifted him before her death is murdered. He also has his wicked car, a ’68 Mustang, stolen at the same time. Everything John Wick does after that is justified, including getting the car back, even after it gets trashed.
Mad Max’s Ford Falcon Interceptor
Talk about a movie franchise full of wild, cool cars, Mad Max is among the wildest. So, to represent the series, we’re going with the O.G. car, Mel Gibson’s Ford Falcon Interceptor in the original movie. It’s the rat rod to end all rat rods and it’s amazing.
Mach Five
Perhaps the coolest race car in the universe is Speed Racer’s Mach Five. It’s legendary from the cartoon and has been part of all the various interactions of reboots, sequels, and the 2008 live-action version of Speed Racer. With the distinctive paint job and body style, it’s simply the race car every kid wants.
Blade’s ’68 Charger
1968 Mustangs are well represented in movies, and one of its biggest competitors, the ’68 Dodge Charger is represented admirably in the Wesley Snipes Blade movies. It’s the perfect car for the vampire killer and is as intimidating as a car can be.
EM-50 Urban Assault Vehicle
If you’re not going to get a fast car to drive in a movie, how about a fully-armed recreational vehicle? That’s what the guys in Stripes steal when they go into Czechoslovakia to rescue their big toe, Sgt. Hulka. The EM-50 Urban Assault Vehicle is no simple camper, it’s ready for war, even if the guys driving it aren’t.
Sebastian’s Jaguar XK140 In Cruel Intentions
If you love classic cars, it doesn’t get more elegant and classic than a 1956 Jaguar XK140 like Sebastian drives in Cruel Intentions. Sure, it’s pretty annoying to watch an annoying spoiled brat drive it around, but it’s hard not to stare in awe whenever it’s on screen. It does fit for the character, even if we hate him for it.
Thelma And Louise’s Ford Thunderbird
A convertible 1966 Ford Thunderbird is what dreams are made of. It’s a car that makes you feel invincible, just like it does for the titular characters in Thelma & Louise. If there’s anything we would change, it’s the tragic end for the car. While Thelma and Louise go out on their own terms, the poor Thunderbird doesn’t, we don’t think.
Christine
Christine, the car in movie with the same name, is terrifying, sure. No one wants to deal with a car with a homicidal mind of its own. But is sure is sweet to look at. The red 1958 Plymouth Fury is definition of classic cool. So if you’re willing to let the car take out an enemy or two, and you love ’50s Detroit steel, this is the car for you. Just don’t get on her bad side.
’66 Alfa Romeo Spider In The Graduate
The old hosts of Top Gear, who know a thing about cars, often insisted that if you’d never owned an Alfa Romero, you couldn’t really consider yourself a motor head. Just one look at the ’66 Alfa Romeo Spider in The Graduate, driven by Dustin Hoffman’s character, and you’ll almost certainly agree they have as much class and sophistication as a car get.
Greased Lightning
“Greased Lightning” is arguably the best song in Grease and in no small part to the visuals of building one mean-looking drag racer named Greased Lightning. Systematic, hydromatic, ultramatic, and probably some other “madics” too. The car itself looks kind of ridiculous, and none of the parts would actually work together, but no matter! It’s still awesome.
Doc Brown’s Delorean
You knew we couldn’t have this list without one of the most beloved cars (and time machines) in movie history. Doc Brown’s time machine in Back To The Future is the only reason anyone in the world remembers or desires the short-lived DMC Delorean. It was a terrible car that looked like the future and drove like the past. It works perfectly for Doc’s needs.
Sonny Corleone’s Lincoln Continental
It’s definitely not bulletproof, but the ’41 Lincoln Continental driven by Sonny Corleone in The Godfather is the epitome of what made the US car industry the envy of everyone in the ’30s and ’40s. Large and luxurious was the name of the name of the game in Detroit before World War II and the Continental was at the top of many lists for both.
The Porsche 928 In Risky Business
Nothing says “1980s” more than a really cool Porsche, like the 928 in Risky Business. If you ask an ’80s kid to draw the outline of a Porsche, there’s a good chance they’ll draw the 928 even without knowing what they are drawing. It’s just a shame where it ended up.
The Monkee’s Pontiac GTO
Like the band and TV show, Pontiac GTO driven in The Monkees is over-the-top and ridiculous. It’s like the designers watched the ’60s on TV and made what they thought embodied them. Kind of like the whole show, despite being one of the shows on TV at the time. It’s still pretty awesome though.
Herbie The Love Bug
Herbie The Love Bug in the Herbie series is the anti-Christine. It’s a car with a mind of its own, but it’s only interested in doing good, not evil. That makes it every kid’s favorite car and a big reason for the Volkswagon Beetle’s enduring appeal.