While the actors and special effects certainly make or break most movies, sometimes, it's the vehicles involved that make the most impact.
These iconic cars, trucks, and... well... other rides, truly made these epic films great. From the ECTO-1 to the Mystery Machine, the Batmobile to the Transformer's Bumblebee, these movie cars changed the game and left a lasting impression.
Did your favorite make the cut?
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang The Magical Car
For this film, six cars were created, one of which was fully functional. In 1967, it was designed by the film’s production designer Ken Adam and built by the Ford Racing Team or Alan Mann Racing—semantics—and fitted with a Ford 3000 V-6 engine and an automatic transmission. Considered to the one of the most expensive movie props sold at auction, the GEN 11 fetched $805,000 in 2011, sold alongside the Wicked Witch’s crystal ball from The Wizard of Oz, James Dean’s tweed jacket from Rebel Without a Cause, and John Lennon’s original handwritten lyrics for “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”
Captain Nemo
Captain Nemo's 24-ft custom car from the film The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen sold on eBay for over $165,000. This six-wheeled creation was built in West End, North Carolina and is as wide as a Peterbiot semi. The design is loosely based on the Cadillac limousine. It took roughly 6,500 hours to make and no short cuts were taken in its construction. The detail work was carved in reverse and cast in molds.
The Lost World 1969 Pontiac Le Mans
This beauty of a car only caught minimal screen time in the Jurassic Park follow-up The Lost World. In the film, it was painted red and sitting at a gas station when the dinosaurs were released into the masses. Last year, the car was sold and the new blue paint job made an appearance on the Le Mans.
Cars 2
A real-life version of Lightning McQueen was created in 2017 for the Detroit Motor Show, but before this version was created, an article in 2006 attempted to translate the Pixar favorite into real life specs. The reporter guessed that the car was "part Le Mans endurance racer with some Lola and Ford GT40 thrown in." When the real version was created, it followed suit. It had 750-horsepower V-8, capable of reaching 60 mph in 3.2 seconds, and tops out at 200 mph. The prop car frequents promotional and marketing events.
Mater from Cars
For the debut of Cars 2 Disney pulled out all the stops when it came to PR and promotional marketing. Downtown Disney had full-size replicas of the Cars characters. Mack the Truck Hauler was both functional and decorative. The replicas could be stored inside and also transported to different car shows and PR events around the country.
Ant-Man and The Wasp 1953 Mercury Custom
Universal uses this car in a lot of its films. From Ant-Man and the Wasp to Fate of the Furious, the 1953 Mercury Custom is still mostly just stock with only a few minor upgrades as parts have worn out. The car has been kept in mint condition, and you can actually purchase it for the low price of $13,000, a steal in the world of cinematic history.
Furious 7 2015 Chevrolet Fast Attack
Jason Statham played the villain, Deckard Shaw, in Furious 7, and drove around in this Mad Max lookalike vehicle. Six were made for the film, and three remain and are available for purchase for righta round $30,000. Fast Attack has a 5.3 liter LS1 engine with a custom off-road chassis. Furious 7 was the last film made with Paul Walker, and that alone maked this one worthy of a car collection.
Hooper Trans-Am
Burt Reynolds was seen gleaming his pearly whites in this famous Trans Am from Hooper. Who can forget the iconic bridge jumping scene in this bad boy? While several prop cars were used in the film, Burt kept this specific car for his personal collection after filming, which explains the $88,000 auction sale price years later.
Speed Racer Mach 5
The real-life version of the iconic Mach 5 from the 1960s cartoon Speed Racer, took about a year to build. A father and son duo set out to build a project car and after doing some research they reached out to Speed Racer Enterprises to work with their design team to perfect the build. The car is built on a Corvette chassis with a wraparound windshield. It has cool gadget features like the cartoon version, with things like a functional periscope and working saw blades. Currently, it tours the country with Speed Racer Enterprises and sometimes even rides along the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade route in NYC.
The Bucket List 1970 Dodge Challenger
This car was featured not only in The Bucket List, but also the 2010 biographical film about Joan Jett called The Runaways. This Challenger had under 3,000 miles on it and all the modern upgrades we enjoy like air conditioning, power brakes, power steering, and a 5.7 L Hemi. It sold just last year to a buyer for just under $50,000.
The Fast and the Furious Toyota Supra
When the first TFATF hit theaters back in 2001, there was no predicting what a massive part of pop culture it would become. The first film was truly where it all began, quite literally, and the epic race between Brian O'Conner's Supra and Dom Toretto's Charger was one for the books. The Supra is now making a comeback thanks to the love it has received over the years from TFATF fans and franchise.
American Gangster 1972 Lincoln Town Car
While typically Lincoln's have this "old people" appeal, the 2007 film American Gangster evolved that perception to also include mobsters. Denzel Washington rode around in that car and looked like a total bada$$. It was supposed to then be used in the Green Hornet, but the project then later passed on the car. Currently, it's valued at just $12,000.
Bonnie & Clyde 1934 Ford Sedan
The 1934 Ford sedan used for the 1967 TV version of the true story of Bonnie and Clyde was rescued from a museum fire and restored to play the infamous death car for the series. The real death car, however, actually participated in the 1987 Great Race that featured cars made before World War II. While the B&C Ford didn't win the race, it was one of the most highly anticipated entrants.
Boardwalk Empire 1925 Ford Model TT
The 1925 Model Ford TT tow truck was a simple yet powerful early vehicle. The model T tower featured a basic 4-cyclinder mated to a 4-speed manual transmission. The perfectly petinaed 90-year-old automobile was listed for sale for $15,400. Not only is it a piece of TV history, but also a true piece of automobile history, too, and with that price tag, it's a steal of a deal!
Herbie the Love Bug
There were multiple cars used to make the iconic Herbie films popular in the late '70s and early '80s. Many of the famous VW cars are now on display in museums across the globe in Korea, England, Germany, and the U.S. Seven of the cars are privately owned, the most recent selling for $120k in Australia.
Ferris Bueller Ferrari
Turns out the famous Ferrari from Ferris Bueller's Day Off wasn't even a Ferrari at all. It was a 1985 Modena GT Spyder California, a kit car, a Ford outfitted with a Ferrari-style fiberglass body. Three were made for the film but only two are still currently in existence. The prop car values at $325-375k, which is not bad for a knock-off.
Breaking Bad 1973 Ford Ranchero GT
This 1973 Ford Ranchero GT appeared in season 5 of Breaking Bad as well as Eric Church's music video for "GIve Me Back My Home Town." The inside of this car, however, needs some serious attention. Apparently the interior is shredded and the car needs a serious detail job, but this piece of TV history can be yours for just $10,000, and according to its owner, it still runs great
Ghost Busters ECTO-1
The ECTO-1 was built on a 1959 Cadillac professional chassis designed to be an ambulance/hearse combination. Thirty years later, the car still looks just as cool as it did during filming. It used to frequent displays at various auto museums. Unfortunately, while a duplicate was sold at auction for $80,000 the real ECTO-1 is currently sitting on a studio prop lot.
Bad Moms 1970 Dodge Challenger
While this car looks pretty awesome, it's actually because it's a very minimalist design for a Challenger. The turn signals were removed from the fender, the grill was blacked out, the black hood scoop and racing stripes were removed, and new tires were put on, and what was left was a lean, mean, beauty of a car. The Bad Moms were riding in style in this hot rod.
Jurrasic Park Mercedes Benz ML 320
Jurassic Park was responsible for putting this model on the map with consumers in 1997. Each SUV had the following features for the film: 4-wheel drive, a front tow cable, front bull bars, a winch, fog lights, custom step bars, rear tail light guards, leather seats, and camouflage paint. Furthermore, each variant included other small changes like bottom mounts for jerry cans, a cut-out backside, mounted light bars, bubble-top windows, and dual mounted side mirror searchlights.
American Horror Story 1956 Desoto Sedan
Believe it or not, this incredible classic car is listed for sale with 32,920 miles and a price tag of just $11,800. This 1956 Desoto Sedan appeared on the second season of American Horror Story, Celia Lives, PFLAG, Aquarius, and Time Traveling Bong. It's equipped with a v8 engine, push-button transmission, and brand new brakes.
Smokey and the Bandit 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
Director Howe Needham only needed one look at the '77 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am to know it was THE car for the movie. Most of the cars used to film ended up pretty destroyed, but one made it through post-production, although it wasn't exactly functioning on the inside. The car had to be pushed through the final scene after taking a beating on set.
1989 Batmobile
While it hardly resembles it, the '89 Batmobile is built on a Chevrolet Impala chassis with a v8 engine. But the Impala chassis is paired with a 1970 Corvette base to create this iconic ride. In 2008, the car was listed on eBay with a starting bid of $500,000. The original Batmobile from the 1960s TV series sold for a whopping $4.5 million.
Bullitt 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback S-Code GT
Steve McQueen's classic car was thought to be lost after filming wrapped, but nearly 50 years later it was discovered that the Mustang had been purchased by a studio exec. who then sold it to an NYPD detective. The detective's wife used the car as a daily driver until the clutch went and he most in to storage in 1980. Ironically, the car was discovered just in time for the 50th anniversary of the film.
James Bond's Aston Martin
In Goldfinger and Thunderball Sean Connery drove a loaned Aston Martin DB5. After filming, Aston Martin sold one of the cars to radio DJ Jerry Lee for $12,000 in 1969.Aftr 41 years, he then sold the car to Harry Yeaggy for $4.1 million--talk about a return on investment!
Mad Max 1975 Ford Interceptor
The Mad Max V8 Interceptor "Pursuit Special" is based on a Falcon XB GT Coupe modified to be a police interceptor. The car appeared at the end of the film and in the second film, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior. After the second film, stuntman Murray Smith sold it to a junkyard. It was then rescued by Bob Furesnko and was restored for an appearance in Mad Max Fury Road.
Dukes of Hazzard 1969 Dodge Charger Coupe
Known to most as the General Lee, most of the cars used in the TV series were destroyed after various stunts throughout filming. A few of them made it out alive, though. Professional Golfer, Bubba Watson, bought the very first version used in episode 1 for $110,000, however another version that had less screen time sold on eBay in 2007 for $9.9 million!
Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine
The famous mystery machine is a 1972 Ford Econoline van with a fabulous $15,000 paint job. The inside of the van is even more impressive clad with disco lights, a blue couch, green table, orange chaise, and even a ghost finder. The Mystery Machine has a 320 cubic inch v8 mated to an automatic transmission.
Knight Rider 1988 Pontiac Firebird
The story behind how Knight Rider got the Firebird for production use is even more amazing than the car itself. Eric Dahlquist was president of Pontiac's West Coast PR Agency contacted Vista Group and tells them, "Be at the PMT lot this afternoon at 4 p.m. There will be three black Trans Ams there with the keys inside." The crew arrived at the lot to find three new Trans-Ams with the keys in them, ready for them to use in the filming of the show.
Bumblebee Chevy Camaro
Bumblebee from The Transformers is a 5th generation Chevy Camaro. There were five cars used for filming and post-production they were listed for sale by Barrett-Jackson. They sold as a complete set for $500k.
Vanishing Point Dodge Challenger R/T
Kowalski's mission in the film Vanishing Point seemed pretty simple: drive this beaut of a white Dodge Challenger R/T from Denver to San Francisco. Of course, like all films, nothing goes to plan, and the Challenger is just as vital of a character as the rest of the cast.
Tucker: The Man and His Dream
Tucker automobiles were considered cars of the future in the '40s. These cars featured a third centered headlight that swiveled as a driver turned, defensive pivoting fenders, disc brakes, a windshield that ejected during a crash, a rear engine, and a padded dash. Twenty-seven Tuckers were used on set for the film with Francis Ford Coppola. Your best chance of seeing one today is at the Smithsonian, unless you have $3 million big ones to buy one when they by chance come up at auction.
The Spy Who Loved Me Lotus Esprit
While driving your car straight into the ocean is usually frowned upon, when you're James Bond, nothing is ever out of the question. His Lotus Esprit could transform into a submarine and it's probably one of the coolest things a car has ever done in a film. Upping its cool factor is the fact that Elon Musk now owns this piece of movie history.
Back to the Future Delorean DMC-12
There wasn't just one DeLoreon for the filming of BTTF, rather, there were seven. Three of the cars still exist, and one just sold at auction for $541,000, and part of the proceeds went to the Michael J. Fox Foundation to support Parkinson's research. The original MSRP of the DeLoreon was $12,000, and if the one sold hadn't been used in the film, it would be worth just about $30,000.
Two-Lane Blacktop 1955 Chevrolet 150
Whether you hated or loved the movie, the 1955 Chevy 150 was one amazing car and was just as vital to the film as the actors. Three of the vehicles were used for filming and they were all rigged up to get interior shots. The car was also used in American Graffiti and only needed a new transmission. The car sold for $159,500 in 2015at auction.
The Blue Brothers Bluesmobile 1974 Dodge Monaco
This decommissioned Mount Prospect, IL police cruiser was totally iconic thanks to SNL vets Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi in The Blues Brothers. While originall a sketch on the show, it evolved to two films. The Dodge Monaco was used in the first film and was followed up in 1990 for the sequel with a 1990 Ford LTD Crown Victoria.
Starsky & Hutch 1976 Ford Gran Torino
The "Striped Tomato" aka, the '76 Ford Gran Torino from the Starsky and Hutch TV series, was actually one of four prop cars used for filming. You can own a piece of this show by purchasing one of the cars for $110,000, which seems steep, but the Gran Torino also had a limited production and there are currently less than 300 in existence.
The Dark Knight's Tumbler
For the Dark Knight, a styrofoam model was made first and then 20 people set to work on it. Inside features a 5.7 liter 350 cubic inch engine pumping out 400 bhp. While people like to speculate that it's based off a Mercedes or Humvee, it's actually a totally unique custom creation. The Tumbler tops out at 100 mph!
The Munsters 1966 Drag-U-La Coffin Car
This iconic 1966 roadster from The Munsters is powered by a Chevy 400 engine. Butch Patrick who played the original Eddie Munster currently owns the car which had been built to travel the country and meet fans. The engine is mated to a TH350 automatic transmission for a smooth driving experience. Recently, Drag-U-La was listedf or sale for right around $60k.
American Graffiti 1932 Ford Coupe
Pre-Star Wars, George Lucas shot American Graffiti, which was virtually an homage to car culture in California back in the '60s. Ron Howard, Harrison Ford, and Richard Dreyfus graced the silver screen alongside some of the most classic and impressive hot rods ever made. The 1932 Ford Coupe has become the most recognized Deuce Coupe in the world thanks to this film.
The A-Team
In the 80s, the A-Team's iconic van was one of two that GMC provided for the show to use as "hero vehicles," while another 6 were loaned as stunt vans. If you look closely when watching the show you can see the small variances between each van.
Bad Boys Porsche 964 Turbo 3.6
While there are so many beautiful cars featured in the Bad Boys franchise, the Porsche 964 Turbo featured in the first movie really turned heads. It's a classic beauty and really nothing beats an old Porsche.
Baby Driver Subaru Impreza WRX
The Subaru WRX used for filming Baby Driver was painted red and featured all black wheels. It was used in the awesome opening getaway scene of the film. Post-filming it was featured in advertising and marketing for the film. It recently sold for $69,100.
The Big Lebowski 1973 Ford Gran Torino
John Goodman's choice of car in this film was actually supposed to be a Chrysler LeBaron originally, but Goodman was a little too large for it. They switch it to a Gran Torino, two of which were used in the filming. One got destroyed in the film but the other lasted just long enough to make it onto an episode of the X-Files where it was then also destroyed.
Bad Boys II Ferrari 550 Maranello
This chase scene from Bad Boy II is epic as it is, but the addition of the Ferrari 550 Maranello, makes it one of the greatest of all time. This sleek and fast beauty of a car was the perfect partner for the Bad Boys.
Gone in 60 Seconds 'Eleanor'
While Nicolas Cage and Angelina Jolie revived the love of Mustangs in the remake of Gone in 60 Seconds, the original film featured a yellow 1971 Mustage updated to looke like a '73. While the current display car is a bit beat up, it shows off its true colors from the beating it took in the film.
Mad Max 1973 XB GT Ford Falcon
In the '60s and '70s Australian arms of American car companies created muscle cars that never actually made it to the states, one of which was the Falcon. The Falcon XB GT was powered by a 351-cid V-8. The Falcon was used in Mad Max and the filmmakers transformed it into the "Pursuit Special" with a new nose, flares, fat tires, and a (non-functioning) switch-activated supercharger.
John Wick 1969 Mustang
While it's identified as a Boss 429 in the film, Keanu Reeves actually drove around in a '69 Mustang Mach 1 with a 390 V-8 or a 428. The Boss 429 is super rare and highly collectable--one even sold at auction in 2015 for $550,000.
Mad Max: Fury Road The Gigahorse
Mad Max fans were thrilled when Mad Max: Fury Road was announced for 2015. They were even more thrilled when the film featured some of the most insane vehicles ever to grace the silver screen, one of which was the Gigahorse. A combination of just about every cool car to ever exist, this epic ride was the most unforgettable of the film.
Iron Man 2008 Audi R8
What else would a genius billionaire playboy philanthropist drive? The 2008 R8 has a mid-mounted, 420-hp, 4.2-liter V-8 engine, goes 62 mph in 4.6 seconds, and features an aluminum and magnesium space frame. The Audi R8 was known as the “car Iron Man drives,” sitting in his garage alongside a Shelby Cobra, Saleen S7, Tesla Roadster, and a 1932 Ford Flathead Roadster.
Christine 1958 Plymouth Fury
A Stephen King horror film based around a car? Absolutely. Between 23 and 28 cars were used to make this film, and actually, not all of them were Furys. Production posted ads around the country offering to buy Furys, Belvederes, and Savoys, too. Most of the collected cars were used on screen while the rest were used for spare parts.
Jurassic Park 1992 Ford Explorer XLT UN46
Six Ford Explorers were used in the making of the '92 classic Jurassic Park. The cars were modified to look automated by hiding the drivers in the trunk, navigating the set with two cameras feeding them outside images. By the end of filming three dumpsters were filled with parts from destroyed cars, after all, they took a beating going up against the prehistoric monsters.
Wayne's World 1 & 2 1976 AMC Pacer "Mirthmobile"
What's not to love about the Mirthmobile? The '92 film did its part in resurrecting the Pacer as well as "Bohemian Rhapsody." While it's notorious for being one of the ugliest cars of all time it was one of the earliest "compact cars" to date. For the movie, only one Pacer was used, and it had the larger 4.2-liter I-6 motor mated to a three-speed auto transmission. The hatchback was modified for the film inside and out, including a hole in the roof allowing for the installation of the red-rope licorice dispenser.
Better Off Dead 1967 Chevy Camaro SS
In this underrated '80s film John Cusack impulsively buys this 1967 Chevy Camaro SS and restores it with the help of a French foreign exchange student. Once the car is ready to go, Cusack scores some street cred, and a girlfriend. A fan tracked down the car and now takes it across the country for various car show appearances.
National Lampoon's Vacation 1979 Ford LTD Country Squire
Clark Griswold and his family set out on a familiy vacation in their classic wood-paneled station wagon. The “Wagon Queen Family Truckster,” or a heavily modified Ford LTD Country Squire, played a big role in the film. There was reportedly 5 total station wagons used in filming. In 2013 Mecum offered one of the film-used cars for $35k but it didnt sell. It then showed up on Hemmings with a $39,900 price tag. As the car salesman said when Clark made this unwanted purchase, “You think you hate it now, wait ’til you drive it.”
Tommy Boy 1967 Plymouth Belvedere GTX
The battle between Callahan Auto and Zalinsky Auto Parts was one well fought by Chris Farley and David Spade. Tommy Boy asks Richard about his GTX and he says he “dropped in a 440 Magnum with a six-pack. You hang on to a car this cherry.” When the hood departs after Tommy left an oil can in there, you can see that the engine has an air cleaner for a single four-barrel, 440 Commando.
Dumb and Dumber 194 Ford Econoline
The Shaggin' Wagon from Dumb and Dumber is probably the most ridiculous car on this list. Lloyd and Harry rode around in this "modified" Econoline, clad with tan carpet added inside and out along with a tail, ears, legs, nose, whiskers, and a tongue. The "best" part about the van was that you had to "lift" a rear leg to fill up on gas.
Thelma & Louise 1966 Ford Thunderbird
As is typical of most outlaws, Thelma and Louise rode around in a classic car. It was actually just chosen for its practicality when it comes to filming characters riding around in it. Five total cars were used for filming and one cold at auction in 2008 for $71,500 after driving around Brad Pitt and Geena Davis.
RoboCop 6000 SUX
The body of the 6000 SUX was a '77 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. The story behind the name of the car was from director, Paul Verhoeven, who originall wanted to use the Ford Taurus in the film but Ford was not interested in participating at all, so he named the car after the Taurus's main competitor at the time, the Pontiac 6000. Two complete SUX cars were built for the film.
Little Miss Sunshine 1971 Volkswagen T2 Microbus
To get Olive to her pageant in California, this dysfunctional family jumped in their yellow VW Microbus. Five total were used for filming, only three were functional, though. After winning the SAG Award for best ensemble, Kinnear gave thanks to the iconic unsung costar: "I'd like to thank the engineers at Volkswagen for making a beautiful vehicle back in 1969 that is so comfortable, so safe." Fox Searchlight hosted a special screening of the film in California for VW bus owners, and one of the screen-used buses is on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
Grease 1948 Ford De Luxe Convertible
While Grease is filled with a plethora of classic cars, the 1948 Ford De Luxe used in the Grease Lightning Song scene is the car of Danny Zuko's dreams. With chopped front fenders, a Plexiglas 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 when he uses a column shifter.