15 Extreme Cars from Films You’ll Wish You Could Drive

Ever wondered what it would be like to drive Steve McQueen’s Ford Mustang GT from Bullitt? How about Bond’s Aston Martin DB5, or Doc and Marty’s DeLorean DMC-12? You’re not alone. Lusting after famous film cars is something drivers have done for decades. But what are the most desirable cars of the silver screen, the ones that make you want to ditch the family Focus in favour of something more dangerous and exotic?

Here, we look at 15 extreme cars from films you’ll wish you could drive

1. The Gigahorse – Mad Max: Fury Road

 The GigaHorse

Out of all the extreme vehicles featured in Mad Max: Fury Road, the Gigahorse is, without question, the most hare-brained and madcap. Driven by the film’s freaky bad guy Immortan Joe, this monster of a car features two engines, two bodies, six massive wheels and a brutal battering ram — perfect for apocalyptic situations. Oh, and did we mention it produces over 1200bhp? That’s more than a Bugatti Veyron!

 2.  FAB 1 – Thunderbirds Are Go

Chaps, don’t pretend you’d turn down a ride in Lady Penelope’s FAB 1 from the 1966 film, Thunderbirds Are Go. It may be pink but this glorious six-wheeler, which was built from a modified Rolls-Royce, is an absolute icon, and is packed with state-of-the-art features like grappling hooks, machines guns and extendable tyre-studs — perfect for wintry commuting.

3. 007’s Submersible Lotus Espirit S1 – The Spy Who Loved Me

There was always going to be more than one Bond car on this list, and the second has to be 007’s submersible Lotus Espirit S1 from 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me. The car was used in a dramatic chase sequence on the beautiful Italian island of Sardinia, which culminates in Bond dipping casually beneath the waves behind the wheel of the car – perfect for overseas holidays. The Lotus also features heavy armour, machine guns and torpedoes.

4. Herbie – The Love Bug

It may not be the coolest car on this shortlist, but the character and charm of The Love Bug’s Herbie makes us want to drive him. Created by Walt Disney, Herbie is a racing Beetle with a mind of his own, who alongside driver, Jim Douglas, competes in a number of races across California. Capable of driving himself, we reckon Herbie would make a great companion on a dreary Monday morning commute.

5. Audi RSQ – I, Robot

 Audi iRobot

It may have been smashed to pieces by robots, but the Audi RSQ from 2004’s I, Robot was an accurate representation of what cars might be like in the future — with self-driving technology similar to what manufacturers are currently working on. Ultra-stylish, the RSQ is said to have influenced the design of Audi’s R8 sports car, so if you want to know how it feels to drive, that’s a good place to start.

6. Ford Mustang GT – Bullitt

No motoring film has had quite the same impact as Bullitt, a 1968 crime thriller starring Steve McQueen. The film features one of the most famous car chases in history, and it’s here that we see McQueen’s car, a 1968 Ford Mustang GT, in action. Since Bullitt’s release, the Ford Mustang has enjoyed legendary muscle car status, and we certainly wouldn’t mind climbing behind the wheel of one.

7. DeLorean DMC-12 – Back to the Future

With its gull-wing doors and space-age design, the DeLorean DMC-12 was cool long before it was featured in the Back to the Future franchise. Nevertheless, Marty McFly and Doc Brown helped cement the DMC-12 as a cult icon when it first appeared in the 1985 blockbuster. With the power to travel anywhere in time, where would you go in the classic DMC-12?

 8. KITT – Knight Rider

Like I, Robot, it seems the writers of Knight Rider were channelling the future when they created KITT, the advanced talking car from the hit film and TV franchise. Based on a Pontiac Trans Am, KITT was essentially a supercomputer with wheels, and benefitted from rocket boosters, flame throwers and even a money dispenser. While modern cars still lack these features, they are getting cleverer, and some can even drive themselves.

 9.. Aston Martin DB5 – Goldfinger

Aston Martin Db 5 Silver

Over the years, James Bond has driven his fair share of cars that every motorist in the country would like to take for a spin. But one car stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of desirability, and that’s the Aston Martin DB5, first featured in 1964’s Goldfinger. Beautiful, whichever way you look at it, Bond’s DB5 benefits from a few added extras, including revolving number plates, oil slick, front wing machine guns and ejector seat.

 10. Chevrolet Camaro – Transformers

Chevrolet Camaros may not be the coolest cars around, but when they can transform into twenty-foot robots from outer space, it’s a different story. So is the case with the dodgy, bright yellow Camaro from Michael Bay’s 2007 blockbuster, Transformers, in which a young Shia LaBeouf finds his first car can transform into Autobot, Bumblebee.

 11. 1984 Ford Econoline – Dumb and Dumber 

If you’re a dog owner, show a little love for your canine companions with a drive in Harry and Lloyd’s Mutt Cutts van from 1994 comedy, Dumb and Dumber. To create this iconic vehicle, the film’s producers took a 1984 Ford Econoline van, covered it in thick fur and gave it a muzzle. The theme continues inside too, with the entire dashboard given a shaggy coat. If you’re looking to make a big impact on your local high street, this is the way to do it.

 12. Dodge Charger – The Fast and the Furious

 Prestone Dodge Charger

While there are loads of extreme cars in The Fast and the Furious, our favourite is Dominic Toretto’s 1970 Dodge Charger — a car even Vin Diesel admits to being afraid of. And with 900bhp under the bonnet, and wheelie bars for getting off the mark in style, we can sort of see why. Still, we wouldn’t mind having a go — if only it hadn’t been mercilessly wrecked at the end of the film.

 13. Greased Lightning – Grease

Regardless of what year you were born, it would be hard to pass up on the chance to drive the immortal Greased Lightning. The car driven by the T-Birds was a 1948 Ford Deluxe, with a few modifications to make it stand out on Thunder Road. We prefer the version found at the end of the film, not because of its updated paint job, but for the fact it can, miraculously, fly.

 14. Paragon Panther – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Speaking of flying cars, there’s only one model we’d really want to drive, and that’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Thanks to the addition of a couple of propellers and a set of wings, Chitty could take to the skies effortlessly — ideal if you’re ever stuck in a traffic jam. The car used in the film is a Paragon Panther, and it was the only model ever produced by Paragon before the company went bankrupt.

15. The Tumbler – Batman Begins 

Christopher Nolan certainly didn’t scrimp on sourcing the perfect tech for Batman in the latest caped crusader trilogy. One such gadget to feature in 2005’s Batman Begins was The Tumbler, a prototype military vehicle complete with a shedload of weapons and the ability to boost into a ramp-less jump. Incredibly, a working model of the new Batmobile was actually produced, and you can see it in action here.

 

Do you agree with our list, or have we missed your favourite film car? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter. Alternatively, to read about our range of hard-working car care products, visit the Prestone homepage.