When a car appears in a movie or TV show, the hype can elevate its reputation far beyond its actual performance or value. These vehicles became iconic because of their time on screen, not because they were exceptional to drive. Sometimes, popularity alone is enough to make a car unforgettable.
1994 Toyota Supra – “The Fast and the Furious”
Even before it featured in “F&F” the Supra had incredible tuner potential, but the movie shined a spotlight on it. When people saw it on a screen overtaking Ferraris and jumping trains, they knew it was serious business. They were right - a tweaked Supra could do 1000+ hp.
1969 Dodge Charger – “The Dukes of Hazzard”
Ok, the Confederate flag hasn’t aged well, but the orange-painted “General Lee” was famous in its day for its air time during death-defying jumps. It had some nice V8 engine options (including a 426 HEMI) but could only haul with the right trims
1981 DeLorean DMC-12 – “Back to the Future”
There’s no mistaking the gullwing-doored DMC-12 time machine, but it only became famous after the car’s release when the Delorean brand had flatlined. It was all flash though; the stainless steel car looked like a beast yet it had all the speed of a narcoleptic sloth.
1973 Ford Falcon XB GT – “Mad Max”
Max’s car tore through its post apocalyptic world like vengeance on wheels with a growling V8 issuing threats and violence. And in its Australian homeland, the XB GT was a decent muscle car, but nowhere near the legend it became thanks to the “Mad Max” movie.
1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am (KITT) – “Knight Rider”
David Hasselhoff and his amazing talking car KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand) was everywhere in the ’80s, and there was nothing those wheels couldn’t do. In reality of course, the Firebird couldn’t talk, drive itself or jump, but it’s still an iconic ride.
1970 Dodge Challenger R/T – “Vanishing Point”
You can’t beat an anti-hero, and their wheels get just as much attention - especially when they roar through the desert on a mission of freedom-wrapped fatalism. The Challenger R/T was liked well enough before it appeared in “Vanishing Point,” but practically worshipped after!
1974 Ford Gran Torino – “Starsky & Hutch”
Sure, the fictional cops Starsky and Hutch were famous, but the status of “The Striped Tomato” Gran Torino they drove eclipsed theirs by a wide margin. It was big, bold, and though it was more bark than bite that didn’t matter; get one in red and you were legendary.
1994 Toyota Supra – “The Fast and the Furious”
Even before it featured in “F&F” the Supra had incredible tuner potential, but the movie really shined a spotlight on it. When people saw it on a screen overtaking Ferraris and jumping trains, they knew it was serious business. They were right - a tweaked Supra could do 1000+ hp.
1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder – “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”
Collectors were already familiar with the California Spyder, but “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” introduced it to the masses as the car that went through a window (luckily that was a replica). Only 56 of these Enzo-built masterpieces were ever made, or in Ferris’ words, “It is so choice.”
2003 Mini Cooper S – “The Italian Job” (remake)
Who’d have thought that a car as friendly as the Mini Cooper S would gain fame from epic car chases through back alleys and sewers? Promoting the ride as a heist vehicle for “The Italian Job” was a marketing masterstroke, and elevated it from cute to awesome.
1976 AMC Pacer – “Wayne’s World”
The AMC Pacer is known as the “fish bowl” because of its huge glass area, and it was very much the butt of jokes until it appeared in “Wayne’s World”’s Bohemian Rhapsody scene. After that, it became a cult classic, though it was entirely nostalgia-fueled.
1979 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 – “Transformers” (as Bumblebee Pre-Upgrade)
When Bumblebee was nothing but a beat-up and tired car, he took the form of the Z28, so it gained fame as a friendly, scrappy vehicle. In reality, it was an average Camaro at best, but it rode pop culture into success.
1971 Lincoln Continental Mark III – “The Car”
The Continental Mark III rolled out the dealership as a luxo-cruiser before pop culture got their hands on it. “The Car” turned it into a dangerous, possessed killer that mercilessly stalked marching bands, and while mainstream audiences still shrugged, it gained clout among horror fans.
1968 Ford Mustang GT 390 – “Bullitt”
The GT 390 did have respect among muscle fans before Steve McQueen and “Bullitt,” but when the show made it famous it found unheard of levels of popularity. In 2018 the original movie car was discovered and it sold a couple of years later for a whopping $3.74 million.
1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor – “Ghostbusters” (Ecto-1)
The Miller-Meteor started out as just a quirky ambulance/hearse combo before finding fame in “Ghostbusters” as Ecto-1. With radiation symbols, sirens and roof racks, it became one of the most recognizable cars of all time and retired into myth.
1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS – “The Fast and the Furious”
The Chevelle SS was one of the heaviest hitters in the muscle car era, but time had dulled its popularity. The newer generations of “The Fast and the Furious” brought it screeching back to cult popularity in modern times.
17 2008 Audi R8 – “Iron Man”
Before Tony Stark made it famous, the Audi R8 was considered a decent ride. And while the tech star of the “Iron Man” movies will always be Stark’s suit, second place isn’t too bad; in lieu of the traditional billionaire rides, the R8 rose to fame as Iron Man’s ride.
1989 Batmobile (custom Build on Chevy Impala Chassis) – “Batman” (1989)
Let’s be honest, they don’t really make cars like the Batmobile. The vehicle featured in the 1989 “Batman” movie was actually custom-built on the averagely average (at best) Chevy Impala, but no one cares about the reality. The Batmobile rocks!
1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 – “2 Fast 2 Furious”
With its keen handling, twin-turbo inline-6 and AWD, the R34 was already hot stuff, but “2 Fast 2 Furious” only added fuel to the rocket. And with it not being available in the U.S.? That just made it forbidden fruit, increasing its desirability!
1970 Plymouth Barracuda – “Nash Bridges”
In its ’70s gory days, the Barracuda and its raging HEMI 426 was a strong muscle car contender. It had largely sunk into the mists of time until a lemon yellow model appeared in “Nash Bridges,” resurrecting it for the modern era.
