Revealed: the 20 greatest movie cars

The best movie cars ever to grace the big screen, according to 2,000 UK people – including the stars of James Bond, Ghostbusters and The Love Bug

Movie cars

As part of the UK release of Ant-Man and the Wasp, Hyundai has published the results of a survey focused on the coolest movie cars of all-time. Some 2,000 participants voted, with the results used to create a this rundown of the best movie motors.

Spoiler alert: the Hyundai Veloster isn’t the coolest movie car of all-time. Sorry, Hyundai.

20. Christine – 1958 Plymouth Fury (Christine)

Movie cars

The car reflects the genre, and in Christine, the 1958 Plymouth Fury has all the hallmarks of the ultimate horror car. That’ll be why it’s on the video cover art…

19. Robocop’s 6000 SUX (Robocop)

Movie cars

A weird one, as this 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass doesn’t resemble the 6000 SUX that uses it as a base. Like character, like car, then. The 8.2mpg beast, as with Robocop, is very of its era – the ultimate 80s vision of the future – minus the agricultural underpinnings.

18. Bandit’s Trans Am – 1977 Pontiac Trans Am (Smokey and the Bandit)

Movie cars

One of those cars that you just have to include. The Bandit Trans Am popularised the dream of tearing across America with a V8 underfoot and flashing lights in the rearview mirror.

17. Mr Frye’s Ferrari – 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder SWB (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off)

Movie cars

Like the Trans Am, Ferris Bueller’s ultimate joyride – the Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder – reminds us of that dream of freedom, of bucking the authorities and doing whatever we want.

16. Iron Man’s Audi R8 (Iron Man)

Movie cars

Of course, before he was Iron Man, Stark was a too-cool billionaire weapons tycoon. The R8 was the coolest car on sale in 2008, so little else suited the smug to-be shellhead more.

15. Louise’s Thunderbird – 1966 Ford Thunderbird (Thelma and Louise)

Movie cars

In 2008, the Ford Thunderbird from Thelma & Louise (not pictured), sold at auction for $71,500. Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis drove the car throughout the entire movie.

14. Bumblebee – 1977/2009 Chevrolet Camaro (Transformers)

Movie cars

For a robot in disguise, you’d think Bumblebee would want something less conspicuous than the then-new Camaro. Then again, he couldn’t have made much cooler a choice…

13. Ecto-1 – 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor (Ghostbusters)

Movie cars

A splash of retro-futurism, a blinding paintjob, equipment to fight off the supernatural and some impressive load space. It couldn’t be anything else but the big Cadi.

12. The Bluesmobile – 1974 Dodge Monaco (The Blues Brothers)

Movie cars

Not much says “I’m above the law” more than the police-liveried Dodge Monaco as used by the Blues Brothers.

11. Tim Burton’s Batmobile (Batman, Batman Returns)

Movie cars

Tim Burton means bat***t, and Bruce’s Batman Returns Batmobile is just that. Complete with jet engine and sleek matte black bodywork, what isn’t there to love?

10. 1960s Batmobile – customised 1954 Lincoln Futura (Batman: The Movie)

Movie cars

The original, the iconic. There is no bettering the custom Futura Batmobile, even with something akin to a tank.

9. Ford Mustang GT Fastback (Bullitt)

Movie cars

A key character in one of the greatest movie car chases of all-time, the Bullitt Mustang must be one of the coolest movie cars of all-time.

8. Charlie’s getaway Minis – 1968 Mini Cooper S (The Italian Job)

Movie cars

Of course, power is nothing without control. So the humble Mini is no doubt the better companion in the greatest movie heist of all-time than any Lambo would have been.

7. Greased Lightning – 1948 Ford Deluxe (Grease)

Movie cars

To survive high school in 50s America you needed bravado and ego, something John Travolta in a leather jacket delivered in spades. A Ford Deluxe hot rod is the only car to match, though, not this one. This one you can have for your wedding car courtesy of americandreams.co.uk…

6. James Bond’s Lotus Esprit S1 (The Spy Who Loved Me)

Movie cars

This would have to be Bond’s coolest car were it not for the history-wide Aston Martin association. The ultimate 80s wedge is also arguably the coolest submarine of all-time.

5. Batmobile/Tumbler (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight)

Movie cars

When you need a car for war, look no further than the Dark Knight’s Batmobile. The Tumbler is more tank than car, it’s just that most tanks don’t have rocket boosters. Nor do most cars, really…

4. Herbie – 1963 Model 117 Volkswagen Type 1 Beetle (The Love Bug, etc)

Movie cars

No cars are characters quite like Herbie the Love Bug, beating the colourful characters of the Cars films to automotive sentience by 38 years.

3. Doc Brown’s DeLorean – 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 (Back to the Future)

Movie cars

It’s a tough battle at this point for most iconic car of all-time. Doc Brown’s time-travelling masterpiece will always be in the running.

2. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – customised Paragon Panther (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang)

Movie cars

The original car that had us looking at our cars and then looking to the skies. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is one of the ultimate cult classics. We’re in little doubt that no car has taken to the skies in cinema and garnered such a gasp as this.

1. James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 (James Bond movies)

Movie cars

No contest, really. Bond’s original Superleggera-bodied masterpiece is immortal, probably because they keep wheeling it out. Why? Because it will never be bettered, for Bond or any other movie.

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Ethan Jupp
Ethan Jupp
I'm Content Editor at MR. Road trips music and movies are my vices. Perennially stuck between French hot hatches and Australian muscle cars.

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