ICONIC Cars from Movies and TV shows

Very often the cars we drive becomes our symbol … or status symbol, in many cases. Likewise cars can come to symbolize the movies and TV shows they appear in … and can sometimes upstage their human co stars. Cars like the tricked out Aston Martin driven by James Bond, to the time-traveling DeLorean in the “Back to the Future” movies have become four-wheeled icons in their own right. With that in mind, let’s rev it up for the Top 20 Iconic Cars from Movies and TV shows.

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#8 Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am (Smokey and the Bandit)
Even Bruce Springsteen sang a shout out to the black Trans-Am from the 1977 flick “Smokey and the Bandit” (it’s on the song “Cadillac Ranch”). The movie itself was basically a long chase sequence as Smokey (the good guy) outraced the police (the Bandit) to deliver 400 cases of beer from Texas to Georgia. The slick Trans-Am made the whole effort look pretty cool, and some critics thought the car upstaged its human co stars. Along with CB radios (or Citizens Band radios), this car became a symbol of the 70s … and badass cars overall.

#7 Captain America chopper (Easy Rider)
We’ll make an exception here, as this is a motorcycle. But it’s still a motorized vehicle, and it’s so iconic, it’s tough to leave off the list. “Easy Rider” was a massive counter culture hit when it was released in 1969. Part of that image was due to the motorcycle ridden by Peter Fonda. That star spangled chopper was known as ‘Captain America’, due to its patriotic design work. Don’t know if Marvel approved of all that, but the motorcycle became a symbol of not only the movie, but of a broader based counterculture of the time. Did you know that in 2014, the purportedly last remaining Captain America chopper sold at auction for more than $1.5 million dollars?

#6 Mystery Machine (Scooby Doo)
Painted in psychedelic colors, and pop art imagery, the Mystery Machine was a trusty van used by the Scooby Doo gang to arrive at the location of their latest adventure. More often than not, a ghost or monster turned out to be a flesh and blood malefactor perpetrating an elaborate hoax. Of course, they would have gotten away with their scheme if not for those meddling kids! Even though it appeared in a cartoon, the Mystery Machine has inspired a lot of real-life incarnations that will often appear at functions like Comic-cons.

#5 Mustang Fastback - Bullitt
Steve McQueen was the driver, but the car he drove was an intimidating co-star. The Ford Mustang 390 GT 2+2 Fastback pretty much took the wheel as it raced through San Francisco in one of the greatest high-speed car chases ever recorded on film. The Mustang, and the Dodge Charger driven by the bad guys, would reach speeds during filming that exceeded 110 mph. Lasting nearly 11 minutes, the chase made a star out of the Mustang … ironically, though, that scene was never in the script!

#4 Batmobile (Batman 1989)
Regardless of the era, Batman is is often defined by his Batmobile … and a few of them show up on our list. Tim Burton’s 1989 take on the Dark Knight presented that character and the car in a new light -- or darkness. The ‘89 Batmobile had a sleek, art deco look built on the chassis of a Chevy Impala. Forget a V-8 engine, this beast came equipped with a jet turbine, and could accelerate from 0-60 in 3 seconds. Some of its features included an afterburner, machine guns, grappling hooks, oil slick dispensers and smoke emitters.

#3 DeLorean DMC-12 (Back to the Future 1-3)
The DMC-12 was notable for a number of things … it was the only vehicle ever produced by Delorean Motors. It was known for its stainless steel brushed body panels … and it had innovative gull-wing doors. Of course it is most notable for being a time machine … as you know from its integral appearances in the three “Back to the Future” movies. As crafted by Doc Brown, the DeLorean ran on a nuclear reactor, which was later replaced by the more eco-friendly Mr Fusion generator. It’s a case where the movies immortalized the car, and the DeLorean came to symbolize the film franchise. Makes you wish your car came equipped with its own flux capacitor, right?

#2 Batmobile (Batman 1966)
We’ve already featured two Batmobiles on the list, from 1989 and 2005. But it’s this version from the 1960s TV show that is still (arguably) the most iconic. While the TV show was later criticized from mocking the Dark Knight’s image, it was a popular show in its time and still has plenty of fans. This version was constructed out of fiberglass with a design based on a Lincoln concept car. Along with a turbine exhaust port, the vehicle had an array of popular features: Those included the nose-mounted Cable Cutter Blade and the Bat-Ray Projector. Even if you’re not a fan of the TV show, you’ve gotta admit … the 60s batmobile is pretty Bat-tastic!


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