Fast and Furious opens this week, marking the return of Vin Diesel, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez and Paul Walker to their most well known…vehicle. The movie will be sure to feature of a host of pimped cars… in the trailer you can plainly see an Impreza, Gran Torino, Charger, M5, RS200, 240SX… these cars all well and good, but they are far from the most iconic cars in cinema and tv history. Therefore, we present the 10 best cars in movie and TV history.
10. Herbie – The Love Bug - C’mon, the anthropomorphic Volkswagen Beetle used to be kinda cool. Herbie appeared in several movies of varying degrees of quality. Besides, the car was magically alive, the only car on this list that can claim that. Go number 53!
9. Pussy Wagon – Kill Bill Vol. 1 - A super cheesy ride seemed way less cheesy with Uma Thurman’s Kung Fu warrior, “The Bride” at the wheel.
8. Trans Am – Smokey and the Bandit – There was a time when Burt Reynolds was the coolest guy in the world… you know what, he’s still pretty cool. In his Trans Am…he was a little cooler. It even made Sally Field hot.
7. James Bond’s 1964 Aston Martin DB5 – Goldfinger – James Bond has had plenty of hot cars with various features, but the Aston Martin is the James Bond classic.
6. Starsky’s Ford Torino – Starsky and Hutch - Huggy Bear be damned, the entire tv show where the car is the most memorable part? The red car with the white vector stripe was totally choice. And who didn’t like the little red light they’d through up on top during a chase scene. Starsky and Hutch also had the grooviest theme song ever. Totally funked out.
5. Mach 5 – Speed Racer – Here he comes, here comes Speed Racer, he’s a demon on wheels… he’s a demon and he’s gonna be chasin’ after someone. He’s off and runnin so you better look alive, he’s busy revin’ up the Mach 5! I don’t car what anyone says, the Wachowski Brother’s 2008 live action Speed Racer was one of the coolest movies ever made. It looked incredible, was ultra trippy and colorful and was a major leap forward in movie making. They also brough the Mach 5 to life from the cartoon and even kept the cool “cheh cheh cheh” sound effect. Pops Racer built this awesome car. Check below to see all of the Mach 5′s special features.
4. Delorean – Back to the Future – C’mon, who didn’t want to jump in the Delorean with Doc and Michael J. Fox, keep it at 88 mph and go back to the future.
3. KITT – Knight Rider - Screw the updated series… the original KITT with David Hasselhoff was awesome. Who didn’t want to have a talking car, and hit turbo boost. I wanted to be Michael Knight. I may be alone on this one, but during the theme song when the guy starts talking and says “Knight Rider…” he sounds kind a creepy…like, why is that guy watching a little league baseball game where he doesn’t know anyone else there. He’s so breathy as he says it…I’m just saying… Oh yeah, so KITT is cool, and be careful to watch our for KARR.
2. The Batmobile – Batman – the coolest superhero car has had plenty of incarnations. Although the new Batmobile in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight was totally badass, but I’m sorry, I’m going to go for the Adam West TV series Batmobile. Its distinctive look is what a cartoonish, over the top car come to life should be.
1. General Lee – Dukes of Hazard – Yeee Haw! The coolest car where the doors didn’t open. Bo and Luke Duke’s modified Dodge Charger – the General Lee is the gold standard. Cool enough to even make a Jewboy like me wanna have a car with a racist confederate flag. I think every single time Luke got in the car he had to slide across the hood first. The car’s coolness took a hit with the crappy movie that came out a few years ago, but the General Lee remains the car I’d pick over all the others if I had my choice. Kid Rock’s got one, and trust me I get it. Bo, Luke, Daisy Duke, Cooter, Cletus, Boss Hogg, Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane and Uncle Jesse were all great, but the real star of the Dukes of Hazzard will always be the General Lee… its the greatest Car in TV/Movie history.