Whether it’s taking part in an epic race or just a way of transporting our favourite characters from one scene to another, cars have always been a huge part of movies. The cars in our favourite films are often more than just a mode of transportation too – the cars found in Hollywood blockbusters become our ‘dream cars’, the ones we would own if reality would let us. In some cases, they even become the most famous part of their films, outshining even the biggest actors. With this in mind, we’ve compiled Hollywood’s most-loved and most-remembered movie cars, which might just give you some serious car envy.
The Batmobile, The Dark Knight
We’ve all had days where we wish we could be superheroes – and being able to drive cars like this might be one of the reasons why. The Batmobile has appeared in many different versions across the Batman franchise, but each appearance shows how impressive it is. From its armoured body and jet engine to the fact it can fire actual missiles, this is definitely not a car you want to mess with – which is probably why car and comic book fans alike love it so much.
Herbie, The Love Bug
As cars go, Herbie is almost more like a human, with a mind entirely of his own. Throughout the many films to feature the emotive Volkswagen Beetle, he’s portrayed as a friend to his owners, often getting them into – and out of – mischief. However, despite his somewhat ‘cute’ appearance, Herbie has his racing credentials, beating many a competitor throughout his time on the big screen. Plus, with modern self-driving cars taking off, Herbie was clearly very ahead of his time.
The DeLorean, Back to the Future
In today’s motoring industry, we’ve seen pretty much everything: cars that drive themselves, cars that run on electric, and even cars that fly. One thing we’ve yet to see, however, is a car that can travel through time – which is maybe why the Delorean from Back to the Future remains as one of the most popular film cars ever. This impressive vehicle managed to take Marty McFly all the way from the wild, wild west to the future of 2015 (pretty impressive for a film set in the 1980s), and in the process, became an icon of popular culture.
Mini Cooper, The Italian Job
There’s a lot of cars featured in The Italian Job, but the Mini Cooper has by far become what the film is best known for. The film features three Mini Coopers, used as a getaway in a gold heist, and helped to cement the cars as a staple of the British motoring industry. The appearance of the cars in the film have become almost as famous as Michael Caine’s “You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!” line – you can still take part in the annual ‘Italian Job’ fundraising event, which sees Minis driven from the UK to Italy, showing just how much significant the film and its cars remain.
Aston Martin DB5, Goldfinger
James Bond is known for his love of fancy cars, but the Aston Martin DB5 stands out as the most remembered car from the franchise. The car first appeared in Goldfinger, but can also been seen in Tomorrow Never Dies, Casino Royale and Skyfall, among others. While an impressive car in its own right, Bond’s version of course takes it to new levels with the inclusion of an ejector seat, tire shredders and a spy-worthy tracking system. It’s no wonder it’s the subject of envy for petrol heads around the world.
Flying Ford Anglia, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
The world of Harry Potter contains a lot of magical things, from goblins and ghosts to spells and potions. However, despite that, it’s an everyday car that remains as one of the most well-known parts of the films – albeit, an everyday car that has been enchanted to fly. Mr Weasley’s Ford Anglia may not look overly impressive to the eye, but everyone will remember the scenes of it flying over the Hogwarts Express before meeting its untimely demise in the Whomping Willow. Given how large Harry Potter’s fan base is, it’s not so surprising that this vehicle is one of movie’s most loved.
Bumblebee, Transformers
Okay, so technically, Bumblebee is a robot, but we can all still appreciate him in his subtler car form. Transforming into a Chevrolet Camaro, Bumblebee is pretty impressive even before you take into account he’s actually a 17-foot robot. His yellow and black stripes (giving him his name) also make sure a pretty aesthetically pleasing car. Plus, if your car can transform into a robot and can save the planet from other, less-friendly robots, you know you’re onto a winner.
Dodge Charger, Fast and the Furious
Given it’s the ultimate film series about fast cars, it would be strange if Fast and the Furious didn’t appear on here. A lot of great cars appear across the franchise’s eight films, but it’s the 1970s Dodge Charger that stands out as the most iconic. It appears in the very first film, owned by Vin Diesel’s character. While it might not be the most impressive vehicle seen in the series, it’s still shown to be fast and powerful, and can still hold its own in a race, making it a dream car for viewers.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
It may be worlds apart from the cars seen in the like of Fast and the Furious, but Chitty Chitty Bang Bang has long had a place in the hearts of the general public. More than your usual run-around, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a truly magical car, taking to the skies with his owners for many an adventure. While the car itself may be old fashioned to us now, it has definitely fuelled the imagination of children across the world, leading to a deserved place as one of Hollywood’s greatest cars.
Greased Lightning, Grease
A lot of cars have appeared in films over the years, but relatively few have been subject to their own musical number. Greased Lightning manages to achieve this accolade in Grease, as well as get its very own race scene – which it wins in one of the most celebratory parts of the film. As the chosen mode of transport for the T-Birds, Greased Lightning has a huge part in the film, firmly rooting it as one of the most famous cars of the movie industry. Plus, if being a race-winning song subject wasn’t enough, the car seemingly takes to the skies in the film’s finale, leaving the car to become the centre of much discussion even today.
