Iconic cars from TV and film

There have been many iconic and well-loved cars in film and television over the years, but we’ve listed our top 8 favourites featured on the big and small screen. 

 1. Aston Martin DB5 (James Bond) 

James Bond’s silver DB5 is one of the most famous cars in film. First driven by Sean Connery’s Bond in Goldfinger this car is an icon when it comes to the automobile world.  

With a 4.0 litre engine and an acceleration of 0-60mph in just over seven seconds you can feel like a secret agent on the roads, although you won’t get a smoke screen or bullet shield with it unfortunately. 

2. 1948 Ford De Luxe (Grease) 

The Ford De Luxe is the base car that’s eventually turned into the iconic Greased Lightnin’ in Grease. De Luxe models are also featured in The Karate Kid and Back to the Future although they are 1947 and 1946 Super De Luxe’s respectively.  

While you won’t be flying off into the sunset with your high school sweetheart in this car, the film gives an accurate representation of its speed and power.

3. 1969 Dodge Charger (The Dukes of Hazzard) 

The 1969 Dodge Charger, best known as General Lee in The Dukes of Hazzard, unintentionally became the symbol of this late 70s TV show. The car performed spectacular jumps in almost every episode, leading to a lot of public interest in the vehicle. 

In real life, the Charger was created to compete against the Rambler Martin, Ford Mustang and Plymouth Barracuda as a compact but sporty looking car. It also proved to be good as a NASCAR competitor. 

4. DMC DeLorean (Back to the Future) 

Perhaps one of the most recognisable cars to ever appear in film, the DMC DeLorean appears as the time machine in the Back to the Future franchise. The iconic gull doors and brushed silver give it a very distinctive look. 

The real DeLorean was not well-received, with reports of it having poor build quality and being very unsatisfying to drive. Despite this, you’ll still see a few on the roads today, thanks to the cult following it gained from Back to the Future.

5. 1977 Leyland Mini 1000 (Mr Bean) 

Mr Bean drives more than one Mini in the show, but the most memorable version is the ’77 Leyland in the infamous Austin Citron Green colour with a black bonnet. The car was often involved in an accident of some kind, which is why more than one model is featured in the show. 

You’ll find that this car comes without a padlock to lock it, although you’d be free to add one if you want to stay to true to Mr Bean himself. This car comes with a max 1.3 litre engine but is still pretty speedy despite its size. 

6. 1966 Ford Thunderbird (Thelma and Louise) 

Most cars in film and TV are known for their high-speed chases or comedic value, but the 1966 Ford Thunderbird is known as a symbol of freedom thanks to the cult classic Thelma and Louise.  

The Ford T-Bird has a 3.9 litre engine and an acceleration of 0-60mph in 9 seconds, which is two seconds better than the previous year’s model. 

7. Jaguar Mark II (Inspector Morse) 

The Jaguar Mark II is one of the most iconic cars on British television thanks to Inspector Morse. Morse drives a Regency red 1960 Mark II, making one of the earlier cars off the production line.  

The Mark II came with a 2.5, 3.4 or 3.8 litre engine. It was marketed with the slogan ‘Grace…Space…Pace’ and lived up to it as a fast but very comfortable saloon car. 

8. 1955 Lincoln Futura (Batman) 

Despite its many iterations, the most famous Batmobile will always be the one based on the 1955 Lincoln Futura. Originally designed to look rather shark-like, custom car builder George Barris had just three weeks to turn the car into the Batmobile we know it to be today. 

The Futura was originally a concept car and was designed as part of a ‘one-off’ car trend used as a form of advertising. Featuring a 6.0 litre engine and a three speed Turbo Drive, this car definitely packs a punch. 

If you want to know more about cars on screen, check out our blog on cars featured in Halloween movies