The Greatest Movie Cars of All Time

There are certain things that are guaranteed to get the pulses of movie watchers racing: dramatic shootouts, high stakes gambling scenes and speeding car chases. Aside from adding all out adrenaline action to a movie, cars can also be used as either the main plot of a film like in The Fast and Furious franchise, or be seen as an extension of a character’s personality.

In this article we celebrate some of the most iconic movie cars of all time – those that have been used for various purposes by directors – and have left an enduring impression on movie fans. Read on to find out which cars we have picked out…

Aston Martin DB5 – James Bond

Aside from The Fast and the Furious, there is perhaps no other Blockbuster movie franchise that does cars as well as James Bond. To us the most iconic car ever driven by the sleek British spy was the Aston Martin DB5 that made its debut in the 1964 release Goldfinger when it was driven by Sean Connery.

In that release, the car had been modified to include a range of gadgets, including hydraulic battering rams, a rear smoke screen and a simulated oil slick to put pursuers off the trail. The DB5 was so iconic that it returned in a number of Bond films throughout the decades.

It was also featured in the 2006 hit Casino Royale in which Bond, played by Daniel Craig, wins an Aston Martin DB5 at a game of poker. We see various scenes of casino games across the Bond films but the Aston Martin DB5 win is one of the most iconic. Casino games are continuing to rise in popularity especially with players being able to easily access a range of games online, for anyone interested in following Bond’s footsteps and playing a casino game can do so by having a look at Pulsz bingo. However, it may not be an Aston Martin you win!

DeLorean DMC-12 – Back to the Future

Realistically there was no other car we could put in next after the Aston Martin DB5. In fact there’s an argument to be made the DeLorean, with its gull-wing doors and stainless steel exterior, is the most iconic movie car of all time.

The car first appeared on the market in the early 1980s, assembled in Northern Ireland, the car was the brain child of American engineer and inventor John DeLorean. Unfortunately the car wasn’t a commercial success as production delays and poor initial reviews ruined its hopes of making back the initial $175 million production investment.

The car did however have its big day when it was featured as the time travelling plot device in Back to the Future. Nowadays there are a smattering of DeLorean DMC-12’s on the used car market and also a vintage one on display at the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum.

Mini Cooper – The Italian Job

If you are over roughly 5 and a half foot, driving an original Mini Cooper for more than an hour is less pleasure than torture. It didn’t appear tortuous for the cast of 1969 film The Italian Job who used the small and sleek designed cars to pull off an epic heist and escape the clutches of Italian law officials.

Looking back, the choice of Mini Cooper’s as the escape vehicles in this film are perhaps what has made it so enduring. It simply wouldn’t have been as much fun if the heist members had made their ill-fated getaway in roaring supercars.

Herbie – The Love Bug

Another impractical car that rose to popularity through its portrayal on the silver screen was the Volkswagen Beetle. A great car for city driving and vertically challenged occupants, the Beetle became a commercial hit when it was portrayed in the 1969 family film The Love Bug.

In the film the car is a sentient being and a character in its own right. Theatrically speaking, it was a superbly well executed idea that made the film and subsequent sequel a huge hit with movie going fans.

The Batmobile – Batman

There were many cars we could have chosen for our final entry in this article. Instead of going for something like the Ford Mustang in Bullitt or the Toyota Supra in The Fast and the Furious, we thought we’d go with the ultimate concept car – The Batmobile.

Originally based on the 1955 Ford Lincoln Futura and the 1967 Chevy Impala, The Batmobile has become a car of its own. Part tank, part sports car, part supercar and part stealth bomber, this car is undoubtedly one of the most memorable movie vehicles of all-time.