Born essentially at the same time, cinema and cars are practically siblings that have grown together for over a century. Ever since the first on-screen car chase in 1903’s Runaway Match, they have complemented each other to create some of the greatest scenes, thrilling chases, and iconic moments in cinema history. Many vehicles have stolen the show that they have become the stars themselves, outshining their human counterparts.
Buckle up as we count down the Top 100 Movie and TV Vehicles of All Time in a high-octane ride through the greatest legends on wheels to ever burn rubber on film! No spaceships or yellow submarines here; this list will celebrate the vehicles that have left tire tracks through movie, TV, and pop culture history!
40. Lightning McQueen | Cars (2006)
Cars is a double-edged sword in the history of Pixar. It gave birth to its worst-reviewed franchise (looking at you, Cars 2 and those Planes spinoffs), while also easily being the studio’s most profitable movie. They are still cranking out those Hot Wheel-style scale model cars. While there’s a portion of the fandom who loves Tow Mater for some reason, the face of the franchise remains Lighting McQueen, the sleek red racecar voiced by Owen Wilson. With his first “Ka-chow,” Lightning McQueen stole the hearts of a generation of boys.
–Marmaduke Karlston
39. Fozzie’s 1951 Studebaker Commander | The Muppet Movie (1979)
“Ah, a bear in his natural habitat – a Studebaker.”
While the plot of the first Muppet Movie centers around Kermit and his friends going to LA, the Studebaker is the literal vehicle that gets them there. Fozzy’s uncle’s 1951 Studebaker is now as iconic of an image as the song they sing inside of it – “Movin’ Right Along.” Even though the car breaks down mid-way through the movie and the Electric Mayhem’s bus takes them into LA, it’s the Studebaker we remember, as it gradually fills with the well-known faces of the Muppets, becoming packed to the gills by the time the car bites the dust. RIP Studebaker, forever in our hearts.
–Valerie Morreale
38. “Mirthmobile” | Wayne’s World (1992)
Perhaps the most Gen X vehicle on this list as the baby blue 1976 AMC Pacer with mismatched flame decals, is the main form of transportation for the Wayne’s World crew. Somehow, this gloriously uncool relic with thrift-store vibes would become the stage for one of the greatest lip-singing scenes in all of movie history.
Wayne, Garth, and crew pile into the compact two-door rocking out to Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” in an iconic sequence as the Pacer rolls through town with the windows down and stereo blaring. It’s unpolished, absurd, and brilliant with the Pacer’s dorky charm amplifying the film’s slacker spirit..
–Vincent Kane
37. The Gigahorse | Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
The Mad Max franchise is known for its unique, over-the-top, customized post-apocalyptic forms of transport. None fit the owner’s persona better than this custom-built beast that fuses two 1959 Cadillac Coupe DeVilles, stacked vertically and welded into a 16-foot-tall, dual-cab monstrosity, powered by twin Chevy 502-cubic-inch big-block V8s. Each pumping out around 500 horsepower, decked out in rusted black with chrome spikes, flame-throwing exhausts, and a harpoon gun. Its wide stance and 66-inch off-road tires scream dominance in the desert chaos.
Immortan Joe and the gigahorse go hand in hand like peanut butter and jelly as he uses it to chase down anyone who opposes him. It leads the War Rig pursuit, barreling through the Fury Road dust storm with engines roaring and flames belching as Joe hunts Furiosa, smashing through lesser vehicles in pure Mad Max madness.
–Vincent Kane
36. Triumph TR6 Trophy | The Great Escape (1963)
This British bike sports a 649cc parallel-twin engine pumping out 46 horsepower, paired with a four-speed transmission offers plenty of grunt for wartime heroics. Painted in a military olive drab to masquerade as a German BMW R75, it was customized with knobby tires and a matte finish. It would boast enough throaty exhaust to embody the rugged Allied defiance of the POWs and plenty of power to make the famous 65-foot jump over a barbed wire fence.
Steve McQueen’s Captain Hilts would tear through the Bavarian countryside on the Triumph, dodging bullets and weaving through the fields, climaxing in the practical stunt. It would have audiences gasping and cemented McQueen’s cool guy legend.
-Vincent Kane
35. Barbie’s Pink Convertible | Barbie (2023)
If you were a girl growing up in the 90s, you definitely had Barbie’s car. Hell, I know I did. Though the model and design have changed throughout the years, it was always pink, and it was always a convertible. Though Barbie has certainly had other cars, this is the one whose imagery has stood the test of time, and even seeing similar cars in public prompts the audible response “That looks like Barbie’s car.” In Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, it’s a Chevy Corvette, likely modelled after the OG Barbie convertible back when Barbie was first created in 1959. The combo of this vintage pink car with the iconic Indigo Girls soundtrack is certainly a scene that will stand the test of time.
–Valerie Morreale
34. Optimus Prime | Transformers (Franchise)
We were first introduced to the leader of the Autobots back in 1984, becoming a childhood hero for many ’80s kids. He’s a battle-worn Freightliner FL86 semi-truck with a red-and-blue flame job, packing a 25-foot-tall robot mode armed with an ion blaster, energon swords, and eventually a knightly shield and blade. We would watch him battle the Decepticons across many animated shows to finally be realized in the live-action movie directed by Michael Bay in 2007.
His first transformation mid-chase on a freeway, leaping from truck to robot was a bad ass moment for long time fans. And hearing Peter Cullen’s gravelly voice say, “Autobots, roll out!” was enough to make your inner ‘80s child giddy. This Hasbro creation would become the heart and soul rolling out across Cybertron and Earth with unmatched metal might.
-Vincent Kane
33. 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 | John Wick (2014)
The entire John Wick franchise would have never happened and a lot of bad buys lives could have been saved if it wasn’t for this rare kick ass muscle car. With only 859 of these bad boys made, it’s no wonder it would stand out to anyone who appreciates fine cars. With its dark green paint job, scooped-out hood, and minimalist design, it would mirror John Wick’s quiet intensity.
After losing his wife, Wick would open the Boss 429 up in a cathartic spin around an airstrip as he drifts and performs donuts with surgical precision in a full-throttle rage. The Mustang’s raw power combined with Reeves’s steely focus would make for one of the best combos on film.
–Vincent Kane
32. Kawasaki GPZ900R | Top Gun (1986)
As one of the fastest bikes of its era, capable of hitting 151 mph, this red and black crotch rocket would match the high-octane fighter jets of Tony Scott’s blockbuster. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell embodied reckless behavior and needed a perfect set of wheels to match his flyboy swagger. The GPZZ900R would match Maverick’s need for speed on the ground as much as in the air, as it would zip down the highway to the danger zone…
–Vincent Kane
31. “The Striped Tomato” | Starsky & Hutch (1975-1979 & 2004)
The 1976 Ford Gran Torino, painted a bold candy-apple red with a sweeping white vector stripe, was the main form of transportation for the detective duo on the hit ’70s TV show. “The Striped Tomato” was known for chasing down criminals, and the Torino’s tires squealed as it drifted around corners and leapt over curbs. The classic car would make a return in the 2004 comedic remake starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, with “The Striped Tomato” looking and sounding as fine as ever.
–Vincent Kane
30.1980 Lamborghini Countach LP400S | The Cannonball Run (1981)
There are numerous cool cars in Hal Needham’s chaotic comedy, but none stand out as much as this jaw-dropping, high-octane star that’s almost as sexy as its drivers, Adrienne Barbeau and Tara Buckman. Capable of hitting 179 mph, this angular Italian supercar that boasts a 3.9-liter V12 engine pumping out 375 horsepower is a perfect fit for the film’s coast-to-coast race.
Painted a sleek black with a gold stripe and adorned with a massive rear wing, front spoiler, and “Cannonball Run” decals, its scissor doors and low profile scream 1980s excess. To this day, anytime I see a Lambo, I immediately think about this car from Cannonball Run. And Adrienne Barbeau, of course…
–Vincent Kane
29. 1960 Peterbilt 281 | Duel (1971)
Most of the vehicles on this list made the cut mainly for being cool and sexy as hell. This one is neither. This hulking menace serves as the relentless villain to a salesman just trying to make a buck while on a business trip. The rusted, battle-scarred semi-truck, a single-axle, with a Cummins NTC-350 inline-six diesel engine packing enough grunt to terrorize David Mann’s puny Plymouth Valiant. With a patchwork of grime, oil barrels, and mismatched license plates from past “victims,” its anonymous driver hides behind tinted glass, adding to its eerie, almost sentient menace. The 1960 Peterbilt 281 would help pioneer road-rage cinema.
–Vincent Kane
28. Lightcycle | Tron (1982) and Tron: Legacy (2012)
Easily the best and most memorable part of the original Tron, these sleek, neon-charged cycles are powered by imagined “digital energy” within the Grid. These minimalist, angular bikes that leave deadly light trails were hand-drawn and computer-animated by pioneering CGI teams like MAGI and Triple-I.
For Tron: Legacy, the Lightcycles evolve into fifth-generation models—real-world Ducati Sport 1000s and 900SS bikes with custom fiberglass shells with LED strips mimicking the original’s glow. The best part of both films is arena showdowns with their engines humming as they weave 90-degree turns, making light walls to box opponents, forcing crashes, and creating peril. Add in some Daft Punk and you’ve got a neon-soak thrill ride.
–Vincent Kane
27. 1971 Pontiac LeMans | The French Connection (1971)
This four-door sedan requisitioned from an NYPD impound lot, which packs a 350-cubic-inch V8 engine pumping out around 250 horsepower, would essentially be a battering ram for Popeye Doyle’s relentless pursuit. Its raw, unpolished look would hide the chaos it creates on the streets that perfectly matches the movie’s hard-edged realism. The Lemans highlight would peak during a heart-pounding, five-minute masterpiece of mayhem in pure William Friedkin grit. Setting the gold standard for car chases
–Vincent Kane
26. “Eleanor” | Gone in 60 Seconds (1974 & 2000)
An iron-framed steed with a gleaming coat of the purest silver. She beats a path like no other, wending tight lanes and overtaking every other beast man has mounted to give chase. She is Eleanor—a fable. She is a unicorn. And who better to commandeer and command such a creature than Nicolas Cage?
In the 2000’s Gone in 60 Seconds remake we follow Cage’s Memphis Raines and his rag-tag crew of car thieves as they’re manipulated into boosting 50 high-end cars or else. Car enthusiasts can be thankful for the “or else,” as we’re treated to a cornucopia of (dated) performance and luxury cars for Raines and his crew to grind up some asphalt with. The movie, though, singles out one car above all others, and excels at demonstrating why you should be in as much awe of the thing as Raines happens to be. I am, of course, referring to the 1967 Shelby GT500 that is Eleanor. The car is sleeker than can be adequately described. The scoops and louvres, the perfectly placed headlights and fog lamps that seem to sit beneath a brow—it’s all just so easy to understand why someone would pay for this car, stolen or otherwise. Needless to say, the movie itself also knows how to have fun with it and hangs the climax on the roaring chase through Long Beach.
And, just for fun: It turns out that the legal troubles with the car don’t begin and end with the fictional story. Over the years, Denice Halicki, widow of the original film’s director, has taken part in a slew of copyright lawsuits pertaining to custom reproductions of Eleanor. As it turns out, the car truly is a unicorn.
–Nokoo
25. Custom Schwinn DX Cruiser | Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (1985)
The Custom Schwinn DX Cruiser is a whimsical, two-wheeled star that pedals its way through Tim Burton’s quirky comedy as the heart and soul of Paul Reubens’s Pee-wee Herman. It was transformed into a candy-apple red masterpiece, decked out with whitewall tires, a custom saddle, ape-hanger handlebars, and a siren. Adorned with a flag, bell, and a tape deck blasting Danny Elfman’s score, it’s a one-of-a-kind ride that oozes childlike charm. Once stolen, Pee Wee would go on a John Wick-style rampage across America to find his treasured bike. Not really, but I do want to see that movie now.
–Vincent Kane
24. 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder | Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
Ah, a symbol for freedom and reckless joy for many Gen X’ers who dreamt of skipping school and running around town with friends in a fancy car. This rosso chiaro red with a tan leather interior, a removable soft top with its elegant curves, and chrome trim screams 1960s Italian luxury. The Spyder was simply begging to be “borrowed” from Cameron’s dad’s garage. Ferris, Sloan, Cameron, and the two parking garage attendants would paint the town red, cruising through the Chicago streets before having to return it home with too many miles added.
The Spyder’s defining moment would come when Cameron would begin kicking his father’s prize possession in a spontaneous act of rebellion for the repressed character. He would unintentionally send the gorgeous car his father spent three years restoring crashing down a ravine, symbolically shedding the weight of his father’s expectations.
–Vincent Kane
23. “Pussy Wagon” | Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)
There are a lot of cool nicknames for the vehicles on this list, but I don’t think there are any quite as elegant as this one. The “Pussy Wagon” is a 1997 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 crew cab pickup painted a glaring canary yellow with “Pussy Wagon” emblazoned in bold red cursive across the tailgate. Complete with a camper shell and a gaudy keychain to match, it’s a deliberate eyesore to match the sleazy nature of its owner, Buck.
Of course, as with any Quentin Tarantino movie, its standout moment is the close up of Uma Thurman’s feet as she tries wiggling her toes in the backseat of the “Pussy Wagon”. Once mobile enough, she fires it up and peels out to confront Vernita Green in a suburban showdown as the Wagon’s tacky bravado amplifies Beatrix’s reborn fury.
–Vincent Kane
22. Harry’s Dog Van | Dumb and Dumber (1994)
A movie as silly and stupid as Dumb and Dumber deserves an iconic vehicle that matches its lack of brain cells. Identified in the movie as “an ‘84 Sheepdog,” the van is actually a 1984 Ford Econoline Cargo Van covered in beige shag carpeting, with additional modifications made to make it look even more dog-like. Unlike some of the vehicles mentioned on this list, Harry’s Dog Van is instantly recognizable. I’m positive that if you threw this out on the street, everybody would instantly clock it as being the “Dumb and Dumber vehicle.” In a movie filled with iconic and memorable scenes, Harry’s Dog Van manages to worm its way to the forefront of our brains, like the good boy that it is.
–Marmaduke Karlston
21. “Greased Lightning” | Grease
“Why is this car automatic
It’s systematic
It’s hydromatic
Why it’s grease lightning!”
Hey, you know a car is cool when it makes the chicks cream. The 1948 Ford Deluxe convertible would be transformed into a fantasy hot rod with lightning bolt decals, a chopped top, and flared fenders. It would embody the T-Birds’ greaser dreams along with Danny Zuko’s swagger. With its fictional 312-cubic-inch Mercury V8 and dual carbs to hit an imagined 300-plus horsepower, Greased Lightning would fly down Thunder Road as Zuko races to victory against the Scorpions. It would morph into a candy apple red with a see-through hood as it flew Danny and Sandy away from the graduation carnival.
–Vincent Kane
60-41 | 20-1
What are your thoughts on this selection of fine-ass vehicles? Are any of your favorites, or do you think they should rank higher?
