10 most famous movie cars of all time

Nothing beats getting engrossed in a good film. The actors and special effects play a big part but sometimes the cars are just as carefully selected as the stars. 

With this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the most memorable cars featured in movies over the years, from weird one-offs to timeless classics.

Our pick of the top 10 most famous movie cars is:

1. Lotus Esprit – The Spy Who Loved Me
2. Toyota Supra – The Fast and The Furious
3. Pontiac Trans Am – Smokey And The Bandit
4. DeLorean DMC-12 – Back To The Future
5. Volkswagen Beetle – Herbie
6. Cadillac Miller-Meteor – Ghostbusters
7. Ford Mustang – Bullitt
8. Aston Martin DB5 – Goldfinger
9. Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
10. Mini Cooper S – The Italian Job

Lotus Esprit – The Spy Who Loved Me

The Lotus Esprit S1 caused quite a stir when it launched in 1976. The iconic wedge shape and mid-mounted engine made it an instant hit.

Simply having the Esprit feature as a Bond car would be enough to cement it as a classic, but 007’s Lotus had another trick up its sleeve. Among the plethora of gadgets on board, this Esprit could morph into a submarine. If that’s not a cool party trick, then what is?

Toyota Supra – The Fast And The Furious

The Fast and Furious franchise is known for a lot of iconic cars, but few struck as strong a chord with the viewers a Brian O’Conner’s bright orange Toyota Supra.

The huge spoiler and in-your-face graphics were just so naughties and it inspired a generation of viewers to go out and start modifying their own cars.

Pontiac Firebird Trans Am – Smokey And The Bandit

The Pontiac Trans Am muscle car featured a 6.6-litre V8 engine with around 200hp. Along with this, you also got removable T-top roof panels and gold graphics over the car. Pretty cool right?

Cool enough in fact to be Burt Reynolds’ ride of choice in Smokey And The Bandit. There aren’t many cars better suited to outrunning the cops while trying to smuggle a truck-load of beer across state lines, are there?

DeLorean DMC-12 – Back To The Future

The DeLorean DMC-12 was a fairly underwhelming prospect when it was launched. While most agree that it looked fantastic, the detuned V6 engine was less impressive.

This wasn’t an issue in Back To The Future however, as it only had to get up to 88mph. It’s worth noting that not all of them came with a Flux Capacitor…

Volkswagen Beetle – Herbie

Sometimes we treat our cars like sentient beings, and Herbie is probably the reason why. That said, the reality of your car coming to life and going haywire is probably quite frightening.

The Volkswagen Beetle is already an iconic shape on its own. Add in the stripes and the number 53 on the side and you have the definition of a love bug.

Cadillac Miller-Meteor – Ghostbusters

The Cadillac Miller-Meteor is a strange beast to behold. Built as a combination of an ambulance and a hearse, it also found its way as a poltergeist fighting machine.

Ecto 1 had a myriad of lights and sirens with decent road clearing ability, and the famous red and white colour scheme made it a cult favourite.

Ford Mustang – Bullitt

No action movie is complete without a good car chase, and what better car for the job than the Ford Mustang. This car oozes Americana from every angle, and the thumping V8 makes a great soundtrack too.

The Mustang from Bullitt was so iconic, Ford actually sold a tribute car from 2019 until 2020. It was available in the same Highland Green as the car from the movie and featured Bullitt logos as well.

Aston Martin DB5 – Goldfinger

No James Bond film is complete without an impressive car, and the Aston Martin DB5 is possibly the most impressive of them all. There’s no arguing that it’s properly pretty, and this one is packing a punch.

Some of the gadgets fitted to Bond’s DB5 include machine guns, front and rear rams, an ejector seat and a radar for navigation. Sadly, these options weren’t standard fit on the DB5.

Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Not many people can claim to have a Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder parked in their parents’ garage. It’s widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cars ever made, and it’s also now one of the most expensive cars in the world.

You’d be pretty miffed then if your teenage son took it for a joyride while skiving off school, especially if he then brought it back in less than ideal condition. Still, at least Ferris Bueller got to enjoy his day off in style.

Mini Cooper S – The Italian Job

We’ve all been there. You’ve just successfully nicked a few million in gold bars from gangsters in Venice before one of your crew goes rogue and tries to keep it all for himself. What can you do?

Well obviously you give chase, but you’ll need something nimble and small enough to fit in tight spaces. Enter, the classic Mini. Its role in The Italian Job will have something to do with the Mini’s cult following today, it may even be one of the coolest cars to come out of the UK.

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