The Top 10 Car Movies of all time
This is a short list of movies that any car petrolhead would enjoy, not listed in any particular order. I have focused on those mopvies that are based around the cars, rather than just feature the cars. I have also focused on those films where the car or cars in question are beautiful, iconic, cool or desirable, which is what MyCarHeaven likes to focus on. Okay the list includes more than 10, but there are quite a few good car movies. I hope you enjoy this list.
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Film: | Bullitt |
| Year: | 1968 | |
| Star cars: | 1968 Mustang GT 390, 1968 Charger | |
| Storyline: | San Francisco has been the setting of a lot of exciting movie car chases over the years, but this 1968 police thriller is still the one to beat when it comes to high-octane action on the steep hills of the city by the Bay. The outstanding car chase earned an Oscar for best editing, but the rest of the movie is pretty good, too. |
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Film: | American Graffiti |
| Year: | 1973 | |
| Star cars: | 1932 Ford coupe, 1955 Chevy, 1958 Chevy Impala, 1951 Mercury coupe and 1956 Ford Thunderbird. | |
| Storyline: | A memorable last night of cruising for a group of high school friends. |
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Film: | The Gumball Rally |
| Year: | 1976 | |
| Star cars: | 1965 Shelby Cobra 427, 1972 Chevrolet Camaro Z28, 1971 Ferrari Daytona Spyder, Jaguar E-Type, Mercedes-Benz 300SL, Porsche 911 and many more. | |
| Storyline: | Fictionalized account of Brock Yates’ highly illegal cross-country Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash. |
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Film: | Le Mans |
| Year: | 1971 | |
| Star cars: | Porsche 917 and Ferrari 512S. | |
| Storyline: | The French auto race Le Mans is a 24-hour affair through the French countryside, a demanding ordeal for any driver. McQueen plays the American driver, locked in an intense grudge match with his German counterpart even as he wrestles with the guilt over causing an accident that cost the life of a close friend. McQueen is his usual stoic magnetic self, and the racing sequences are among the best ever committed to film. |
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Film: | Gone In 60 Seconds |
| Year: | 1974 | |
| Star cars: | 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1, 1924 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, 1972 Plymouth Barracuda, 1970 Jaguar E-Type, 1959 Rolls-Royce Phantom V, 1972 Ferrari Daytona 365 GTB/4, 1973 Jensen Interceptor, 1962 Ferrari 340 MM, 1966 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II, 1972 Maserati Ghibli Coupe, 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, 1967 Lamborghini Miura, 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL, and many more. | |
| Storyline: | Car thief has to boost 48 cars in a week. Mayhem ensues. |
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Film: | Cannonball |
| Year: | 1976 | |
| Star cars: | 1969 Ford Mustang, 1970 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, 1971 DeTomaso Pantera and 1968 Dodge Charger. | |
| Storyline: | Fictionalized account of Brock Yates’ highly illegal cross-country Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash. |
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Film: | The Cannonball Run |
| Year: | 1981 | |
| Star cars: | Ferrari 308 GTS, Lamborghini Countach and Aston Martin DB5. | |
| Storyline: | Wide varieties of characters participate in an illegal cross-country road race. It’s a hilarious comedic chase as the eccentric participants are willing to do anything to win. |
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Film: | Gone In Sixty Seconds |
| Year: | 2000 | |
| Star cars: | 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 fastback, 1962 Aston Martin DB1, 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28, 1967 Ferrari 265 GTB4, 1987 Ferrari Testarossa, 1994 Jaguar XJ220, 1979 Lamborghini Countach, 1994 Lamborghini Diablo, 1957 Mercedes-Benz SL300 Gullwing, 1988 Porsche 959, 1961 Porsche Speedster, 1966 Shelby AC Cobra and many more. | |
| Storyline: | Fast cars. Rare cars. Wrecked cars. All cars. Got to love it, all those car chases. |
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Film: | Goldfinger |
| Year: | 1964 | |
| Star cars: | Aston Martin DB5 | |
| Storyline: | Goldfinger contains many of the most memorable scenes in the Bond series: gorgeous Shirley Eaton (as Jill Masterson) coated in gold paint by evil Auric Goldfinger and deposited in Bond’s bed; silent Oddjob, flipping a razor-sharp derby like a Frisbee to sever heads; our hero spread-eagle on a table while a laser beam moves threateningly toward his crotch. Honor Blackman’s Pussy Galore is the prototype for the series’ rash of man-hating supermodels. |
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Film: | The Italian Job |
| Year: | 1969 | |
| Star cars: | Mini Coopers, Lamborghini Miura | |
| Storyline: | Michael Caine, the enterprising swindler has an ingenious plan to steal a huge cache of Chinese gold to be shipped to Turin as collateral for a new Fiat plant. Since the Italy-Great Britain soccer match is being played at the same time, Caine wants to create a diversion in the form of a monumental traffic jam. A motley crew is assembled, including Benny Hill as a computer expert with a fetish for large-breasted women. It’s all a nasty and fun parody, with the most memorable robbery-chase sequence in the history of the caper genre. |
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Film: | The Fast and the Furious |
| Year: | 2001 | |
| Star cars: | 1970 Dodge Charger R/T | |
| Storyline: | Cop goes undercover in L.A.’s import street-race scene to bust a ring of electronics thieves. |
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Film: | Grand Prix |
| Year: | 1966 | |
| Star cars: | 1960s Formula 1 race cars | |
| Storyline: | The Euro-cool world of open-wheel racing. |
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Film: | Vanishing Point |
| Year: | 1971 | |
| Star cars: | 1970 Dodge Challenger 440 R/T | |
| Storyline: | Antihero, with help from a blind DJ, tries to deliver a car in record time. |
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Film: | Days of Thunder |
| Year: | 1990 | |
| Star cars: | Nascars | |
| Storyline: | A stock car driver gets his chance to compete in Nascar. Wheel to wheel all the way to the chequered flag, there are plenty of gasp moments. |
Of course there are other films such as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off [1986] featuring 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Spyder California, Back To The Future [1985] featuring the 1981 DeLorean DMC 12, The Herbie series [1969, 1974, 1977, 1980, 2005] featuring 1963 Volkswagen Beetle, Dazed and Confused [1993] featuring 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, The Graduate [1967] featuring the 1966 Alfa Romeo Spider Deutto, Gran Torino (2008) featuring 1972 Ford Gran Torino.
Let’s not forget television starts, 1969 Dodge Charger in the The Dukes Of Hazzard [1979-1985] television series, 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am in Knight Rider [1982-1986] television series, 1962 Volvo P1800 in The Saint [1962-1969] television series, 1972 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 in Miami Vice [1984 – 1989] television series, 1979 Ferrari 308 GTS in Magnum PI [1980-1988] television series and the 1974 Ford Gran Torino in Starsky and Hutch [1975 – 1979] television series.
I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post and hopefully watching these movies. If I have left any good movies out, that you think warrant inclusion let me know.
Rush has got to be up there
Like, OMG! Two Lane Blacktop should be #1, Bullitt, AG, and why is Days of Thunder on at 10? maybe top 50.
Cheers David. Looks like a movie for the muscle car lovers.
For the review I read it features a souped-up, stripped-down ’68 Plymouth Barracuda and a ’72 Cadillac Eldorado.
I’ll have to give it a go. Watch this space!
Check out a thriller movie called HIGHWAYMEN. You will love it.
What happened to disney and pixar’s cars?! that should be on the list!!
Magnificent post, very informative. You should proceed your writing. I am confident, you have a great readers’ base already!