Movies are one of the biggest influencers in our society. A film can affect everything from fashion, slang, politics, consumer goods, and the economy. In the automotive sector, movies have influenced cars in different ways. Vehicles such as the Aston Martin DB5 are among the coolest cars made famous by movies.
Updated August 2022: The automotive market has some excellent luxury sports cars that any gearhead would appreciate. And while that is true, aftermarket tuners often take these cars and custom-upgrade them to some real badass supercar smoking beasts on the road. If these customs are anything to go by, there are several special movie cars that have been custom-built for specific roles. While most of these cars don't leave the movie sets in drivable conditions, those that survive are always in high demand when they become available for public acquisition. That said, we've updated this article with some movie cars that are real stars. Although they might belong to people who aren't willing to let them go, they're always available for the right price.
When The Fast and the Furious was released in 2001, the influence on car culture was enormous. Local movie theaters even coordinated stings with police departments to catch movie-goers who left the parking lot. The film fanatics, generally young guys, would leave the theater excited from the movie, and inspired to burn out and street race. According to a New York Times study, traffic tickets tend to surge each time a new Fast and Furious film is released. With movies having such a massive impact on people individually and in society, it makes sense that many consumers would love to get their hands on a piece of movie history. There are businesses selling movie props, costumes, set pieces, and, of course, cars. But is buying a movie car even possible? Yes, here are some famous movie and TV series cars you can buy.
19 1966 Drag-U-La Coffin Car – The Munsters
Butch Patrick, the actual person who portrayed Eddie Munster in the classic U.S. sitcom The Munsters, is ready to be dearly departed from his Drag-U-La coffin car. The extravagant vehicle was custom-built for Eddie to meet his adoring fans across the country. It is one of the wildest and most iconic movie cars.
The coffin car contains a 400-horsepower Chevy engine. It has a TH350 automatic transmission, making it easily drivable for even the dead. It also has a fully-functioning dual quad intake.
18 2015 Chevrolet Fast Attack – Furious 7
One of the most awesome Hollywood vehicles on the market is the Fast Attack from Furious 7. This ride was used by Jason Statham's character, Deckard Shaw, in the movie that was graced by Paul Walker's presence. This custom beast was one of six built for the film. Only three survived and are available for sale for an estimated price of $30,000 to $35,000.
Fast Attack features a fully customized off-road chassis and a 5.3-liter LS1 engine. The vehicles were all owned by Universal Studios, and following filming, they did remove some parts, including the shocks. But overall, a steal of a deal for an epic, off-road, silver screen monster.
17 1976 Ford Gran Torino – Starsky & Hutch
Starsky & Hutch is a comedy-action TV series of the 1970s. It features two street-smart detectives on a mission to keep the streets of Bay city safe. The vehicle in the film, nicknamed the Striped Tomato, was a 1976 Gran Torino. Four of these cars were used for filming. In 2014, a 1976 Ford Gran Torino claimed to be one of the original Starsky & Hutch cars sold for $40,000. Today, one of these costs north of $100,000.
The car is expensive not only because it starred in a famous TV show, but also because of its limited production. There are only an estimated 300 left in existence. This film car still includes the bubble police siren and telephone used by the actors.
16 1975 Ford Interceptor – Mad Max
Neil Randell
To clarify, yes, this is a replica. But because of its extreme rarity and attention to detail, it's not easy to tell the difference. The 1975 Interceptor received a ground-up restoration, and no detail was overlooked.
The vehicle is road-ready and has less than a few hundred miles on the odometer. It took over seven years to design and restore, and the seller holds over $100,000 in receipts as proof of work. Hopefully, they can at least break even on their fan-built ride.
15 1972 Lincoln Town Car – American Gangster
Why not kick off the fall right with a brand-new-to-you Lincoln Continental straight out of Hollywood. The vehicle was put up for auction in September 2018 with an estimated price of less than $12,000. The iconic Town Car made for the perfect luxury choice for a drug lord from Harlem. Buy the Lincoln and sit where Denzel Washington sat in the 2007 film American Gangster.
Following this Ridley Scott hit, the car was slated to appear in The Green Hornet. It had some sporty modifications added before filming, including a scooped air cleaner, high-rise intake, and a new set of larger wheels, but it was never used.
14 1969 Dodge Charger Coupe – Dukes Of Hazzard
One of the most famous cars in television history is General Lee, known for its wild racing and giant leaps to evade the police of Hazard County. Unfortunately, the '69 Charger up for public acquisition is only a replica, but it's pretty good. It even has a horn that blows the recognizable Dixie call.
The car runs well with a 318 V8 and an automatic transmission. It's not quite rust-free. The owner seemed to have a bit of Bo and Luke Duke-style fun with the car. But overall, the car is in great shape and has a solid frame, great for spirited driving escapades. A version of the General Lee fetched a winning bid of nearly $10 million in 2007.
13 1973 Ford Ranchero GT – Breaking Bad
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Unless you've been living under a rock, you probably binge-watched Breaking Bad like everyone else. If you made it through the whole series, you might recognize this 1973 Ford Ranchero from season 5. The car also appeared in an Eric Church music video for the song Give Me Back My Home Town.
This Ranchero is one of 15,320 that rolled off the production line, but it costs only around $10,000. The car is in rough condition with faded paint, a shredded interior, and incredible dust and grime-covered engine. But the seller boasts that it roars to life the minute you turn the key.
12 1925 Ford Model TT – Boardwalk Empire
While some people love their modern luxury cars, others prefer the race souped-up drag cars. And some are entirely content with a roaring 1920s antique. A Model T tow truck is a rare find, and a vehicle like the one pictured above made a star-worthy appearance on the hit HBO show Boardwalk Empire.
The ancient car for sale isn't what you would describe as mint condition, but what do you expect from a machine over 90 years old? It uses a 4-cylinder engine with manual transmission. And its bolted-on tow assembly makes it unique to other Fords of the time. The tow truck should sell for around $15,000.
11 1969 Pontiac Le Mans – The Lost World
If you were a 90s kid, you probably grew up watching the Jurassic Park films. Nothing can compare to the fear and excitement of a Tyrannosaurus Rex chasing a Jeep Wrangler or Explorer with the theme park paint job. Although you can buy those off-road collector vehicles, this baby comes from the less-successful second film, The Lost World.
The car is seen at a gas station in the US when the dynos are released amongst the masses. The Le Mans has had three paint jobs in its life and was red during filming. Since then, the seller did a complete restoration and gave it a Warwick Blue coat of paint.
10 1970 Dodge Challenger – The Bucket List
If you love Mopars and movies, you might check out this 1970 Dodge Challenger. The show-ready car was featured in the Jack Nicholson film, The Bucket List and the 2010 biopic about Joan Jett called The Runaways. This car is a resto-mod built by Ted Moser, known for his work building picture cars.
The Challenger has less than 3,000 miles on the odometer and has all the comforts of a modern car. Air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, and a 5.7-liter Hemi make it a Mopar ready to drive daily.
9 1953 Mercury Custom – Ant-Man And The Wasp
Is there a car lover who doesn't enjoy watching the heated car chases in the Fast and Furious franchise? For lovers of the '50s classic cars, it's time to drive this 1953 Mercury Custom. The gorgeous car was owned by Universal Studios and has been in several film productions.
Most recently, the Mercury was used in the Cuba scenes of The Fate of the Furious. It also made an appearance in Ant-Man and the Wasp. The retro car has been mostly stock, with just a few upgrades when parts wore out.
8 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback S-code GT Bullitt – Bullitt
One of Steve McQueen's most famous films is coveted by car-fanatics worldwide. Bullitt has one of the greatest Hollywood car chase scenes of all time – a chase scene that lasted over 10 minutes. It may not be as full of CG and explosions as today's modern chase scenes, but it remains an iconic film with an iconic car.
With a price tag above $100,000, it's a little shocking, mainly because the car is not actually from the movie. Although it's a rare car, it was only built as the Bullitt Mustang in 2014. Nevertheless, movie-buffs and car collectors will be fighting to have this ride in their garage.
7 1955 Chevrolet 150 – Two-Lane Blacktop
A lesser-known film about cars is Two-Lane Blacktop, starring Dennis Wilson, drummer for the beach boys. The indie-style, minimal-dialogue film follows a couple of street racers and their primer-gray '55 Chevy.
The car offered for public buy is not the one featured in the film, but its lightweight body would make it a fierce contender against the gasser used in the film. It boasts a V8 with 1,000 horsepower. The vehicle description on Fossil Cars would surely make the characters of Two-Lane Blacktop shiver in their road-weary boots. But this Hollywood tribute costs way above $100,000.
6 1988 Pontiac Firebird – Knight Rider
There was a lot to love about the Knight Rider, but the best one was the 1988 Pontiac Firebird. This unique sports car is one of only three built by Barris Customs for the Knight Rider television show. According to the seller, this is the only Super Pursuit Mode KITT remaining following production's wrap of the series.
The futuristic-looking '80s car was put up for auction in 2018 in pristine condition and has the functioning body modifications made famous in the show. The car was sold and restored, but the Historians bought it from that person. Now they're the pride custodians of that piece of entertainment history.
5 1956 DeSoto Sedan – American Horror Story
This 1956 Firedrome is a piece of Hollywood magic. It appeared in multiple TV shows, most notably in American Horror Story Season 2. The car is over 60 years old but has only gone around 33,000 miles. It's in near-perfect condition and has been gloriously maintained.
Its original paint code, factory wheels, like-new interior, and stock engine make it a true classic. The Firedrome has a 331 Hemi V-8 and an automatic transmission. It's ready to roll and has plenty of life under the hood. It was once listed for only $14,995.
4 1966 GMC Handi-Van Mystery Machine – Scooby-Doo
For only about $11,000, any Scooby fan can join him and his gang in this 1966 GMC Handi-Van, built to look like the famed Mystery Machine. This head-turning replica was used as a promotional vehicle for Volo Car Museum. The van was driven around the country to various car shows and events.
The dog and hippie-toting ride has been modernized with a small block and automatic transmission. It also has a banging sound system, great for playing the Scooby theme song on a loop. Every aspect of the vehicle screams a mystery-solving van, including the interior.
3 1970 Dodge Challenger – Bad Moms
This gorgeous 1970 Dodge Challenger was driven by Mila Kunis' character in the 2016 comedy, Bad Moms. The Challenger has some modifications from its original form: an all-red Road and Track hood, a blacked-out grille, and Cragar wheels. Even with the changes, it's a highly desirable car.
The Challenger sold in 2016 at the Hollywood Movie Car Auction in Northridge, CA. It was repainted black and brought back on the market in 2018. The has also appeared in numerous music videos and television shows. And it's probably going to feature in other films in the future. It's in excellent condition, and the mighty 440 V8 keeps it ready to go.
2 1939 Cadillac Sixty Special – Bugsy
For the lovers of the ultra-cool gangster-style cars of the 1930s, this 1939 Cadillac Sixty Special is the picture car of choice. It was used in the 1991 Warren Beatty film Bugsy. Even at over 80 years old, the car looks pretty gorgeous.
This Caddy had an older rebuild, replacing the interior, brakes, carburetor, and fuel system. It also received a rebuild on its flathead V8, making it ready to drive with your fedora and spats.
1 1947 Ford Super Deluxe – The Karate Kid
One of the most memorable lines in US movie history is "wax on, wax off," spouted as words of wisdom from Mr. Miyagi to his young apprentice. The car used in the film is this 1947 Ford Super DeLuxe. While many of the cars used in filming don't survive, the original model used in the 1984 hit lives on in Ralph Maccio (Daniel LaRusso) 's garage.
It might be more of a gas-guzzler than a grocery-getter, with its 239 CID flathead V-8. It propels the heavy body with only 100 horsepower. The Ford has had a few minor modifications, but nothing drastic. A few gauges are non-functional, but it's otherwise ready to drive.