How often do you pause an episode on Netflix to check the car the main character is driving? Well, if you’re a car fanatic like us that should’ve happened plenty of times. It’s no wonder, really. The car industry has been growing alongside television for decades now. It’s only reasonable that our favorite characters drive our favorite cars. We could even argue to some extent that the affection we feel towards these fast machines is shaped by the programs and movies we were watching.
Do you know how many grown-up men still fantasize about the DeLorean precisely because of Back to the Future? Or the glory that came back to the Impala by the teenagers because of Supernatural? That’s why we compiled this list where we rank the coolest cars driven by TV characters. We tried including some more modern titles, while never forgetting the classics. And keep in mind that not all of the images below show the exact cars from the respective shows - but we did our best to find good matches.
10 The Sopranos - 2003 Cadillac Escalade ESV
The Cadillac Escalade isn’t a unique or pretty car, by all means. Until you consider that Tony Soprano drove it. The HBO series The Sopranos featured the white Escalade ESV during the three final seasons, and it inevitably became iconic. The fact that it got sold for $119,780 at an auction proves just that. Nevertheless, the car featured autographs from the late actor James Gandolfini, and probably cigar scent from all the action in there.
9 The Crown - 1953 MG TD
You never forget your first love. Or, Prince Philipp driving in his MG TD in the TV series The Crown. If you’ve ever watched it, you know what we’re talking about. The MG TD is an open two-seater sports car produced by MG from the late 30s to 1955. It’s undoubtedly an outdated car by today’s standards, but for the 50s, the MG TD was a royal car. In fact, car spotting is an extreme sport while watching The Crown, from old Rolls-Royces to the Jaguar XK, the TV series represents the rich man’s cars of the 50s. It’s a good break from all the politics.
8 Supernatural - 1967 Chevrolet Impala
The beautiful ’67 Impala that Dean Winchester drives in the TV series Supernatural is powered by a V8 engine that sounds like thunder. However, Dean calls it “baby.” Funny, or not, the Impala has been used by the protagonists to fight demons. Yes, the Impala, besides everything else, is also a demon-hunter. Unfortunately, the car has been possessed by ghosts many times, but it always falls back to its true owner. Just like any other Impala out there, right?
7 Dynasty - 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS
Dynasty may be the perfect TV Show for teenage girls whose only goal in life is to get rich. After all, this TV Show is all about money. While money doesn’t seem to buy anyone’s moral or character, it bought one of the main characters, Fallon, a 911 Carrera GTS. The driver of this car is the perfect/trendy feminist in search of love, passion, and power while she couldn’t find all that in her life, at least she found it in her red Carrera GTS.
6 Mad Men - 1965 Cadillac Coupe DeVille
Morally ambiguous men who drive jaw-dropping cars? That’s what the critically acclaimed TV Show Mad Men seems to be all about. Well, yes, but not really. The Cadillac Coupe DeVille is driven by the protagonist, Don Draper, who seems to be in constant search of self-love and self-acceptance. The Cadillac salesman tells Don that the Dodge he owns is a car to get somewhere, while the DeVille is for when you’ve already arrived. A sentence that seems to have stuck in our minds represents what the DeVille really stands for.
5 Californication - 1990 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet
Forget all the love drama in Hank Moody’s life, the 964 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet was the true love he seemed so desperate for. Meanwhile, the 964 looks like the perfect car, it had many problems, just like its owner, Hank. Hank had another similarity with the 964: they both needed a wash. Hank, a moral one, and the 964 a real one.
Nonetheless, no matter their imperfections, we cannot help loving them. We forgive all the drinking and countless mistakes as soon as Hank shows his big heart. Same with the 964: it will never go out of style, no matter how much it needs a wash.
4 Knight Rider - 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
The Pontiac Firebird, or also known as KITT, was the modified Trans Am that could do everything. In fact, it was Michael Knight’s best friend. That’s no wonder: the KITT could fire rockets, sense bombs, talk, and even had artificial intelligence. It was one of the first self-driving cars to appear on television, even when such vehicles didn’t exist in reality.
Unfortunately, most of the KITT cars were destroyed as soon as the TV Show ended; only a few are left now in the hands of private collectors. Nonetheless, it doesn’t change the fact that the Trans Am was perhaps one of the coolest cars to ever appear on television.
3 Magnum P.I. - 1984 Ferrari 308 GTS
Forget Tom Selleck’s mustache. His Ferrari 308 GTS is the one thing that drives us all crazy. The famous private investigator, living his best life in Hawaii, had to drive one of the coolest Ferraris ever to exist. Throughout the whole show. So if you got bored with the eight seasons, at least you had the 308 GTS to yearn for.
In fact, in the show, three models of the GTS were driven, a 1978, a 1980 and a 1984. Rumors say that there were 15 cars used in total, and only one of them was sold in 2017 for $181,500. The fates of others remain unknown and exist only in the collective conciseness of Magnum P.I fans.
2 Miami Vice - 1972 Ferrari Daytona Spyder 365 GTS/4
James Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs were perhaps the coolest detectives in television history. They listened to new wave, dressed better than anyone else, and drove a 1972 Ferrari Daytona. No wonder the show had the best ratings during the second season, before going all downhill.
However, many people don’t know that the Ferrari in the show was a replica built on a Corvette C3 chassis. It was much cheaper, but it ended up going away from the show because of Ferrari’s lawsuit. Everyone say "Thank you, Ferrari" (not really).
1 Lucifer - 1962 Chevrolet Corvette C1
Who would’ve thought that the devil drives such a cool car? At least that’s the case with Lucifer Morningstar, the fallen angel who drives a Chevrolet Corvette C1. Besides punishing the criminals, owning a nightclub, and causing trouble, Lucifer is crazy rich. And of course, he has to drive a ’62 C1, the first Corvette ever and one of America's most influential sports cars.
Many journalists have argued that Lucifer should’ve driven a more aggressive car; after all, he is the epitome of evil. Nonetheless, we think that no other vehicle fits Lucifer’s personality more than the C1. Lucifer might be the devil on the show, but sometimes he is more human than anyone else.