When The Fast and the Furious hit theaters in 2001, no one but a genius or a psychic could have predicted it would spawn one of the world's most successful film franchises of all time. And yet, nearly two decades and seven more films later, The Fast and the Furious is a full-on cultural phenomenon, having inspired a new generation of automotive enthusiasts who fell in love with a rag-tag crew of car thieves all those years ago.
Over the course of the franchise, the cast has transformed from young up-and-comers into full-fledged stars. Watching the first film today, it's amazing to see how young the likes of Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, and Jordana Brewster were when they made it to the big leagues. A laundry list of casting additions over the years have only cemented the films' star-studded lineup with supporting roles coming in the form of Ludacris, Tyrese, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Gal Gadot, Jason Statham, Charlize Theron, Sung Kang, Kurt Russell, Elsa Pataky, and more.
But despite all the star power that every new installment brings to the screen, every Fast and Furious fan still loves the chases, the races, and the crashes that highlight the real stars of the show: all those awesome cars. From the early movies' backyard mod-jobs to today's most insane supercars, there's a car for every fan's specific tastes. But what about the cast's automotive tastes—in real life?
Some cast members are tried-and-true car nuts, some keep it strictly classy, and some couldn't care less what they drive around town. Keep scrolling for 10 cars driven by the Fast and Furious cast that anyone can afford, and 10 only the stars themselves could ever hope to own.
20 Michelle Rodriguez: Toyota Prius
While Michelle Rodriguez's character Letty brings raw driving talent to her crew's capers, in real life the actress didn't have a driver's license before being cast in 2001's The Fast and the Furious.
She had to learn to drive to film even the simplest scenes in the movie, and now in real life, she drives one of the favorite cars for Hollywood stars, the Toyota Prius.
The most ubiquitous hybrid vehicle and one that has set the standard for futuristic design as well as efficiency, the Prius is a car just about any fan of the Fast and Furious franchise can afford either brand new or at the very least, on the secondhand market.
19 Vin Diesel: GMC Yukon Flex Fuel
While the entire cast of the Fast and Furious franchise gets to enjoy driving plenty of radical sports cars and backyard mod-jobs, in real life sometimes the simple life beckons for the stars. Vin Diesel's Dominic Toretto may prefer beefy muscle cars, but Diesel himself drives a GMC Yukon Flex Fuel as he shuttles his family around Los Angeles. The Yukon shares a platform with the Cadillac Escalade and Chevrolet Suburban, both popular choices for celebrities who want to ride around in comfort, while a limo tint helps to keep the interior hidden, offering just a little bit of anonymity.
18 Ludacris: 1993 Acura Legend
When Acura found out that rapper-turned-actor Christopher Brian Bridges—better known as Ludacris—still drives his beloved 1993 Legend, the marketing opportunity proved too irresistible to pass up.
The Japanese manufacturer offered to fix up Ludacris's Legend until it was back to its original, factory-fresh condition.
The Legend helped establish Acura as the worthy higher-end branch of Honda in this country, introducing buyers to a powerful, sleek sedan that still offered legendary Japanese reliability. While film fans may have a hard time finding a Legend in quite such perfect condition, even the most well-maintained example is a solid, reliable buy and can easily be found for cheap on the secondhand market.
17 Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson: Ford F-150
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson joined the Fast and Furious franchise for the fifth installment, playing US Diplomatic Security Service agent Lucas Hobbs. Few actors could have hoped to match the raw physicality of his cast mate, Vin Diesel, and it was inevitable that sparks would fly between the two beefed-up stars. In real life, The Rock drives a Ford F-150, the world's best-selling truck and one that anyone can find with almost zero effort on the used market. New F-150s, meanwhile, start at under $30,000 and offer practical utility and a wide variety of engine and cabin layout options.
16 Sung Kang: Datsun 240Z
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift brought drift culture to the masses when it hit theaters in 2006. At first, it seemed like the franchise was losing the characters that tied it together, but the plot has since been tied into the main thread in later films. Drifting hasn't featured as heavily, however, probably to the chagrin of Sung Kang even though (spoiler alert) his character reached the end of the line after the end of Fast 6. In real life, Kang is an avid driver, and his customized Datsun 240Z is a classic piece of Japanese engineering that he's augmented with a full roll cage, aftermarket wheels, and forward-mounted rearview mirrors in JDM style. For fans of the look, a 240Z can be found in the $10-15,000 range.
15 Elsa Pataky: Acura MDX
Elsa Pataky also joined the Fast and Furious franchise for the fifth film, Fast Five, which hit theaters in 2011. Her character has since made a series of short appearances as a semi-love interest of Vin Diesel and partner to The Rock's Lucas Hobbs.
In real life, Pataky is married to frequent Marvel film star Chris Hemsworth, who plays Thor in one of the only franchises that can boast better ticket sales than the $5 billion claimed by the Fast and Furious films.
But Pataky keeps things simple and reliable, driving an Acura MDX rather than splurging on a more luxurious European SUV. Depending on model year and condition, a used MDX can run anywhere from $8-20,000.
14 Eva Mendes: Lexus RX 400h
For environmentally-conscious Hollywood stars who want to drive a hybrid but need a bit more space and a higher ride height than the Toyota Prius, the Lexus RX 400h is the go-to choice. Eva Mendes, who first appeared in 2 Fast 2 Furious, as an undercover liaison that clearly had a past with Paul Walker's Brian O'Connor, drives an RX 400h in Los Angeles. Even though the hybrid SUV may have had a relatively high sticker price when new, the model has become so common that finding one on the secondhand market isn't a particularly difficult task, though excellent longevity and reliability means it holds its value for many years.
13 Paul Walker: Fox Body Mustang
Paul Walker was undeniably the biggest car enthusiast of the entire franchise's extensive cast. Before his untimely accident, his collection included some of the world's most incredible sports cars, including a Ford GT40, a Saleen S7, and a plethora of Porsches and BMWs.
But Walker clearly had a penchant for older Detroit muscle, and of all his cars, perhaps the best bang for the buck comes in the form of a Fox Body Mustang.
(The third-gen Mustang is named after its designer, who took the model in an entirely new, boxier direction.) Walker owned many, including a rare Saleen-modified example, but a more standard trim version can be found with a beefy V8 for under $10,000 easily.
12 Paul Walker: Nissan Altima
Paul Walker's collection included a few cars that actually featured in the Fast and Furious franchise—most of them sports cars modded in the style of the various films in which they were featured. But one mysterious inclusion in his garage was a bone-stock Nissan Altima from the late 2000s. Why exactly Walker felt the urge to purchase an Altima may perhaps never be known, but at the very least fans of the actor and the franchise can definitely make a good purchase by finding a similar Altima on the used market. Prices should range from under $5,000 for a higher-mileage example to just over $10,000 for an immaculate unicorn.
11 Paul Walker: Ford Bronco
The Ford Bronco has become infamous for its role in the OJ Simpson car chase, but it nonetheless remains one of Detroit's most quintessential SUVs. With values rising for used models in good shape and the potential of a model reboot in the next few years, a Bronco makes a good investment for anyone looking for a simple, capable SUV that wants a little more comfort than a Jeep Wrangler. And clearly, if the OJ Simpson relationship didn't turn off a celebrity like Paul Walker, any fan of the Bronco can confidently drive a Bronco, even on the freeways of Los Angeles.
10 Jason Statham: Ferrari F12 Berlinetta
English star Jason Statham seems like he should have joined the Fast and Furious franchise earlier, but he's fit in as a major player ever since his first appearance in the credits scene of Fast and Furious 6.
Statham's action chops have often combined with an automotive focus in films like The Italian Job and The Transporter, and in real life, he's got a penchant for some high-end luxury sports cars.
The highlight of his collection is the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, a 730-horsepower beast harnessed within a smooth, luxurious shell—sadly for fans of the franchise, it comes with a price tag well above $300,000.
9 Jason Statham: Aston Martin DBS Volante
Statham also includes an Aston Martin DBS Volante in his stable of luxury sports cars. Sharing its underlying platform with the DB9, the DBS in Volante form is a convertible with a 5.9-liter V12 under its long hood that produces 510 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. Of course, only a star of multiple franchises like Statham can reasonably afford a DBS Volante given its starting sticker price of $277,576 when new. At nearly $75,000 more than a base DB9, the DBS Volante's extensive carbon fiber use and more powerful V12 both serve to rack up the price tag incredibly quickly.
8 Tyrese: Voltron Motors Rebel Jeep
There is some uncertainty as to exactly why 2 Fast 2 Furious didn't feature Vin Diesel returning as Dominic Toretto. In many ways, Tyrese's Roman Pierce seems like he may have been a quick substitution, though the model-rapper-actor played the role so well he's become a comedic, witty staple of the franchise who can always be relied upon to take on outrageously distracting jobs in service of the overall plan. Tyrese has lent his name and some creative juices to Jeep modifiers Voltron Motors, not to mention his role as lead spokesperson and advertising model for the brand's radical Jeeps, as well.
7 Tyrese: Maserati GranTurismo
While extensively customized Jeeps fit in both in town and on the trail, Tyrese clearly needed something a little higher class to drive on city streets. His Maserati GranTurismo coupe just might get better fuel economy, though probably not by a whole lot given the fuel required to pump 454 horsepower and 384 lb-ft of torque out of the V8 under its long hood. The luxurious Maserati shares mechanicals with the Ferrari 599 GTB and 612 Scaglietti, which perhaps contributes to a sticker price of around $150,000, with options choices quickly ratcheting costs up into the $200,000 range.
6 Jordana Brewster: Land Rover Range Rover
The Land Rover Range Rover has become increasingly luxury-focused throughout its multiple decades of production. Though its exterior profile has maintained roughly the same form as earlier models, the current generation offers opulence on a level that the designers of its more off-road focused iterations simply didn't even consider. Crisp lines, an elevated ride height, and ultimate comfort make the Range Rover a popular choice among celebrities who can afford the high-end SUV (and co-star Charlize Theron also drives one), but few fans of the Fast and Furious franchise will ever spend the cash needed to purchase one for themselves.
5 Gal Gadot: Jaguar F-Type Convertible
Gal Gadot's character, Gisele, first made a small appearance in the franchises' fourth film, then had major roles in the next two movies before sacrificing herself to save Sung Kang's character near the end of the sixth movie.
Perhaps the timing was perfect for Gadot's career, as she has since proven to be a legit star in her own right portraying Wonder Woman in the DC cinematic universe.
The former model drives a couple of Jaguars, the best of which is her F-Type Convertible, a luxurious British roadster that blurs the line between sports car and luxury tourer. The F-Type starts at just over $60,000, but its highest iteration, the SVR easily costs twice as much.
4 Bow Wow: Bentley Continental GT
When The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift debuted in 2006, no one could possibly have foreseen the cultural force that drifting would inspire in this country—especially given how sub-par the movie was otherwise. An incongruous supporting role by child rapper-turned-actor Lil' Bow Wow (now known as Bow Wow) as Twinkie, a gearhead with a Hulk themed van, certainly didn't help the film's coherence, and Bow Wow hasn't made an appearance in any of the following movies. But his career has allowed him to amass some serious wealth, and his car collection has grown accordingly. Bow Wow's go-to is his Bentley Continental GT, an incredibly luxurious, spectacularly designed, and powerful tourer the likes of which few fans will ever get to sit in, much less own.
3 Kurt Russell: Audi A8
Kurt Russell has played a semi-sinister government agent known as Mr. Nobody in the last two installments of the Fast and Furious franchise, as the cast list grows and grows along with production budget and global storytelling scale. Russell's career has been long and storied, though perhaps his role in Quentin Tarantino's half of Grind House, where he played an exceptionally creepy former stunt driver, lent Russell the credits needed to join one of the world's highest-grossing franchises. In real life, Russell drives an Audi A8 around the streets of Los Angeles, one of the largest, longest, most powerful, and most expensive sports sedans available on the market today.
2 Tony Jaa: Lamborghini Aventador
Audiences in the United States may not have recognized Tony Jaa when he made a sudden appearance in Furious 7. But any fan of Muay Thai, or martial arts films in general, immediately cheered when his flurries of elbows and knees fit into an epic fight scene with Paul Walker as both tried to escape a bus that was quickly approaching the edge of a cliff. Jaa has established himself as one of the film industry's most capable martial arts stars since his breakout role in 2003's Ong Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, and his many international roles have brought him the wealth he needed to buy one of the international automotive market's most aggressive, and expensive, sports cars: the Lamborghini Aventador.
1 Paul Walker: E30 BMW M3 Lightweight
Paul Walker's car collection definitely include some of the world's premier sports cars—highlights include a Porsche Carrera GT, a Ford GT40, a Saleen S7, and a duo of Porsche GT3 RS track stars.
While perusing his collection, though, perhaps the most insane addition is the matching set of seven E30-generation BMW M3 Lightweights.
While average drivers might see an M3 Lightweight and think it's just a modded version of a common BMW, in reality, these cars are extremely rare and valuable, having shipped from the factory with extensive track-specific modifications. Together, all seven are probably worth somewhere around $1 million.
Sources: imdb.org, fastandfurious.wikia.com, and wikipedia.org.