Here is a brief review of legendary cars, which millions of us have seen in popular movies. For some of them the starring worked as an effective marketing step, as their production and sales grew significantly.

The very first DeLorean DMC-12—one of the world’s most wonderful vehicles—was released on January 21, 1981. However, it was the Back to the Future trilogy that gave it the fame. There are also other cars that featured in popular movies.

DeLorean DMC-12

This vehicle, the product of DeLorean, became world-renowned thanks to the Back to the Future trilogy. By the time the shooting of the first part began, the DMC-12 line had been discontinued and threatened to lapse into oblivion, even though the project was quite ambitious. However, what Robert Zemeckis, the film director, characterized as an incredible alien spaceship design, provided John DeLorean’s masterpiece the ticket to the worldwide fame.

Meanwhile, the idea of using the car as a prototype of the Time Machine did not appear spontaneously. The initial scenario version suggested that Doctor Emmet Brown build the machine based on a laser installation and, later—on as little a thing as a refrigerator. Zemeckis did not want the movie to make children want to make a mess in refrigerators. Besides, he fairly noticed that the Time Machine had to move easily; finally, the third part was to feature an automobile.

The DeLorean DMC-12 story deserves a separate post, as it showcases an example of an extremely sophisticated experiment with a bitter end. The production line continued from 1981 until 1983. The car’s structure was utterly unique, its appearance—unabashedly extravagant, and quite a lot of people wanted to buy the new thing before its production actually started. However, the gifted engineer’s ambitious plan was doomed to fail: a number of events and factors caused his business to collapse and brought him into custody, and he all but got jailed. The whole output totaled almost nine thousand DMC-12 vehicles before the line was shut down.

Chevrolet Camaro

Although many were quite so familiar with the outstanding pony car and the Chevrolet logo, the release of ‘The Transformers’ definitely fueled public interest in the brand and vehicle, even those who had never been car fans before. Every time a kid or a lady would see a new fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro in the street, they would shout in delight: “Look, there is the Bumblebee over there!” However, it began to happen a little while after the release of Michael Bay’s first movie. Filmed in 2007, along with the 1977 Camaro, it was a concept car of the 2009 innovation that played the role of the friendly Autobot. The following episodes, however, featured tradeoff versions. For most ardent fans of the epic, the General Motors released the Transformers Special Edition pack of vehicles that came in yellow color with black Autobot stripes outside and inside.

It is noteworthy that in the forerunning cartoon series, the Bumblebee had transformed into a Volkswagen Beetle. However, Michael Bay was death on the idea, because a whole series about the revived Herbie the Beetle had already hit the U. S. screen.

Peugeot 406

In 1998, an eccentric, dynamic, and very funny action drama by Luc Besson thundered around the globe, featuring Daniel, a cheeky taxi driver from Marcel, turning his Peugeot 406 into the city’s fastest vehicle, shocking road cops and helping them smash a bunch of guileful Mercedes-riding robbers. Featured in the movie, the original Peugeot 406 was powerful and speedy in itself: having 207HP under the hood, it could make 240 km/h.

However, that was not enough for the main character, so he modified his sedan into a flying (in all senses!) bolide. The Peugeot 406, including the restyled 1999 version, was featured in three parts of Besson’s action drama, and by the time the shooting of the fourth part of the thrill-seeking driver’s adventures began, the production line was discontinued. Daniel had to trade it for its descendant—a Peugeot 407.

Aston Martin DB5

A genuine English vehicle for a genuine English spy! That must have been the motto, which both Ian Fleming, a writer, and Guy Hamilton, a film director, followed, as they were outfitting James Bond for a ride in the Yorkshire car maker’s creation. Although DB5 was not the only Aston Martin model run by the super-spy throughout the 23 movies, it is definitely Bond’s main and most recognized car.

First, a DB5, equipped with replaceable license plates, machine guns, an ejection seat, and other Q-Department innovations, appeared in the Goldfinger in 1964. The 007 agent’s fictitious father chose an Aston martin DB mark III for him, but the movie creators chose the fresh DB5. One year later, that same vehicle was featured in ‘the Thunderball’. In the following nine movies, including ‘the Casino Royale’ and ‘The 007; Coordinates Skyfall’, other replicas of the model appeared.

DB5 was in production for only three years – since 1963 until 1965. However, the almost half-century movie story pretty much compensated for the line’s short life. As more James Bond movies are coming, it is not unlikely that we will see the good old Aston DB5 back on screen, packed with all sorts of gadgets that make the car and the driver almighty.

The Plymouth is among car brands, which have witnessed a plethora of unique and outstanding vehicles, are long gone. However, the memory of this once top car in America, is engraved for eternity in John Carpenter’s horror movie – ‘The Christine’, based on Stephen King’s eponymous novel.

The appearance and name of this incarnation of the 1950’s American Dream, leave no questions about the reasons why the author chose the Plymouth Fury to personify the revived demon. The extremely aggressive design is typical of the then trendy aquatic style: a maw-like radiator grille, paired flashlights that resemble predatory eyes beaming from under frowning brows, and a curved chrome bumper mimicking a mouth pulled viciously tight. It does not take a lot of imagination to recognize a guileful monster in this steel giant.

The blood-red color complements the sensation, even though it is all fictitious. All real Furies were beige. The line existed from 1956 until 1989, and featured in the movie was a 1958 model with a 5.2L 290HP V8 engine. The car could make 240 km/h, which the book described as a cosmic and unprecedented speed at the moment. The Christine featured 23 ‘furious’ Plymouths, of which only three got through to the end of the shooting.

Shelby Mustang GT500

In 1974, ‘The Gone in Sixty Seconds’ hit the screen and described the longest in history car chase. After 26 years, Dominic Sena produced a remake of the famous story about the crafty car thief. Both parts featured a hefty range of legendary vehicles, each deserving special attention. However, Shelby Mustang GT500 Eleanor 1967 was the most outstanding and popular among viewers.

This handsome car featured a bright and vivid body and a 7L 375HP V8 engine under the hood. The production was launched in 1964, with a 2.8L model pioneering. In 1965, the legendary Carol Shelby construction bureau was invited to develop extra powerful versions. The cooperation resulted in the addition of the GT500 to the existing GT350. Some attribute Mustangs to the muscle car category, but actually it is a mixed type – so called pony cars, which mimicked muscle cars except they were smaller in size and lacked power. Indeed, the nickname is related to the horsey part of the Ford Mustang name.

Most likely, the most ‘talented’ four-wheeled actors deserve the honor of leaving a track in a kind of Ride of Fame. But it is not there yet, so, while some of these cars are boasting their shining polished bodies in museums and exhibition rooms or enjoying hobbyists’ careful attitude, others are rusting in shabby garages or, worse still, lapsing into neglect. However, they are true and legendary movie characters, not just pieces of automobile industry, and they will be for years to come!

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