An action movie without cars is like French fries without ketchup. It works, but it doesn’t necessarily add to the excitement. Back in the silent film era, when the automobile was barely part of everyday life, the first models appeared on the big screen. Ever since, the car has been on an almost unstoppable triumphant march.
Throughout the history of cinema, there have always been films in which particular cars have played leading roles, nearly outshining the human stars. But films can also serve as platforms for cars, enabling them to achieve a breakthrough. Or at least create a myth around them. This boosts the market value of classic models. Meanwhile, original movie cars – if they still exist – are auctioned off for sums in the millions. Below are 18 movie and TV stars with four wheels.
- Original title: Bullitt
- Director: Peter Yates
- Model: Ford Mustang GT 390 Fastback
- IMDb rating: 7,4/10
Steve McQueen once went on a manhunt in his moss-green Mustang Fastback – and in the hardboiled crime thriller, Bullitt (1968) gave the audience possibly the longest car chase in cinema history. Legendary: the ten-minute chase of two killers in their Dodge Charger R/T, during which the protagonist shifts up a gear 20 times (without shifting down again).
The original Mustang went under the hammer at an auction on January 10, 2020. The old owner, Bob Kiernan, deliberately kept the car unrestored in a garage for more than 45 years and even turned down several prominent bidders. Finally, this cult car changed hands after his death – as the most expensive Mustang ever sold at auction – for $3.4 million!
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