A countless number of incredible cars have graced the silver screen. It’s impossible to recall from memory just how many great ones there have been, and even more impossible to pare them down to one 10-car list.

But we tried anyway.

This list isn’t Gospel. You can probably make an argument for an entire new list. (Update: You did! See Your 10 Favorite Movie Cars here.)

Certainly if you include cars from TV (see our Top 10 TV cars list here), this would be longer than our full-length tube headers.

We do know this: The cars on this list deserve to be here.

One way or another they have teased our imaginations and won us over. In the off-chance you’re not familiar with any of these cars or films you should try to remedy that. Well, except for Batman & Robin. That Hollywood train wreck might have been worse than Gigli.

Without further ado and in no particular order…

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The OnAllCylinders List of Our 10 Best Movie Cars

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10. 1981 DeLorean DMC-12, Back to the Future

Delorean DMC-12 done up in Back to the Future Time Machine livery
(Image/OnAllCylinders – Lori Sams)

With sweet gull-wing doors, a unique stainless steel finish, and a space time continuum-traversing flux capacitor, it’s hard to argue against the Back to the Future DeLorean being among Hollywood’s most-iconic cars.

Whether it was being pushed by a train, hovering with Mr. Fusion, or running off weapons-grade plutonium, the DeLorean was every bit as important to the trilogy as Marty McFly and Dr. Emmett Brown.

“If you’re gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?”

We couldn’t agree more, Doc.

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9. The Batmobile(s), Batman & Dark Knight

vintage batmobile recreation from Adam west TV series
(Image/OnAllCylinders)

Picking the Batmobile is kind of cheating. But the truth is, virtually every iteration of the Caped Crusader’s villain-vexing ride deserves to be on here. But we’ll narrow our choices down to three distinct eras:

  • 1966 Batmobile, Batman: The Movie

Probably more famous for its 120-episode TV run, this sweet ride made its big-screen debut in 1966 in Batman: The Movie, starring Adam West and setting the bar very high for future Batmobiles.

  • 1989 Batmobile, Tim Burton-Era Batman
batmobile from tim burton batman returns film
(Image/OnAllCylinders – Lori Sams)

Built on a Chevy Impala chassis, the 1989 Batman film starring Michael Keaton featured another phenomenal Batmobile. Maybe our favorite. Perhaps you and your buddies have argued a time or two about which of these Batmobiles would win in a race. Now you don’t have to wonder. Holy drag race, Batman!

  • 2005 Tumbler, The Dark Night Series
batmobile tumbler from the dark knight christian bale move on display
(Image/OnAllCylinders – Lori Sams)

Never actually called the Batmobile, Bruce Wayne customizes a prototype military vehicle from Wayne Enterprises for his own personal crime-fighting use in Batman Begins. Part race car, part tank, this thing gets points simply for being awesome. And for being part of the greatest comic book-to-film adaptation we’ve ever seen.

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8. 1977 Firebird Trans-Am SE, Smokey & the Bandit

Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am at Car Show
(Image/Summit Racing – Mandy Longoria)

It’s a movie about delivering a truckload of beer—fast. And it features Sally Field looking hotter than Guam and Burt Reynolds’ mustache. What’s not to like? The car spawned legions of Trans-Am enthusiasts—specifically Bandit Trans-Am enthusiasts. And we salute them.

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7. 1957 Chevy 210 Project X, Hollywood Knights

front view of project X 1957 Chevy 210 with ZZ632 Big Block
(Image/OnAllCylinders)

Any old-school car nut worth their salt can undoubtedly point out this iconic 1957 Chevy (which is technically a 210 post coupe and not a Bel Air as folks often think). Though it started off as the perpetual test mule of Popular Hot Rodding magazine, let’s not forget that Project X got some screen-time in a 1980 comedy romp as well. You can learn more about Project X (and its current 632ci powerplant) here.

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6. 1968 Mustang GT, Bullitt

Ford Mustang bullitt 1968 highland green
(Image/OnAllCylinders)

If there’s a more-famous car-chase scene or a more-revered on-screen driver than Steve McQueen, we don’t know about it. In fact, the vehicle has made such an impact that special-edition Bullitt Mustangs were released by Ford in 2001 and again in 2008-09. If you’re into them, you can read and talk all about them with the folks at the International Mustang Bullitt Owners Club.

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5. 1992 Jeep Wrangler YJ, Jurassic Park

Jurassic park jeep wrangler at daytona jeep beach week
(Image/Summit Racing)

While the Jurassic Park series has included many awesome rides (including a 1969 Pontiac ragtop that gets chased by a T-rex in the sequel), it was a square-eye Jeep Wrangler that was the most memorable. The YJ played integral parts in key scenes throughout the original film, notably during Nedry’s ill-fated escape, and has become such a fan-favorite that it gets recurring throwback nods in the later movies too.

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4. 1994 Toyota Supra MK IV, The Fast & The Furious

fast and the furious mk IV toyota supra movie car replica, hood closed
(Image/OnAllCylinders)

This movie pretty much signaled to the automotive world that the import scene had officially arrived. It practically came out of nowhere to launch several acting careers (including Groot’s), but more importantly it brought the entire sport compact and tuner culture to the spotlight. The film introduced many aspiring gearheads to names like Spoon, SR20, and Skyline, and warned us all to check our manifolds for signs of imminent danger.

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3. 1970 Chevy Chevelle SS 454, Dazed and Confused

chevy chevelle ss at classic car show
Yeah, we know it’s not a 1970—but it’s close. (Image/OnAllCylinders)

Better known as Melba Toast, Wooderson (played spectacularly by Matthew McConaughey) and his Chevelle are the perfect combination of big-screen awesomeness. In fact, we’ll just let Wooderson tell you all about it:

“Let me tell you what Melba Toast is packin’ right here, all right. We got 4:11 Positrac outback, 750 double pumper, Edelbrock intake, bored-over 30, 11-to-1 pop-up pistons, turbo-jet 390 horsepower. We’re talkin’ some ****** muscle.”

Haven’t seen Dazed and Confused? You’d be cooler if you did.

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2. 1932 Ford Deuce Coupe, American Graffiti

milner style ford 5 window hotrod
(Image/OnAllCylinders)

According to a feature story in the Chicago Tribune, Milner’s Deuce Coupe in American Graffiti “may be single-handedly responsible for jump-starting the modern hot-rod movement.” And who are we to argue? Regardless of its significance in the pantheon of hot rodding, I think we can all agree that it’s pretty freaking rad.

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1. Wagon Queen Family Truckster, National Lampoon’s Vacation

family truckster wagon queen station wagon from lampoons vacation, front
(Image/OnAllCylinders)

“You think you hate it now. But wait ’til you drive it.”

Ed – Salesman, Lou Glutz Motors

We can think of no other vehicle to grab the top spot on this list than an eight-headlight, roof-racked metallic pea station wagon. Sure, other cars are faster, sleeker, and more elegant but, c’mon, if you’re taking the whole tribe cross-county, then this is your automobile—and it’s ours too.

…Plus it’s totally better than that Antarctic blue super sports wagon with the optional rally fun pack.

Keywords
batmobile, bullitt, chevelle, gran torino, movie cars, Top 10, trans-am
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Author: Matt Griswold

After a 10-year newspaper journalism career, Matt Griswold spent another decade writing about the automotive aftermarket and motorsports. He was part of the original OnAllCylinders editorial team when it launched in 2012.