THESE incredible cars have all appeared on the silver screen over the years – but can you guess which films they are from?
The collection of “unsung” movie cars, compiled by Top Gear Magazine, has not quite achieved the status of James Bond’s Aston Martin or the Back To The Future DeLorean, but are no less stunning.
1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429
John Wick’s Mustang is one of the rarest models on the market
Introduced in the debut film in the John Wick series, this gorgeous muscle car is as sleek as it is powerful.
With a production run lasting only from 1969 to 1970, only 1359 original models were ever made.
No wonder Keanu Reeves’ retired hitman character goes on a murderous rampage after it’s stolen.
Powered by a chunky seven-litre V8, it can put out 375 horsepower and a whopping 450 lb.ft of torque – more than enough to pull its immense heft at high speeds.
The Boss 429’s rarity and the iconic nature of the Mustang brand mean that they are now a deeply desirable collector’s item.
In fact, a restored 1969 model sold at a 2016 auction for $500,000 (around £350,000 at the time).
1970 Chevy Nova
HooliganCrazed serial killer Stuntman Mike drove the blacked-out Chevy in 2007’s Death Proof[/caption]
While director Quentin Tarantino refers to 2007’s Death Proof as the “worst” film he’s ever made, there was no shortage of attractive motors littered throughout it.
Classics featured include a 1971 Dodge Challenger, 1969 Dodge Charger and our old friend the Mustang, this time in its Mach 1 spec.
However, it is main character Stuntman Mike’s Chevy Nova that really stood out.
Decked out in a menacing black paint job with a white skull and crossed lightning bolts splashed on the bonnet, it served as a perfect chariot for Kurt Russell’s villainous persona.
While not the quickest, with a top speed of 106mph and a 0-60 of 11.4 seconds, it still had enough zip for the crazed serial killer to chase down his victims on gloomy back roads.
1986 Lincoln Town Car limo
The Lincoln limo ferried John McLean to Nakatomi Plaza in Die Hard
As airport cabs go, the long and luxurious Town Car was not a bad way for Bruce Willis’ John McLean to cruise from LAX to Nakatomi Plaza in style.
While it didn’t appear that much, with the main focus being on the whole terrorist-induced hostage situation plotline, the Lincoln and its faithful driver Argyle was still there at the end to ferry the protagonists home to celebrate Christmas.
That said, it did play an instrumental role in halting the escape of all-time great baddie Hans Gruber by ramming his van and knocking out an evil henchman.
Built more for cruising than tearing up the track, speed was never the car’s virtue, but it certainly provides enough comfort to happily return home from a tower block siege.
1977 Chevrolet K-10 Stepside
Chevrolet’s chunky 4×4 was ideal for resisting a Soviet invasion in Red Dawn
The K-10 was the rough and rugged 4×4 used by Patrick Swayze and his group of teenage guerillas in 1984 drama Red Dawn.
A Soviet occupation of a small Colorado town might sound a bit far-fetched these days, but if it ever did happen this is the truck you’d want in your garage.
Quick enough to allow the high-schoolers to flee the invading forces, yet also roomy enough to provide ample weapons storage, it’s a proper all-rounder pickup.
1970 Ford Bronco
Keanu Reeves demonstrated his excellent taste yet again with this Ford Bronco
Beloved action flick Speed presented us with another great movie car upon its 1994 release.
The Ford Bronco’s star turn as a nimble getaway vehicle for the film’s hero proved both that the ’70s was a great decade for car manufacturing and that Keanu Reeves has excellent taste.
Its surprising speed came from a monster V8 under the bonnet, putting out similar power to the John Wick Mustang that Mr Reeves would take on two decades later.
Unfortunately, he ends up having to ditch the Ford in favour of an equally stylish convertible Jaguar as he seeks to stop evil bombmaker Howard Payne from continuing his killing spree.
1982 Ford Granada
The Ford acted as a neat metaphor for its driver’s determination to live in the past
Since high-performance classics aren’t a common feature of the comedy sci-fi genre, it was a pleasant surprise to see Simon Pegg’s immature pub-crawl enthusiast character piloting the lovely Granada.
Central to the initially frosty relationship between Gary and former best mate Andy, it appears throughout the film as a trusty getaway for when the killer robots come calling.
It also serves nicely as a metaphor for its driver as there’s no doubt its best days are behind it, yet it still has all it needs to be something special.
1963 Cadillac Eldorado convertible
Tony Montana couldn’t have looked cooler cruising around Miami in this Cadillac
The Cadillac Eldorado sits firmly in the category of big-bodied American sedans, designed for long, wide and straight roads rather than the hustle and bustle of Paris or London.
This makes it perfect for menacing gangster Tony Montana as he glides around Miami.
It is powered by a similarly powerful V8 to the Boss 429 Mustang earlier in the list, but its extra weight means its a step or two of the pace.
Nonetheless, it serves its purpose excellently and Tony can always call on his Porsche 928 when he feels the need for speed.
1941 DeSoto Custom
The DeSoto only appeared in Cool Hand Luke for around three minutes, but is fondly remembered by film fans
Cool Hand Luke’s DeSoto is one of few cars which can be said to have outshone its driver.
Finding fame through the iconic car wash scene where scantily-clad blonde Lucille teases the chain gang workers as they bake in the hot sun.
While it only lasted just over three minutes, with Lucille not even delivering a line, the scene has lingered in the minds of film fanatics for more than 50 years.
It may be more to do with presentation than performance, but the DeSoto is fondly remembered by generations of cinemagoers.
1989 Lotus Esprit
The Lotus Esprit was central to the plot of beloved rom-com Pretty Woman
The Lotus Esprit in Pretty Woman is central to the film, with the inability of Richard Gere’s character to handle it leading to him meeting his love interest in the form of Julia Roberts.
Strangely, it was never meant to be so, as it only found its way into the film as both Ferrari and Porsche declined to supply their own equivalent models.
However, this is not the only big screen appearance for the Lotus, with earlier incarnations being a favourite of James Bond.
Drenched in racing and celebrity pedigree, the Esprit was driven by 007 in both 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me and 1981’s For Your Eyes Only.