There have been many amazing cars in film and TV over the years, although some aren’t as memorable as others. Here is a list of the Top 10 TV & Movie Cars:
1. K.I.T.T from Knight Rider
A talking car and the Hoff himself, what more does a TV series need? K.I.T.T can drive itself using Artificial Intelligence and an alpha circuit as it’s main control system. The car could also communicate with Michael Knight using a voice synthesizer, and was fluent in French and Spanish. Other cool features included a turbo boost, a silent mode to avoid detection, oil jets to get rid of pursuing vehicles, a microwave jammer to stop electronic signals, a tear gas launcher and an eject button should the situation arise. This is easily the best car ever; however the original was sold for $150,000 in 2007. There are many replicas out there, but none will have the above mentioned features or have been driven by David Hasselhoff himself.
2. The DeLorean DMC 12
Dr Emmett ‘Doc’ Brown created a time machine from a Delorean DMC 12 in “Back to the Future”, which was able to travel through time once it hit 88mph which in turn activated the flux capacitor enabling the driver to travel to a specific date. The Delorean factory was closed in 1985 however there are still plenty of replicas and the odd original around.
3. The A Team Van
The GMC Vandura featured disguise kits and surveillance devices but was mainly used to get B.A Baracus, Murdock, Face and Hannibal on the scene of a crime or to help someone out quickly. There are plenty of replicas of the A Team van out there so finding one should be easy.
4. Ghostbusters Ecto 1
The Ecto 1 is a 1959 Cadillac ambulance conversion Miller-Meteor, used by the Ghostbusters when they were investigating paranormal activities. Complete with a Proton Cannon mounted on the roof to take on Slimer or Staypuft, the Ecto 1 is one of the most memorable cars out there, although you’ll struggle to find one in the same 1959 model seen in the film.
5. The Batmobile
The original is always the best, and the 1960s version of the Batmobile driven by Adam West is easily the best Batmobile out there. You’ll struggle to find one that has the Bat-ray, the Batsmokescreen, or the Bat-computer.
6. The Mystery Machine
The Mystery Machine was the van used by the team made famous by Scooby Doo & Mystery Inc. With the aid of his friends Freddie, Daphne, Velma and Shaggy, Scooby got to the bottom of every mystery to usually reveal a man hiding behind a ghoul or ghost mask. Unfortunately, the Mystery Machine didn’t include any special features or crime fighting tools, but was still a cool looking van.
7. New York
If you think of a yellow taxi you automatically think of New York, made famous by Robert De Niro in the movie “Taxi Driver”. There aren’t many of the old style around anymore, although if you’re lucky you may get a ride in one.
8. Italian Job Minis
Pretend you are Michael Caine ready to steal a shipment of gold from Italy and check out the Mini Cooper S straight from the film “The Italian Job”.
9. Lady Penelope’s Limousine
Over 20ft long and incredibly hard to manoeuvre round corners, Lady Penelope’s car (also known as FAB1) is available if you want be seen driving round in the longest, pinkest car you can imagine. Just find someone willing to act as Parker and you’re ready to go.
10. The Flintstone’s cars
As this doesn’t have an engine, airbags or brakes, The Flintstones’ car cannot be deemed roadworthy. Powered by the driver and passenger running, the Flintstones’ car was capable of a top speed of 2mph.
A member of the cat family, the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) leads the way as the world's fastest mammal. Capable of speeds between 70-75 miles per hour, the cheetah can run at this speed for up to 1,500 feet (460m), and has been recorded accelerating from 0-60mph in just 3 seconds - faster than most sports cars.
The Pronghorn Antelope (Antilocapra americana), or Pronghorn Buck, is a hoofed mammal native to North America. It is built for maximum predator evasion, with speeds recorded varying from 40-57mph. Although slower than the cheetah, the Pronghorn is capable of maintaining its top speed over much longer distances due to its large heart and lungs.
One of two species of wildebeest, the Blue Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) is a grazing animal found in Southern and East Africa. With so many natural predators including lions, hyenas, cheetahs and crocodiles, the blue wildebeest move in large migratory herds and are capable of speeds up to 50mph when necessary.
At one time the second most common mammal in the world after humans, the Lion (Panthera leo) is these days found mostly in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The second largest living cat after the tiger, the lion can achieve speeds of up to 50 miles per hour when hunting its prey which can range from warthogs to elephants.
The Springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) is a medium sized gazelle, earning its name from its tendecy to leap into the air while running to attract a female or evade a predator, a behaviour known as 'pronking'. Most commonly found in south and southwestern Africa it can reach running speeds of up to 50mph / 80kmh.
The smallest animal on our list of the top ten fastest mammals, the Brown Hare is native to much of Europe and Western Asia. Slightly larger than a rabbit, it is a strictly herbivorous mammal that feeds on many types of vegetation throughout the year. With a number of natural predators, the Brown Hare is a naturally shy animal and is capable of reaching 48mph to avoid capture.
The Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a relatively small carnivorous mammal capable of running speeds of 48mph / 77kmh, incidentally the same as one of their prey, the Brown Hare. With natural populations of red foxes in the United States, Europe, North Africa and Asia, the red fox has the widest range of any terrestrial carnivore.
The Grant's Gazelle (Gazella granti) herivorous mammal found on open gras plains in East Africa. With the world's fastest land animal, the cheetah, being one of its natural predators, it needs to be quite speedy across the ground and can build up to a fastest speed of over 45mph.
Similar in appearance to the Grant's Gazelle, the Thomson's Gazelle (Gazella thomsoni) is probably the best known of the gazelle genus. Native to Africa's savannahs and grasslands, most notably the Serengeti, the Thomson's Gazelle will migrate in herds of hundreds or thousands. It can evade predators through its ability to maintain speeds of up to 47mph while turning quickly and 'pronking' to confuse chasers.
The Horse (Equus caballus) is a common and highly domesticated animal. They have been used for centuries to carry humans and goods as well as pull objects such as ploughs and carts. Through breeding horses have also been made to specialise in certain tasks, such as racing, and it is here that horses have been recorded reaching speeds of 45mph.
Popular throughout the world by the sheer volume of cars it produces and sells in almost all countries; Toyota majorly caters the car and Light Commercial Vehicle segment. With marques such as Daihatsu, Hino, Lexus, Scion and Toyota, this giant manufacturer produces cars of mass appeal, elegance and comfort. With stylish cars regularly churned from its basket it would be hard to beat it from its top position.
General Motors is a United States manufacturers and the second largest automaker in the world. This company has been ranked as the largest manufacturer of motors in the world though its share dwindled due to the financial crises and declaration of bankruptcy. Currently it is focusing on its core brands Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac. Its biggest markets are North and South America and China; however it’s trying to put a foothold in other emerging markets like India, Germany, Spain, etc.
Ford Motor Co. introduced the revolutionary method of large-scale manufacturing of motor vehicles. It is the third largest manufacturer in the U.S behind Toyota and General Motors. The Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo are the brands under its automobile segment. With a majority of its market share in North America and the U.S, Ford Motors is rapidly expanding its foothold globally with its ‘Ford’ brand.
This Italian automotive major has a 20% stake in Chrysler since 2009 and its cars are best sellers in Brazil, Argentina and Poland. Its long list of ventures with local companies in India, China, France, Turkey, Russia and Pakistan has ensured that this company has made a mark on the auto industry. Fiat is constantly involved in R&D and its ‘Multiair’ engine won the ‘Best Engine of the Year 2010’ in the International Engine of the Year Awards for its innovative engine technology.
Renowned for manufacturing luxury and performance vehicles, this German company also owns the MINI and Rolls-Royce brands. It’s famous for its BMW 3
Daimler Corporation is the thirteenth largest car manufacturer. This German automaker has an envious basket of brands consisting of the ultra-luxurious Maybach, the ever popular statement-Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, Mitsubishi Fuso, Setra, Smart. Luxury and comfort are its two main focuses while manufacturing models. To increase its market share it has also entered into an alliance with Renault-Nissan in 2010.
Another German manufacturer to feature on this list, Porsche is into manufacturing of luxury high performance automobiles. An impressive list of marques such as Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Scania, SEAT, Skoda and Volkswagen group has ranked it among the top luxury automakers in the world. Porsche cars are immensely successful in the Formula One circuit winning more than 28,000 races. Porsche Cayenne SUV is also very popular with more than 250,000 models sold till date.
TATA Motors emerged as a leader in automotive manufacturing after its historic takeover of British brands Jaguar and Land Rover in 2008. With a 70% market share in India, and ranked 19th by OCIA as the world’s largest automaker, TATA Motors is renowned for manufacturing affordable and cost-effective vehicles. It has also rolled out production of the cheapest car in the world ‘TATA Nano’ available at an ex-showroom price of $ 2,146 only. Apart from India it also has manufacturing plants in Argentina, South Africa and Thailand.
The sixth largest automobile manufacturer in the world, Honda’s products are mid-sized and highly fuel efficient. Their line-up cars like the Honda Civic, Fit, Accord, Odyssey, Insight and CR-V are very popular in the car market. The Honda Civic has the longest running production period. Honda also produces more fuel-efficient cars than any other automakers according to the U.S. Environment Protection Agency.
A U.S. automobile manufacturer Chrysler has manufactured popular brands such as Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, Jeep and GEMCAR- battery powered vehicles. Chrysler vehicles are also very popular among gamers with the Chrysler parody being used as ‘Chryslus Motors’ in Fallout video game series. Dodge vehicles are also used in the Need for Speed and Tom Clancy video games.