40 Best Car Movies Of All Time Ranked

Featuring car stunts bigger and more explosive than delorean mieten preis before (but not quite as big as in Fury Road, the movie is a moving feast for lovers of vehicles of all kinds and eye-popping stunts. It’s amazing how many risks stunt drivers took in the 1970s, in films that seemed to spend more money on destruction than on a script. John Hough’s 1974 adaptation of the 1963 novel “The Chase” features more action in its trailer than some of the movies on this list do in their entire run time. While so many of these movies feature widespread vehicular destruction, few have so many close calls like this one does that feel as if the drivers and filmmakers following them simply closed their eyes, raced through the stunt and hoped for the best. ‘Baby Driver’ stands out in the world of car movies thanks to its symphonic synthesis of music, dexterous driving, and exemplary storyline.

 

The Road Warrior (

 

“The Transporter” isn’t exactly a masterpiece, but it does contain some superb action scenes that are sure to get your adrenaline pumping and your heart racing. Whatever film immediately comes to mind when you hear the words “car movie,” there are plenty of entertaining movies out there that have made clever use of cars in some way. Here are 40 of the most remarkable movies about cars that we would break the speed limit to go see. The most unlikely spy car ever, the gawky-looking Citroën 2CV made its mark in James Bonds, For Your Eyes Only. A most entertaining and amusing car chase was made all the better by the plucky French star. The previous two decades had paved the way for a vehicle to be cast in a leading role.

 

The marriage between great cars and movie scripts have created some of the most enduring and popular fandoms in history. “Vanishing Point” didn’t get a ton of love from critics when it was first released in 1971, but in later years it would become a highly respected cult film. It’s been referenced in everything from “Baby Driver” to “Death Proof” (the characters refer to it as “one of the best American movies ever made”) and has been named one of Steven Spielberg’s favorite movies. The Chicago Reader commented that the movie “takes full advantage of the subject’s existential and mythical undertones without being pretentious, and you certainly get a run for your money, along with a lot of rock music.” 1971’s “Le Mans” feels like a cross between “Rush” and “Ford v Ferrari.” Steve McQueen stars as an American racer participating in France’s “24 Hours of Le Mans,” an endurance test that sees some of the world’s best drivers race for 24 hours straight. McQueen’s character competes with a German archrival on the course while developing romantic feelings for the widowed wife of a former racing rival.

 

Hunt and Lauda had a legendary rivalry in the 1970s, and Chris Hemsworth (Hunt) and Daniel Brühl (Lauda) do a superb job of making it come to life on screen. If you know much about auto racing, then you probably know how fierce the competition was at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the 1970s. In 1971, Steve McQueen financed and starred in the movie Le Mans, which shows what the world’s toughest 24-hour race is all about. With almost a documentary level of attention to detail, this fictional account is often held up as a great motorsports movie, despite the fact that it flopped at the box office. Learn more about the Gulf Oil Livery racing colors this movie made famous.

 

Ford V Ferrari

 

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the film features Jeff Bridges as Tucker. It’s a well-done movie about an iconoclast trying to disrupt the American auto industry at the height of its power. In this thriller, a nerdy kid winds up behind the wheel of a 1958 Plymouth Fury that turns out to be pure evil. As the movie goes on, the introverted teen becomes as evil as his beautiful car. Based on a Stephen King book, this 1983 film features Keith Gordon, John Stockell, and Alexandra Paul as the main characters. It’s a biographical sports drama with a focus on the rivalry between drivers Niki Lauda and James Hunt.

 

He returns to racing around Willy’s Butte and takes Doc’s advice of “turning right to go left” – by literally turning right – and sails off a cliff, falling into another cactus patch. Meanwhile, Sheriff informs Mater that he will be off duty for the day, and tasks the tow truck with keeping an eye on Lightning. The next morning, Lightning awakens to the greeting of a rusty tow truck named Mater, who informs him that he is in Radiator Springs, describing it as the cutest little town in Carburetor County. Lightning almost tricks Mater into setting him free by opening the gate and removing his parking boot until Sheriff arrives to escort Lightning out of the impound and to the courthouse. Doc Hudson, the town’s judge and doctor, almost pardons him for wrecking the road, until the town’s attorney, Sally, convinces him to sentence Lightning to perform community service, with the latter having to pave the road with Bessie, the town’s road-paving machine. As Lightning is speeds down the road, he invertedly alerts Sheriff, the local police officer, who pursues him for speeding and repeatedly backfires while trying to catch up.

 

2025 Audi S3 First Drive Review: Restrained And Rapid

 

The vehicle was already a sensation since the psychedelic and hippie ear of the ’70s, but the escapades of a family trying to get their daughter across the country to a pageant in a microbus were what gave the vehicle a foothold on this list. Its yellow, beach bum and en route-to vibe were what won it not one, but two Oscars. The DeLorean DMC-12 was the brainchild of former General Motors executive John Z. DeLorean, who decided to start his own car company after a successful career at GM. While the DeLorean initially swept away the world with its revolutionary gull-wing doors and rebellious design, it was a financial flop.

 

Lightning is distracted by his memories of Radiator Springs, losing time to The King and Chick Hicks, and begins to fear he will simply lose. To his surprise, Doc Hudson has arrived at the race, with Mater and a few others from Radiator Springs who serve as his pit crew. Doc, once again wearing his original Hudson Hornet racing stripes, takes over as Lightning’s crew chief. The Hudson Hornet’s return to the racing world is also warmly received by fans. With Doc’s coaching, a record-fast pit stops for new tires, and a few tricks learned from the small town’s inhabitants, Lightning is not only able to overtake his opponents, but has built a considerable lead by the final lap.

 

Directed by Ron Howard, this film tells the gripping true story of the rivalry between Formula One driver Niki Lauda and James Hunt. It beautifully contrasts the personalities and approaches to racing of its protagonists, set against the backdrop of the glamorous and deadly golden era of F1 racing in the 1970s. The film is a compelling portrayal of the pursuit of excellence, the resilience needed to face life-threatening challenges, and the impact of sports rivalry. Those are followed up with popular favorites, including the Indy 500 highlight Winning (starring real-life speed legend Paul Newman), Tom Cruise’s Days of Thunder, the cult dazzler Speed Racer, and family-oriented films like Cars, Turbo, and the Herbie entries. Some people can, in fact, forget nagging problems once they are behind the wheel of a certain vehicle, just like watching movies can pretty much eliminate stress. So, these two passions have plenty in common, which explains why both worlds often make an explosive combination.

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