15 Iconic Cars from Pop Culture That We All Remember
Some of the best movies and television shows over the years have featured incredible vehicles we all had dreams about driving. Whether an exotic sports car or a groovy van, they made us wish we were lucky enough to have one in our garage.
Looking back over the past 50 years, these are some of those vehicles we all loved. Out of all of these, which would you pick to drive off in the sunset in?
1. KITT — Knight Rider (1982 – 1986)
The credentials and abilities of this car make it one of the coolest cars of all time. The 1982 Pontiac Trans Am really jumped over canyons, chased down bad guys, helped its driver with the ladies, and could even speak.
The fictional artificial intelligence of 1982 was so far advanced for its time, and fans were sure this was the wave of the future. Forty years later, we have the technology, but nothing will be as rad as KITT was in the '80s.
2. Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder — Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
As kids, we applauded when teenage con artist Ferris tricked Cameron into taking his father's Ferrari 250GT, but as adults, we held our breath, hoping the car would return safely.
Sure, the joyride looked fun, but car enthusiasts had to clutch their pearls every time Ferris hit a bump at 60 mph. After watching this film, I'm sure most of these car fans invested in a heavy-duty lock. Sadly, the Ferrari met its doom, but it still lives on in pop culture's legacy.
3. Greased Lightning — Grease (1978)
Who can forget the iconic dragster Danny Zuko drove to help the T-Birds beat the rival Scorpions? The one piece of scrap metal magically blossomed into a flame-throwing hot rod put together by a group of teenage boys without any money backing them.
It's a little far-fetched, but it comes with a catchy song and is one of the best parts of the movie, so the lack of authenticity gets overlooked.
4. The Volkswagen Microbus — Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
How many of us can relate to this dysfunctional family in this coming-of-age film? A family packed in a bus for a road trip, a stressed-out dad, a grumpy grandpa, and an angry teenager make for one of the best indie films of the decade. However, the yellow hippie bus steals the show.
Some of the best scenes involve the family teaming up to push start the van, a situation that many of us growing up remember.
5. The “Flintmobile” — The Flintstones (1960-1966)
When you stop to think about it, the “Flintmobile” had some serious engineering traits way ahead of its time. Cavemen were getting the hang of mastering the single wheel, while Fred and Wilma had a four-door sedan with front and rear wheels.
Before the internal combustion engine was invented, there was a long way to go, but the foot-powered vehicle was pretty rad. Toddlers are still mastering the foot pedal vehicle today.
6. The Dodge Monaco — The Blues Brothers (1980)
Can anyone confirm or deny that this car has some sort of superpower? Not only does it jump over Chicago's 95th Street Bridge, but it is later seen doing a backflip while simultaneously flying.
If the brothers' high-flying antics on their “mission from God” aren't enough to make you remember the decommissioned cop car, the massive PA system strapped to the roof sure will. After all, is there a better way to cruise around the Windy City?
7. The General Lee — The Dukes of Hazzard (1979-1985)
I understand that a car with the Confederate flag embedded on the roof might not be the best look in 2024, but take that away, and this 1969 Dodge Charger is one of the most epic cars in pop culture. I mean, how many kids pretended to be the Duke boys tearing down a country road trying to escape from Sheriff Roscoe?
If you disregard your feelings about the controversial flag, you have to agree that flying Charger sure looked fun to drive.
8. Harry's Dog Van — Dumb and Dumber (1994)
There have been some incredible vans in the history of pop culture. You have Cheech and Chong's van, Scooby Doo's Mystery Machine, and the A team's van. Still, none of these have anything on the Shaggin' Wagon from the '90s comedy Dumb and Dumber.
Harry got a bad rap. Seriously, how much of a marketing genius is Harry to turn his van into a shaggy dog to promote his dog grooming business? He spent his life savings on that van, and Lloyd went out and traded it for a tricycle with a lawnmower engine. I hope that good boy lived a great rest of his life.
9. Dom's Charger — The Fast & The Furious Franchise (2001-2024)
Over the past twenty years, hundreds of cars have zipped around The Fast and the Furious franchise. But the one that stands out among the import tuners is the bold, brash muscle car that Dom drives throughout the films. The 1970 Dodge Charger is almost indestructible. It's wrecked in a drag race, trapped in a collapsed tunnel, and driven off a tunnel into a helicopter.
Is this thing the second coming of the Batmobile, or is it just fine American manufacturing?
10. MINI Cooper — The Italian Job (2003)
When the remake of the classic film came out in 2003, the MINI Cooper became one of the most coveted cars for the younger generation. These tuned-up go-karts zipped through downtown Los Angeles with graceful handling and enough speed to outrun the underground trains. I feel like if MINI's sales ever drop, they can make a sequel, and a whole new generation will be lining up at the dealerships.
11. The Mystery Machine — Scooby-Doo (1969-1978)
We already talked about some iconic buses earlier, but now it's time to give some love to the Mystery Machine, Scooby-Doo, and the gang's vehicle. Fred is the leader and owner of the van. As we all know, Shaggy and Scooby use the van the most. The dynamic duo spent hours munching on oversized subs and Scooby snacks on stakeouts.
To this day, it might be the most recognized van in pop culture history. If you have a better suggestion, let me know.
12. Wagon Queen Family Truckster — National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)
Is this the coolest or ugliest station wagon of all time? I think it's a mixture of both. It does have some bad luck: the hub caps are easily stolen, it breaks down in the desert, and it totes a dead body on the roof. It did get the Griswolds to Wally World. Barely, but it still counts.
Also, if you're unsure about the coolness of the Wagon Queen Family Truckster, remember that Christie Brinkley was checking out Clark as he was cruising on the highway. When did a supermodel last check you out in your Chevy Malibu?
13. The Ford Mustang — Bullitt (1968)
The 1968 film Bullitt hit the trifecta of action films. It featured Hollywood icon Steve McQueen, an epic car chase, and a beefcake of an American muscle car.
The 1968 Mustang became everyone's dream car when they saw it outrun a Dodge Charger through the streets of San Fransisco. Film critics have labeled this one of the greatest scenes in cinema history.
14. The DeLorean — Back to the Future (1985)
You're telling me that he built a time machine out of a Delorean? The first time I saw this movie, I was immediately drawn to this car. All I wanted was a red puffy vest, Doc's crazy sunglasses, and a destination to blast off to.
It's too bad the actual Delorean failed. The iconic gull-wing doors and spaceship styling never took off due to the creator's mishandling of funds. Luckily, it will live on in the future (and the past) thanks to the famous '80s film franchise.
15. The Batmobile — Batman (1989)
The Batmobile from the 1989 film is undoubtedly one of the coolest cars in pop culture history. Just like Batman, the car came with gadgets and tools to help the Caped Crusader bring justice. It had body armor and guns and could self-drive. Plus, it shot fire out of the back, which will always be the epitome of awesome.
The Batmobile has undergone some changes over the years, but in my opinion, the '89 version is the most iconic.
