In collaboration with PASSIONS, VOICE OF ASIA is proud to present timeless articles from the archives, reproduced digitally for your reading pleasure. Originally published in PASSIONS Volume 44 in 2011, we present this story on Auto-Legends of the Silverscreen, where we admire some of the most iconic cars in cinema.
The glamorous world of cinema has always showcased some of the most iconic and legendary automobiles in the world. Whether performing death defying stunts in a chase, or burning rubber on asphalt during an adrenaline-pumped bank-heist, cars have often been the key ingredient which elevated a scene – or even a whole movie – to the level of the unforgettable.
Some cars made their mark with their sexy looks and raw power, while others provided the perfect four-wheeled props for the lead characters in a movie. Whatever their roles may have been, cars have often enhanced the stature and charismatic image of a hero, or fed the egos of nasty villains filled with visions of megalomania. PASSIONS races through the world of celluloid, making pit-stops next to selected auto-icons which have transcended their movies to make their mark on contemporary popular culture.
The Virtual Racer | Cars – The Movie
Throughout cinema history, cars have either been accurately depicted as they are in real-life, or as fantasy super-cars such as the Batmobile, utilising one-off custom-made designs tailored to suit the script. But they all had one thing in common – they could all be actually touched and felt.
The advent of modern computer generated imaging (CGI) technology, has allowed for the entry of a new kind of celluloid car – the animated anthropomorphic automobile… and none serve as a better example of this genre than the ‘stars’ of the movies Cars (2006) and Cars 2 (2011).
The story follows the adventures of Lightning McQueen, a self-centred and arrogant sports car who is obsessed with winning the coveted Piston Cup. While racing through many thrills and spills across the highways of America, Lightning McQueen gets romantically tangled with girlfriend Sally, and eventually undergoes an emotional journey of transformation, during which he learns that there are more important things in life than winning a race.
Sally Carrera
Sally, a 2002 Porsche 911 Carrera – 996 series sports coupe, is a sprightly lawyer from the small town of Radiator Springs, and provides the love interest for hero Lightning McQueen. Successful and respected, she nevertheless seeks to fill the void in her life by searching for her destiny through a meaningful cause. The actual Porsche Carrera 911 996 series model is a masterpiece of German engineering, and inherits a very distinguished racing-car pedigree.
Fillmore
Fillmore is a 1960 Volkswagen Bus, who happens to be also the resident hippie of Radiator Springs. A believer in individuality and all things natural, he brews his own organic fuel and preaches its benefits. The actual 1960 VW Bus was a true American icon, and was often associated with the youth counter-culture movements of the 1960’s and early 70’s.
Doc Hudson
Doc Hudson, a 1951 Hudson Hornet, is the resident town judge in Radiator Springs. However, he hides a secret from his past – he is the former three-time winner of the coveted Piston Cup known as the ‘Fabulous Hudson Hornet’. He later uses his race experience to spur on Lightning McQueen. The real-life 1951 Hudson Hornet is an American auto-legend, and was virtually unbeatable in stock car racing in the immediate post-war years.
Luigi
Luigi is a 1959 Fiat 500, voiced by Tony Shalhoub. Part of Lightning McQueen’s pit crew, he has a natural bias towards Ferraris – thanks to his Italian heritage.
Lightning McQueen
Physically, Lightning McQueen (voiced over by comedian Owen Wilson) is the quintessential American sports car coupe, and is generically based on the typical NASCAR (National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing) racer. It also incorporates design features which are vaguely reminiscent of the Dodge Viper, and the Mazda Miata. Looking beyond the perspective of Cars and Cars 2, Lightning McQueen perhaps represents the essence of every auto-legend which has ever graced the silverscreen – sleek-looking, with a performance to match, and with a ‘personality’ which makes it stand out from its competition, and enter the psyche of the moviegoer.
Space-age Sexiness | Chevrolet Camaro SS
When the the teenage hero of the film, the Transformers (2007), played by Sam Witwicky, unknowingly bought his first car – a 1976 Chevrolet Camaro – little did he know that he was getting involved in an intergalactic war between the Autobots – heroic aliens – and the equally alien-but-evil Decepticons. For unknown to Sam, the car is actually an Autobot scout named Bumblebee, who eventually befriends him by helping him woo his female crush. Key to this romantic collusion is the transformation of Bumblebee’s 1976 Chevy into a super-sleek Chevrolet Camaro SS – the contemporary version of the 1976 classic.
With the film going on to become a box-office smash, the door was opened for a return to the screen of the modern Camaro SS in sequels Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), and Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011). The stylish, sexy, and photogenic Camaro SS is also a tarmac-blaster – it is powered by a 6.2 litre LS3 V8 engine churning out 426 hp (318 Kw) when mated to a manual 6-speed gear, or 400 hp (300 Kw) if automatic.
With its striking yellow colour and 20-inch wheels, the Camaro was certainly one – amongst many – visual show-stealers in the movie. The stylish beauty of this car was confirmed when its later variant, the Camaro SS, won the World Car Design of the Year at the WCOTY Awards in 2010. If there is ever a car which can catch the attention of a superior alien intelligence, then it wouldn’t be surprising if it is the Chevrolet Camaro SS.
Race Pedigree Unleashed | Nissan Skyline GTR R35
It is hard for a car to stand out in a film filled with sexy and outrageously-performing auto-marques. But that is precisely what the Nissan Skyline GTR R35 achieved in Fast and Furious 5 (2011), the fifth in the street racing action film series, starring the old pair of Paul Walker and Vin Diesel – together with dramatic tension provided by the Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a genius cop hot on their trail of mischief.
What was even more remarkable was the fact that as this was the first film in the ‘drift’ series to showcase American ‘muscle’ cars, the superb on-screen performance of the GTR R35 – as the sole ‘lead’ Japanese model – was indeed unique.
The choice of the Skyline GTR R35 as the four-wheeled power-wagon for lead star Paul Walker was no fluke. The Japanese sports car-marque has an impressive off-screen racing pedigree stretching back for well over a decade in Japan, Australia, and even on speed tests in Germany.
This flagship of Nissan motors, is a two variants away from the GTR R33, which became the first production car to lap Germany’s legendary Nürburgring circuit under eight minutes, in 1993. It was even once described by BBC’s Top Gear presenter, Jeremy Clarkson, as one of the best cars in the world. Coming from a man who is never afraid to mince his words, this was high praise indeed.
As an outsider which crashed into the elite club of internationally respected sports GT cars, the ground-throbbing performance capabilities of the GTR R35 are equally complemented by its eye-catching sexy profile – which is another reason why the car was such a big star in Fast and Furious 5. One of the secrets behind this cars outstanding performance both on and off the screen, is the incorporation of fly-by-wire technology in connection with its wheel control, enabling changes in direction with lightning speed, making it undefeated on both the track, and on the screen.
Batman’s Tank-Supercar | Batmobile Tumbler
Ever since Batman first dashed into action in his “specially built high-powered auto” in the DC comic-books of the 1930’s, his car, along with his own character and persona, have evolved with the technology and fashions of the times. From the campy gadget-car of the 1960’s television series, to the sports-coupe-from-hell of the Tim Burton movies of the late 1980’s, (Batman and Batman Returns), the Batmobile has fascinated audiences of successive generations with as much dramatic impact as the Aston Martins of the James Bond series.
However, none of the Batmobiles featured in any of the Batman movies throughout its successful screen history, can match the savage looks and brutal lethality of the tank-like vehicle which featured in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins (2005), and The Dark Knight (2008).
In the 2005 movie, Bruce Wayne modifies a prototype military vehicle which was designed as a military bridging vehicle, called ‘the Tumbler’. Less of a car, and more of a tank in appearance, this rendition of the Batmobile represented a move away from the streamlined aerodynamics of the earlier cars, to a more workmanlike and brutally efficient profile.
Described by the film’s production designer for Batman Begins as a “cross between a Lamborghini and a tank”, the ‘Tumbler’ had no front axle, featured machine guns and other weaponry, and had the ability to power-blast itself into a ramp-less jump over obstacles. Most remarkably, the ‘tumbler’ had the ability to eject Batman to safety by detaching a portion of itself, to form a motorcycle, using the front wheels and car struts.
Although Batman programmed the ‘Tumbler’ to self-destruct in The Dark Knight, after it was irreparably damaged by the nefarious actions of The Joker, it left an indelible mark on the minds of every movie-goer who ever laid eyes on it. True to its iconic status, it even said “goodbye” via its Artificial Intelligence (AI) persona…thus joining the ranks of other all-time auto-screen legends in unique style.
Peerless Reputation | BMW E39 540i
In the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005), John (played by Brad Pitt) and Jane Smith (played by Angelina Jolie) are highly-paid assassins who secretly double as an ordinary couple. In an ever-evolving plot involving complex twists and turns, one dramatic sequence certainly left an indelible impression on the minds of car buffs in general, and BMW aficionados in particular.
It involved both Brad and Angelina driving a minivan, fighting off three BMWs through the streets of New York city. Though the chase sequence ended predictably with the hero and heroine managing to shake off their pursuers, with the inevitable mayhem and carnage along the way, BMW fans found themselves pining over the welfare of these premium engineered pedigree cars.
Whether they are cars with a serious racing pedigree, or simply drop-dead sexy to look at, iconic automobiles have always complemented a hero, even threatening to steal the limelight, throughout the history of cinema. As long as there are movies in our lives, the silver-screen highway will always be filled with glamorous cars, racing their way into the realms of celluloid legend.
