Classic Cars That Stole The Show
Hannah DeWitt
· 4 min read
- Cameron's dad's Ferrari California from ‘Ferris Beuhler’s Day Off’
- Sally, the Porsche from Disney's ‘Cars’
- What kind of car was ‘Greased Lightning’?
- The Aston Martin V12 Vanquish Bond car
- Indy's stolen Citroën 11 Légère Cabriolet
Load full table of contents
There are some
classic cars
that undeniably get their notoriety from their legendary performance potential, like older muscle cars. However, enthusiasts might find themselves falling in love with a car on the big screen before they even get behind the wheel. How could one resist the charms of Herbie the Love Bug or the devilish allure of Christine the Plymouth Fury?
These are just two of the cars that really stole the show in movies. Here are a few more of our favorites, courtesy of
A Girl's Guide to Cars
.
Cameron's dad's Ferrari California from ‘Ferris Beuhler’s Day Off’
1961 Ferrari 250 GT Californias are incredibly rare. Less than 100 of the models exist, so rather than trying to get their hands on one, filmmakers did a little movie magic. They used a cleverly disguised MG MGB with a handmade Ferrari shell attached to capture the California’s fascia. Then, they swapped out the engine for a Mustang 5.0 V-8.
While the Mustang 5.0 packed up to 300 horsepower without modifications, the true Ferrari 250 GT was a bit less powerful at 240 horsepower. Only 56 Ferrari Californias were ever produced, and Cameron's dad owned one with covered headlights, a feature limited to 37 units.
Let Jerry find your price in only 45 seconds
No spam · No long forms · No fees
Sally, the Porsche from Disney's ‘Cars’
Sally Carrera, one of the main characters from Cars, is an anthropomorphic 2002 Porsche 911 Carrera. A trained eye can distinguish a 2002 911 Carrera from earlier models by examining the fascia, as it was redesigned that year to stand apart from the Boxster. It also got an updated engine for this model year, producing 316 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque.
It's a shame we never get to see Sally on the racetrack featured in the movie. Still, she demonstrates Porsche's signature fun handling abilities on the twisty roads outside of Radiator Springs, inspired by the real Route 66.
What kind of car was ‘Greased Lightning’?
MORE: Cars From Your Favorite 90s Movies
Fans of the musical can sing the song, but they might struggle to recall the actual car's make and model. Danny's reported “chick magnet” is a 1948 Ford DeLuxe, intended to be a luxury offering that eventually died because of the Mercury Eight's success. Even though it wasn't very powerful, it still turned heads due to its stylish appearance.
The Ford DeLuxe convertible was also featured in The Karate Kid, as well as the first two Back to The Future movies. Unfortunately, no DeLuxe was offered with Danny Zuko's awesome fire-licked paint job directly from the factory.
The Aston Martin V12 Vanquish Bond car
MORE: How Expensive Is the Priciest James Bond Car?
The James Bond franchise is known for heart-pounding action scenes as well as gorgeous cars. In Die Another Day, James Bond drives a gunmetal-gray Aston Martin Vanquish. Its V-12 makes 580 horsepower, with a top speed of 201 mph.
The model featured built-in rockets, torpedoes, shotguns, and machine guns. The Aston Martin Vanquish was one of the most expensive luxury production coupes on release, priced between $230,000 to $300,000. If you're lucky, you might be able to find a lightly used model under $100,000.
Indy's stolen Citroën 11 Légère Cabriolet
That's right, Indiana Jones managed to swipe this aging beauty from an old man on the side of the road. However, considering the epic car chase that even included a plane crash in a tunnel, one might be inclined to forgive him.
Despite that gutsy display, the Citroën Légère only has 32 horsepower on tap. The car used in the movie was more powerful because it was a modified 1954 model. Still, it goes to show that even the weakest cars can make it big in movies.
Classic cars in real life are also a treasure to behold and own. If you're ready to buy one for yourself, you'll want to sign up with
Jerry
to find the best car insurance rates available. A licensed broker, Jerry does all the hard work of finding cheap quotes from the top name-brand insurance companies and buying new car insurance. Jerry will even help you cancel your old policy.
