Top 40 Car Movies - Vote For Your Favorite

Cars and movies go together like peanut butter and jelly, and for more than a century Hollywood has commingled cars with cinema, each time forcing us to flock to theaters like the obedient lemmings we are. And when affordably priced DVDs started showing up, a lot of us started accumulating collections of car movies that rival our collections of stolen road signs, rubber scraped from defunct dragstrips, and Hot Wheels.

There are literally hundreds upon hundreds of films that could fit into a loose definition of "car movie," so we pared this list of 40 indispensable titles down to include only films available on DVD and only films that were first released in theaters. We stuck with DVDs because the digital transfers are (generally) better than tape, and VHS tapes are a technological dead end. Most DVDs package extras alongside their featured attraction, usually display the film in a letterbox format that preserves the full widescreen frame, and the studios have priced them for people to own rather than rent. The prices quoted here are from Amazon.com at press time (except where noted).



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nphas042 - 11/16/2006 12:13:56 PM

+1 Boost

Grand Prix is the best racing movie to me, but I liked Blues Brothers better as an all around movie.

elsup - 11/16/2006 12:21:25 PM

-2 Boost

minority report was a good movie, but not because of the Lexus, in fact, that scene was just ridiculous, building a car with a guy inside, come on.

drew630 - 11/18/2006 1:39:28 AM

+1 Boost

Find a women dude and quick.

elsup - 11/16/2006 12:19:04 PM

+2 Boost

Ronin

I haven't watched any of the 70's movies.

RefuG - 11/16/2006 2:06:55 PM

+1 Boost

I agree, those car chases are best ever in any movie, plus tha crashes.


G

I95SPEEDINGTICKETS - 11/16/2006 9:00:26 PM

+2 Boost

RONIN

I Agree

kart1 - 11/16/2006 12:20:20 PM

+4 Boost

Cannonball Run
Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000)

kart1 - 11/16/2006 12:20:50 PM

+3 Boost

And Cannonball

99gs400 - 11/16/2006 3:40:20 PM

+3 Boost

Gone in 60 seconds

EL34 - 11/16/2006 12:22:06 PM

+2 Boost

*Bullitt*

BM3W - 11/16/2006 1:09:20 PM

-2 Boost

The Audi in I-Robot. Four in-wheel motors would give this car a top speed of 286 mph, 1091 horsepower, and 0-62 in 3 seconds.

danman - 11/16/2006 2:33:23 PM

+3 Boost

"Gone in 60 seconds" and "I Robot"

Chip - 11/16/2006 2:48:51 PM

0 Boost

"Ronin" and "The French Connection" have the best car chases Ive seen.

audirevolution - 11/16/2006 4:16:52 PM

+4 Boost

"I-Robot", "Transporter 2", Gone in sixty seconds.

justinT - 11/16/2006 4:29:45 PM

+2 Boost

the transporter movies were so over the top i found them annoying. i like jason statham's movies, but some of the stuff with that audi was just brutally unrealistic. most of the driving stuff in the first one was ok, except when the bmw breaks through the barrier to land on the car trailer.

ronin has to be one of the best movies with car chases that are actually practical, believable, and realistic.

justinT - 11/16/2006 4:31:42 PM

+1 Boost

the italian job was decent. looking forward to the brazilian job.

mstangpny07 - 11/16/2006 4:52:35 PM

+1 Boost

"Gone in Sixty Seconds" (2000) BY FAR!

Then: "The Transporter"

matt635 - 11/16/2006 5:36:01 PM

+2 Boost

In no particular order

Ronin
Gone in 60 seconds (original (and the remake I guess))
Dirty Mary Crazy Larry
Fast and Furious
.. and as an outside bet Taxi (the french one with the 406)

Ronin probably had the best car action, but I didn't much like the film. The gone in 60 seconds remake could have been SO SO SO SO much better - but I guess thats what hollywood does to classics (see: Italian Job). Luc Bessons 'Taxi' has some really good car sequences in it too.

theman - 11/16/2006 5:46:23 PM

+2 Boost

I am kinda young, so I am gonna go with Gone in 60 Seconds(2000)..

mitchatlexusofmarin - 11/16/2006 7:40:13 PM

-1 Boost

The Italian Job with the Audi A8

audiot - 11/16/2006 8:12:55 PM

+2 Boost

Tommy Boy

Mark - 11/17/2006 3:20:17 PM

+2 Boost

HA HA HA!

no1fleetguy - 11/16/2006 11:37:44 PM

+2 Boost

was really hoping to see the old movie "Hot Rod" on the list. the last race scene is a drag race with a 41 willys (hemi powered of course) that makes your hair stand when the willys lifts the front wheel off the line-awesome!!
and what about 'the California Kid' ??

Parkinglot2 - 11/17/2006 1:18:39 AM

+2 Boost

ronin and transporter2: Audi A8
irobot: audi future car
Mission Impossible2 auditt and boxter race
fast and furious 3 : mitsu lancer evo

RefuG - 11/17/2006 12:36:02 PM

0 Boost

This has got to be by far dumbest comment left on autospies.

"Fast and Furious "Tokyo drift" are you serious?!? I guess you really like Bow Wow's car. And by tha way I didnt know you you need "suped up" car to drift, all you need is skill.

G

Mark - 11/17/2006 3:23:50 PM

+1 Boost

^ Guess what nimrod, if you can't acknowledge Billit, American Grafitti, or any of the other movies then you have no idea where your little rice burners got their start. And Ronin and the French Connection are a good start to on your history lesson.

Go back to your playstation.......

rocker - 11/17/2006 3:52:41 PM

+1 Boost

Dude, there is a car show on American TV that took one of the cars from 2Fast 2Furious movie and restored it to its nature lustre because it was a hollowed out shell that was used on the set. No illusion here, right?

rocker - 11/17/2006 3:39:35 PM

+1 Boost

Take This Job and Shove It - with BigFoot(monster truck)

rocker - 11/17/2006 3:40:38 PM

+1 Boost

Also, how could you Europeans forget the Bond movies?

rocker - 11/17/2006 3:46:55 PM

+2 Boost

The Wraith - with Charlie Sheen

rocker - 11/17/2006 3:47:28 PM

+1 Boost

And those damn Herbie movies are just good clean fun.

rocker - 11/17/2006 3:48:06 PM

+1 Boost

Cheech and Chong Movies - with lowriders and Ice creams trucks.

rocker - 11/17/2006 3:48:30 PM

+1 Boost

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

rocker - 11/17/2006 3:50:13 PM

+1 Boost

XXX - with Vin Diesel(is there a better car name for an actor?)

rocker - 11/17/2006 3:55:31 PM

+1 Boost

Escape from New York - Isaac Hayes big pimpin in a caddy with the candeliers on the front fenders. Snake Plissken.

rocker - 11/17/2006 3:59:17 PM

+1 Boost

All the Batman Movies even back to the 1966 one. This should also include Bat boat, Bat copter, Bat bike with Bat sidecar and Bat plane.

rocker - 11/17/2006 4:02:47 PM

+1 Boost

Driving Miss Daisy

rocker - 11/17/2006 4:05:28 PM

+1 Boost

Scarface - old Caddy and a brand new 1982 Porsche 928. And a extremely young Michelle Pfieffer.

rocker - 11/17/2006 4:08:04 PM

+1 Boost

Animal House - with the suicide door Continental and the Deathmobile.

rocker - 11/17/2006 4:08:59 PM

+1 Boost

1974 Gone in 60 Seconds

rocker - 11/17/2006 4:09:37 PM

+1 Boost

Truly love Ronin and Gumball Rally.

rocker - 11/17/2006 4:10:37 PM

+1 Boost

Damnation Alley - with Jan-Michael Vincent and the huge multi-wheeled monstrosity

rocker - 11/17/2006 4:11:37 PM

+1 Boost

Earthquake - with Chuck Heston and his Chevy Blazer with a custom 8 forward gears and 3 reverse transmission.

Jay7 - 11/17/2006 4:25:15 PM

+1 Boost

1. The Wraith
2. Christine
3. Cannonball Run

rocker - 11/17/2006 4:54:59 PM

+1 Boost

King of the Hill - with Harry Hamlin and Dennis Hopper

rocker - 11/17/2006 4:56:05 PM

+1 Boost

Heat - DeNiro, Kilmer, Danny TRejo and Tom Sizemore all with upscale American Cars and a lowrider El Camino.

rocker - 11/17/2006 4:56:39 PM

+1 Boost

Hooper - Jet car and Burt REynolds what else do I need to say?

rocker - 11/17/2006 4:57:29 PM

+1 Boost

Stroker Ace - Burt Reynolds in a chicken suit about a Nascar driver, what else do I need to say?

rocker - 11/17/2006 4:58:11 PM

+1 Boost

The Driver - with Ryan O'neal

rocker - 11/17/2006 4:58:38 PM

+1 Boost

Precursor to Transporter

matt635 - 11/17/2006 5:39:40 PM

+1 Boost

except driver wasn't shit

rocker - 11/17/2006 7:05:42 PM

+1 Boost

true, it was ryan o'neal(not a macho guy)

rocker - 11/17/2006 5:03:45 PM

+1 Boost

The Bandit Movies - even the one without Burt REynolds and with a shark on the hood.

rocker - 11/17/2006 7:06:53 PM

+1 Boost

Roadhouse - Patrick Swayze with a '65 buick riviera, an '89 MB 300SEL(maybe not sure) and Kelly Lynch

rocker - 11/17/2006 7:07:53 PM

+1 Boost

and a monster truck

BMW530i - 11/17/2006 10:07:44 PM

+2 Boost

"Vanishing Point" was pretty much 70% car chase scenes. The cops were trying to stop a white Dodge Challenger that was speeding across America.

BMW530i - 11/17/2006 10:08:10 PM

+2 Boost

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanishing_Point

Mark - 11/17/2006 11:08:22 PM

+1 Boost

Okay everyone how about this?

The Hire?

The Clive own mini series which I know doesn't really count as a movie but man it is one hell of a DVD and some of the best "stories" about fast and great driving.

rocker - 11/17/2006 11:49:28 PM

+1 Boost

The one with James Brown as the Devil?

rocker - 11/17/2006 11:51:14 PM

+1 Boost

Bad Boys I an II, Porsche 911, Ferrari 575M, Yukon Denali and Hummers, etc.

rocker - 11/17/2006 11:52:03 PM

+1 Boost

Duel, Big Rig and a '73 Dodge Dart and Dennis Weaver.

rocker - 11/17/2006 11:52:54 PM

+1 Boost

What about theat piece of shit movie with Sly Stallone about Champ car racing or something?

narmeen13 - 11/19/2006 4:15:09 AM

+1 Boost

Gone in 60 secs...

Smokey and the bandit..

no1fleetguy - 11/20/2006 6:15:45 PM

+1 Boost

omg, ricemaster you really do need to spend less time on an adult site that appreciates all things automtive and go back to your dragonball z reruns!! you'r more concerned about the reality of an unchecked nos system than the 500 flying escape on the bridge??! are you kidding??? who sits and tries to work out the actual posibilties of a FICTIONAL movie!!! about Bullit being an old movie, guess what, IT IS!!! and if you were capable of anything but smack talking you could understand that without it there would be no fast and freakin stupid movies!! thanks to Bullit and many, many more oldazz flicks like it, 12 year old kids such as you can have movies of your own to have your parents take to you to see.