Badass movie characters need weapons, a quotable catchphrase or two and a cool car.
James Bond wouldn’t look so good behind the wheel of a mini van, would he?
And can you even begin to imagine what Vin Diesel would look like driving a Japanese kei car?
So from John Wick’s obsession with muscle cars to James Bond’s Aston Matins, let’s have a look at some of Hollywood’s most iconic rides.
John Wick (Keanu Reeves) – 1969 Ford Mustang
With one notable exception, a modern-day Dodge Charger, John Wick only drives vintage muscle cars throughout the franchise.
He drives a 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 in the first film, a 1970 Chevy Chevelle in John Wick 2 and 3, and a 1971 Plymouth Barracuda in John Wick 4.
The Mustang is by far the most important, chiefly because it actually plays a key role in the plot.
READ MORE: Every Fast and Furious movie ranked from worst to best
In the first film, a Russian mobster wants to buy John Wick’s Mustang and when John refuses, the thug steals the car and kills John’s dog in retaliation.
John then decided to kill the mobster, his father, and the entire crime council behind them.
Spoiler alert in case you haven’t watched the movie: it is the very same organisation that John Wick, a retired assassin, used to work for.
Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) – 1970 Dodge Charger
Dominic Toretto, played by Vin Diesel, drives a few different cars throughout the Fast franchise but we all remember one in particular: the Dodge Charger with the massive supercharger sticking out of the hood.
In the first movie, Dom explains that he inherited the car from his dad but never actually drove it because he was too scared.
He finally decides to use it to chase after the bad guys who killed his friend and it turns out his fear was justified: Dom wrecks the car within minutes.
After that, Dom decides to modify it to make it a serial quarter-mile race winner… and then he wrecks it again.
In fact, Dom went through an outstanding number of Chargers in the Fast and Furious movies.
Mind you, this car is an icon, and definitely the most recognizable vehicle from Fast and Furious along with Paul Walker’s Skyline and the Toyota Supra.
James Bond (Daniel Craig) – Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Seven actors have played James Bond and they’ve driven a lot of different vehicles, most of which were Astons.
However, if we had to pick a favorite, we’d go with the 1987 Aston Martin V8 Vantage.
The V8 Vantage first appeared in the movie The Living Daylights starring Timothy Dalton as James Bond, and it was then driven again by Daniel Craig in No Time To Die in 2021.
It’s bit of an underdog, because it’s not as popular and ubiquitous as other Astons, but it’s as badass as they come.
It’s a classic with a modern touch, or a modern car that feels vintage – your pick.
Driver (Ryan Gosling) – 1973 Chevy Malibu
A cult film, Drive is a love letter to LA and to all-American cars.
The movie is about Driver (his real name is never mentioned), played by Ryan Gosling.
Driver works as a Hollywood stunt driver by day and moonlights as a getaway driver by night.
In the film, he drives three cars: a modern-day Ford Mustang, a 2011 Chevy Impala and a 1973 Chevy Malibu that Ryan Gosling actually owns.
The car is used in the opening scene as a getaway car, and then again in a super romantic, stylish scene filmed on the LA River.
James ‘Sonny’ Crockett (Don Johnson) – 1986 Ferrari Testarossa
Actor Don Johnson drove a bunch of different cars while filming Miami Vice but the one we all remember is the Ferrari Testarossa.
Fun fact, the production team began using fake Ferraris for season two and three, and that’s when Ferrari intervened and donated two white Testarossas.
A third replica was built for the stunts.
The success of the show helped cement the Testarossa’s reputation and boosted its market value.
Mind you, the Ferrari F430 Spider from the 2006 movie adaptation also deserves an honorable mention.
The movie, directed by Michael Mann, stars Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell as Sonny Crockett.
Farrell, born and raised in Ireland, pulled off a relatively convincing American accent in this movie.
Mind you, we’re not too sure about the mustache, though.
