Friday, April 10, 2009

Friday Fun Thread: TV Cars of Justice

Today's Top Ten list was inspired by commenter and good friend Ross in e-mail. He suggests the following:
Hey, Jay, I just thought of your next meme:

TV Superhero's vehicles!

The Batmobile, the Black Beauty, Maxwell Smart's car. Didn't the Man From UNCLE have a special car, too? The Mach 5... or do you want to keep this to "real" cars? Anyway, that's all I can think of at the moment, but I'm sure there are more.

I expanded Ross's list to include TV cops and detectives as well as superheroes and spies. So here it is!


1. Batmobile. Hands down, no question, the Batmobile is the #1 TV Car of Justice. A Lincoln Futura concept car turned into the chariot for The Dark Knight - as portrayed by Adam West, that is...

2. KITT from Knight Rider - "Michael, I think we should make this list". 1983 Pontiac TransAm turbo - KITT was essentially a 44 minute commercial for the third generation F-body. Glowing "Cylon" eye in the hood, voice of Dr. Mark Craig, and bulletproof to boot, the T/A is an 80s icon.

3. Agent 86's Sunbeam Tiger from "Get Smart" - An obvious tip 'o' the pen to 007's Aston Martin, Agent 86's Tiger had all the requisite spy gear loaded on board. It just... well, had Maxwell Smart at the wheel.

4. Starsky & Hutch Gran Torino. Really, does this car even need an introduction? Other than holding up better than David Soul or Paul Michael Glaser, the 1975 Gran Torino used as their vehicular conveyance of choice is a 1970's staple.

5. Magnum's Ferarri 308. Here was a show that featured many icons: The 1911 that Thomas Magnum carried. The Detroit Lions baseball cap. The Ferarri. And, of course, Tom Selleck's mustache...

6. The Black Beauty from the Green Hornet - I'll let Ross describe this one: "Rockets under the grill, machine guns under the running lights, a remote sensor in the trunk, and it was driven by BRUCE LEE!!!"

7. Coyote from Hardcastle & McCormack. Ross and I discussed this one - he had never heard of the show, so wasn't sure it really should be included. I countered that, yes, the show wasn't that big of a hit, but the Coyote was definitely the star of the show, Brian Keith notwithstanding...

8. Ubiquitous 1977 Plymouth Fury police cars from "Dukes of Hazzard". No mention of TV "Cars of Justice" would truly be complete without the late 1970s Plymouth Fury police cars that were destroyed by the dozen on "The Dukes of Hazzard".

9. A-Team Van - Some would argue the only member of the A-Team that could actually act in a realistic manner; the 1983 GMC Vandura with mag wheels, high spoiler, and custom paint job was supposed to be the vehicle of choice for a clandestine group of soldiers of fortune being hunted by government agents. Riiiiight.

10. Simon & Simon's Dodge Power Wagon. Okay, so this one makes it as a sentimental favorite because: A. It starred Gerald McRaney, one of the few Hollywood conservatives; and B. It was a Dodge Power Wagon. Hello!




Okay, so there's my Top Ten list of "TV Cars of Justice". Ross felt that the Power Wagon and Coyote were less-than-stellar choices, so what are some other cars driven by cops, detectives, spies, or superheroes? Inquiring minds want to know...

That is all.

15 comments:

Ross said...

Au contraire, mon frere!

I've watched Hardcastle & McCormick... I just do not remember them having any kind of special car.

Sigboy said...

What about the bread van from the TV show SWAT?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Iwp1d7eKbA

Anonymous said...

Judge Dredd's motorcycle?

GeorgeH said...

Howe could you miss The Avengers.

Mrs. Emma Peel(Diana Rigg)in a Series 1 Lotus Elan and Mr. Steed in his 1926 Blower Bentley.

flashman said...

Men in Black's car?

Kevin said...

You left out General Lee. Bo and Luke weren't no cops, but they always fought for the side of right, in a southern sort of way.

;)

Bob said...

There was a Saturday morning cartoon called Isis, and the Isis chick drove a VW Thing. Ultimate beach buggy, the Thing.

Rustmeister said...

How about Patrick McGoohan's Lotus 7 from The Prisoner? I know it only appeared in a couple episodes, but it was in the opening sequence, and it's a Lotus.

Barring that, we can always go with The Mystery Machine. =)

Sabra said...

The 'Cuda from Nash Bridges. Main reason I watched that show.

Tanner said...

#5 Magnum wore a Tiger's cap, he was too smart to root for the Lions. Sadly, us here in the "D" have no choice in the matter.

And although it was a movie, wasn't the Blues Brother's car a 77 era Plymouth as well??

Jay G said...

Tanner,

Thanks for the clarification.

And the new Blues mobile ("I traded it." "For THIS?" "No, for a microphone." "I can see that") was a 1974 Dodge Monaco...

BobG said...

Nellybelle the Jeep from Roy Rogers?

bogie said...

I had a Starsky and Hutch Gran Torino back in the day (bought used). It was white with a green stripe and had the 351 Cleveland (not the Windsor) in it. Loved that car.

David said...

1914 Stutz Bearcat - Rod Taylor and Dennis Cole playing two soldiers of fortune prowled around the Southwest in the show Bearcats. The show only lasted about half a season. But man I loved that car.

mike weber/fairportfan said...

Agnrt 86's Sunbeam was, in fact, Don Adams' personal ride.

Later, when VW was a sponsor, it was changed to a Karmann Ghia.