Apparently the "car gene" never quite took hold in me, because while both my father and younger brother are pretty big gear heads, looking at a car just doesn't stir up any interest in me. I might as well be studying a paper bag full of cotton balls, I simply have no interest in automobiles of any kind. However, if we're talking TV cars, well that's a different story. I loves me some TV cars, and here's five I really like. Got some you want to add to my list? Slap 'em down in the comments. Now let's ride:
The General Lee: There were actually several "General Lees" used throughout the Dukes of Hazzard's run, which makes sense, considering how often the Duke boys crashed it, jumped it over hay bales, and used it to thwart the schemes of Boss Hog. Also, sliding across the hood like that can't be good for the paint job. A fun show, sure, but also a lesson in how not to treat your car. Unless you happen to be fightin' the system like two modern day Robin Hoods, then I guess it's okay.
KITT: Maybe I'm just not the adventurous type, but if I had a talking car that could drive itself, I wouldn't use it to fight crime. Instead, I'd use it to fetch groceries for me and check my mail. Yes, I know that's boring, but crime fighting can get a man killed. I just want more convenience. Also, that "turbo boost" function would come in handy when I'm stuck in traffic and need to jump over several cars.
The Flintstone's Car: "Let's ride with the family down the street, through the courtesy of Fred's two feet ...." There's a lot of talk these days about hybrid cars and how they're better for the environment, but what car was more eco-friendly than the foot-powered cars of Bedrock? All I'm saying is that if you really care about reducing pollution, all you have to do is cut holes in the bottom of your car. It might make driving uphill kind of a problem, though.
The Batmobile: This is probably my favorite car on this list, not only because of all the awesome gadgets, but because new tricks and gadgets would suddenly appear whenever the plot called for it. Actually, Batman was notorious for those kind of convenient plot devices (what didn't he have in that utility belt)? But hey, that was part of the goofy charm of the show.
The Mystery Machine: What was so great about the Mystery Machine, the vehicle that took Scooby and the gang from one adventure to the next? Well, nothing, really, it was just a van. However, there's an important lesson here, which is that you can make anything sound cool if you just give it a cool name. For example, I'm not currently typing this on a computer, I'm typing it on a Fantastical Electro-Typewriter. See what I mean?















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-16-2006 @ 9:26AM
HandMade said...
damn the picture of the batmobile brings me back. really though, does the flintstone's ride even belong in this group?
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6-16-2006 @ 9:26AM
Elliott said...
I replace Batmobile with Gadgetmobile. Both come pretty loaded with cool stuff, but you don't have to deal with Robin begging you to pimp the Gadgetmobile.
I replace KITT with KARR, because I hated that show and I always thought that the bad guys should win so that it would be cancelled.
I replace The General Lee with Brian's Prius from Family Guy. Confederate flags are sooooooooo 1864.
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6-16-2006 @ 9:41AM
scott mclendon said...
I always liked Jed Clampett's old truck.
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6-16-2006 @ 9:56AM
davidhales said...
You forgot K.A.R.R. (Knight Automated Roving Robot) the evil twin of K.I.T.T. (Knight Industries Two Thousand).
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6-16-2006 @ 10:17AM
LC said...
Add Starsky and Hutch's Ford Grand Torino to that list.
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6-16-2006 @ 10:44AM
Nancy Bradley said...
I always thought Magnum's car was cool on Magnum, P.I. It should have made the list.
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6-16-2006 @ 10:55AM
orimental said...
Instead of the Flintstone's car, I would have gone in the other direction and acknowledged the Jetson's flying "car."
Or there's always Fry's VW Bus from the season 3 Futurama ep, "Bendin' in the Wind."
If you want something classic in a modern series, there's the Supernatural brothers' Impala.
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6-16-2006 @ 11:16AM
Coronaboy said...
1) Hyde's 1967 Chevy El Camino (That 70s Show)
2) Colt's GMC Truck (The Fall Guy)
3) Nash's 1970 Cuda (Nash Bridges)
4) BJ's Kenworth (BJ & the Bear)
5) General Lee (Dukes of Hazzard)
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6-16-2006 @ 11:56AM
hessian said...
El Camino - that's Spanish for THE camino....
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6-16-2006 @ 12:56PM
superbagman said...
What about the A-team's GMC van!? That thing totally ruled.
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6-16-2006 @ 12:58PM
Jim said...
Since you used an animated car already, I think it's fair game to offer up this one:
- Speed Racer's Mach V
It's only the coolest car EVER. It had a great design to it which holds up even today. Plus, it has all of the cool gadgets!
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6-16-2006 @ 2:38PM
Greg said...
Miami Vices'
Sonny Crockett's Daytona Spyder and Ferrari Testarosa
Hello?!
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6-16-2006 @ 2:39PM
Jer said...
Good list, but you missed the all-time best.
Tom Slick's Thunderbolt Greaseslapper -- every episode, a different kind of race, every episode, the Thunderbolt Greaseslapper would be turned into the appropriate vehicle. Car, train, plane . . hot air balloon . . whatever.
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6-16-2006 @ 2:56PM
jason said...
what about veronica mars Le Baron. that car has seen its fair share of action.
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6-16-2006 @ 3:19PM
The Jeremy said...
How can anyone not suggest the A-Team van? Chumps!
*Nash Bridges's ride... (I second that)
Or "Bessie" or the "Whomobile" from the 3rd Doctor's adventures on *Doctor Who*...
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6-17-2006 @ 5:21AM
Kal Hell said...
We all know as said above that the Mach Five was the coolest TV car of all time!
The coolest TV car that really existed was the Black Beauty from the Green Hornet
series that tried to spin out of batman, in which Bruce Lee was Kato.
Coolest car ever http://www.the-black-beauty.com/green-hornet-slideshow.cfm
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8-14-2006 @ 9:09AM
da mastah said...
nash drove '71 hemicuda convertible
what about delorean from back to the future or challenger from vanishing point
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