The Real Ride-Or-Dies: Here Are All The Most Loyal Cars In Movie History
Our collective passion for cars is hard to miss, and close behind it is our passion for car movies. Driving flicks make up a fair portion of people’s Letterboxd top four (source: me).
From Drive with Ryan Gosling to Ferrari with Brad Pitt, and of course Disney’s Cars, it’s safe to say that vehicle driven movies are uniquely engaging.
I do, however, have a point to make here today, and it’s something that isn’t touched on enough. Which of these famous rides is the most loyal? Which one stuck through their treasured owner through thick and thin? Which cars are the real ride-or-dies?
Loyalty is a precious trait, one we rarely see in our modern, disconnected age, yet one that Shannons Insurance* understands well. Kicking off all the way back in the 70s, they’re Australia’s original insurance provider for motoring enthusiasts, proving that loyalty and car-lovers go hand in hand.
So in honour of that, I am walking you through all the most loyal cars in movie history.
K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider
Full name being Knight Industries Two Thousand, K.I.T.T. is an AI computer housed in a robotic 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. This thinking, feeling, crime-fighting super car is the most loyal companion a guy could ask for.
Alongside Michael Knight (David Hasselhoff), K.I.T.T. tracks down and tackles some of the worst criminals the US has seen. K.I.T.T drives solo when Michael Knight needs assistance, offers wisdom and guidance when things seem dire, and acts as a friend when hope is lost.
Does it get any more loyal than that?
The Mystery Machine from Scooby-Doo
When you’re fighting bad guys, finding ghosts, and ripping masks off of old prospectors, you need a getaway vehicle you can trust. Iconic in colour and groovy in style, the Mystery Machine is the ultimate loyal car.
Decked out to suit whatever Scooby and the gang need, the interior transforms from comfy sitting area to surveillance hub in the blink of an eye.
Likely a mid 60s Ford Econoline Van, complete with a 2.0-liter turbodiesel petrol engine and .5 tonne load carrying capacity, the van has adventured with the crime-solving team from the first animated episodes in 1969 through to the live-action movie Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (goated film).
The Mystery Machine is the epitome of a loyal car — sticking by you everyday and getting you out in the nick of time, even when you’re being chased by Captain Cutler, a zombie, and Jonathan Jacobo’s Pterodactyl Ghost. Talk about a bad day at work.
Herbie from Herbie: Fully Loaded
If you can find a more loyal car than Herbie, I’ll give you my first born. Cheeky, speedy, and full of energy, the 1966 Volkswagen Beetle offers up a FAT Performance 2332 cc Type 1 engine, with 190 horse power and a top speed of over 200 kph. This little-car-that-could promises to help you with whatever you need, so long as you take care of him.
When he’s discovered in a scrapyard by Lindsay Lohan, the only daughter in a NASCAR family whose over-protective father (AKA the ever-so-iconic Michael Keaton) has banned her from racing, Herbie takes the reins and proves once and for all that she belongs on the racetrack.
If we’re talking about loyalty, what’s more loyal than a car that helps you overcome gender inequality and changes the perspective of women in racing?
Dom’s 1970 Dodge Charger from The Fast and The Furious
It’s not a car article without the Fast and Furious making it onto the list. This car is a standout across the franchise — it may not be the flashiest, but it’s beloved by Dom (Vin Diesel) and follows him across six films.
It makes sense that he would rely on it; built by Dom and his dad, this car is sturdy, fast, and gets him where he needs to go oh so furiously. Powered by a 426 cubic inch Hemi V8 engine with over 900 horsepower, this beast of a car features personalised modifications including a custom roll cage and a BDS supercharger mounted on the hood. Dom even went as far as to repair it after the events of Furious 7 because when you’ve found old reliable, why would you want to change? Now that’s loyalty.
The DeLorean from Back to the Future
Have you ever had a vehicle so loyal, you’d trust it to take you time travelling? No? How unfortunate.
With its infamous gullwing doors, the Back to the Future DeLorean is a decked out time travelling beauty because, as Doc sees it, “if you’re gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style”?
Going zero to 60 in ten seconds, this trustworthy car takes Michael J Fox’ Marty McFly from the 80’s to the 50’s and back again, enabling him to save his existence and protect his eccentric (and weirdly decades older) friend Doc. In Back To The Future II, the duo head into 2015 to save his dad and thwart his nemesis. The DeLorean is the kind of car that is always there for you when you need to traverse the space time continuum and really, what more could you ask for?
So there you have it — loyalty delivered on four wheels.
For car lovers, loyalty is a common trait. Whether you’re on a Sunday drive in your favourite wheels, or thundering down a race-track, loyalty is something Shannons Insurance understands well. Started back in the ’70s, they’re Australia’s original insurance provider for motoring enthusiasts, driven by passion for cars and backed by experience.
Check out Shannons Insurance here or give them a call to have a chat on 13 46 46 for all your coverage needs.
* Shannons Pty Ltd ABN 91 099 692 636 (‘Shannons’) is an authorised representative of AAI Limited the insurer of L23 80 Ann Street, Brisbane QLD. Read the PDS and TMD before buying insurance at shannons.com.au.
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