The cars that were featured in TV shows and movies are the objects of fantasy brought into our reality. There are many cars considered legendary because of their Hollywood connections, driven by fictional characters just as fascinating as their rides.

Starsky and Hutch

The Gran Torino is a stunning piece of American styling. Everything about it screams “back off” but in a sleek and sexy way. When the show first aired in 1975 it caused a whirlwind of admiration for the show, and the car. More than a few Torinos were painted red with the trademark white stripe, as Ford even offered it as an option. Hutch gave it the nickname “The Striped Tomato”.

The producers used several different Gran Torinos during stunt scenes, beauty shots and driving scenes. The cars were model years ‘74 thru ’76, but since the body style of the Torino didn’t change it wasn’t really noticed much, if at all by viewers.Now, a few of the cars have been restored, and are on display in museums such as this one in the Imperial Palace Auto Collection in Las Vegas.

The Torinos often suffered body damage during stunts and were reused in filming. Some eagle-eyed, die-hard fans of the show spotted several dents and misshapen panels in some scenes, especially as kinproduction was winding down in the final season.

 Knight Rider

A 1982 Pontiac Trans Am “KITTed” out with high tech gadgets, such as self-healing technology and full access to military and government files and communication would set you back a fair amount of dough so most of us simply settled for relaxing at home letting “The Hoff” pick up the tab for us.

While a Ford Shelby GT500KR Mustang was used for the 2008 ABC remake of the show, I personally think the KITT 2000 based on the Trans Am platform is still the best. Remember the cool interior with all the instruments and equipment. Michael Knight had the Interior Oxygenator, Video Display Monitors, Passive Laser Restraint Systems and the ever useful Surveillance mode that allowed KITT to track its surrounding and all the people/vehicles in it at his disposal.

The original KITT is on display at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida but there have been several different reincarnations of the car such as in music videos, commercials and in subsequent movies and productions.

The team behind building the actual car for the show said “it took an extraordinary amount of time and effort to come up with all KITT's features. The easy part was building them and putting them into the Trans Am”.

Dukes of Hazzard

The 1969 Dodge Charger, painted orange with an “01” on each door and a confederate flag on the roof was Bo and Duke's car in the ‘80s surprise hit series the “Dukes of Hazzard”. The car quickly took on its own name, the General Lee, in a reference to the Confederate General, Robert E. Lee.

It would perform spectacular stunts in every episode, such as high speed corners on country dirt roads, jumps over ravines, and rough landings. The car had the doors welded shut forcing Bo and Luke to jump through the windows, after sliding across the mile long hood, something which became kind of a trademark move for the pair. Other modifications included permanently open windows and visible roll bars.

The Charger itself has recently been sold at private auction for just shy of half a million dollars, a testament to how much the TV series meant to fans of the show and auto enthusiasts.

Bullitt

In 1968, Steve McQueen was back on the silver screen with “Bullitt”, a tale of a detective and his iconic 390 CID V8 Ford Mustang with over 325bhp.

The most notable scene in the film, and probably one of the best car chase scenes in movie history, is when Detective Bullitt is pursued by two assassins in a black Dodge Charger through the hilly streets of San Francisco. The Charger and its equally charred occupants meet their demise by running into a gas station, while Mc Queen steers into a nearby ravine, busting the front wheel.

The film is so well revered that was selected by the Library of Congress to be in preservation at the National Film Registry. Ford has also produced modern “Bullit” versions of the Mustang in 2007 and 2008 in order to commemorate the car.

Batman (1965 Series)

Batman is one of the world's most recognized super heroes, and has a fan base of millions. His car however, the Batmobile has a following of its own. While it has been remodelled severely since its original version dating from the 1939 comics where it was nothing more than a luxury sedan with a bat motif, during the ‘80s, ‘90s and pretty much made into a tank for the 2007 movie, I think the '55 Lincoln Futura concept car which was kitted-out for the television series in the mid ‘60s is the image which springs to mind for most when they think of the Batmobile.

Tthe Bat-Phone, police radio and a laser were fitted to the car along with other gadgets. Building the car for the series was done in less than three weeks when 20^th Century Fox pushed the show’s slot forward in their schedule. An old '55 Lincoln Futura, which had been lying around a workshop often used for movie car modifications, was quickly modified and thus the most iconic version of the Batmobile was born.

Cars represent a time in the 20^th century that yearned for freedom, fulfilment and speed. So it's important to recognize the important role TV and film has played in creating these cultural icons.

By Dean Sherwin

Dean is based in Ireland and has extensive writing experience, especially in the area of the auto industry writing car features, reviews and blogs, as well as other cultural and sporting events, and the gaming industry.

http://www.artofstinginess.com- Owner and Editor

www.deansherwin.com Freelance Technology, Culture and Opinion Writer