In the history of great car movies,->ke3897 it’s not uncommon to see the characters sporting four wheels steal the limelight. Certain films portray vehicles on screen that have an undeniable character, a presence that can rival even the biggest names you see all over the credits. Unfortunately, there’s no Automotive Academy Award, but if there were such a thing, this infographic would list some of its top recipients.

Created by Jennings Motor Group, this infographic seeks to answer the question of which car movie “was the most successful.” Standouts include American Graffiti (1973, Ford Model B ‘Deuce Coupe’), Gone In 60 Seconds (1974, Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Eleanor), The Italian Job (1969, Mk1 Austin Mini Cooper), Senna (2010, McLaren->ke284 MP4/4 F1), Bullitt (1968, Ford Mustang->ke428 GT Fastback), Cars (2006, International->ke4242 Harvester Boom Truck), and The Fast And The Furious (2001, Dodge Charger R/T). 

It’s a pretty good list, but I can’t help but think about those unforgettable vehicles that didn’t make the cut because the films in which they appear aren’t necessarily considered “car movies.” For starters, there’s the DeLorean->ke4980 DMC-12 from Back To The Future. While not exactly the fastest two-door in the world, it’s hard to separate the movie and the gull-winged DeLorean.

Another is the 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor ambulance from Ghostbusters, aka the Ecto-1. One look at the tall rear fins and roof-mounted gadgets is enough to make any fan reach for his or her proton pack.

Continue reading to learn which were the 10 greatest car movies ever made.

Why it matters

I don’t know about you, but if I see a movie starring one of my favorite automobiles, you can bet I’ll be lining up at the box office to see it. In some ways, these machines are better stars than the humans -- there’s no Hollywood nonsense, no tabloid scandals, no gossip and no on-set freak-outs (unless you count mechanical issues, I suppose).

Be on the lookout for future vehicular stars coming to a theater near you. Just off the top of my head, there’s the rusted-out desert juggernauts from Mad Max, the brooding techno-wizardry of the Batmobile from Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and the sublime Italian exotics draped in red from Ferrari.->ke252

De Niro who?

10 Greatest Car Movies Ever Made