The best car films

At CAR, we like motoring-type films that are either great stories about cars, or great stories that prominently feature cars.

Clapperboard

by Chris Williams |
Updated on

What makes a good car film is not the line-up of cars or the size of the production budget. It's the story behind it, whether real or fictitious and the skill at which the director portrays that story.

Encompassing this, we have rounded up our collection of favourite car films, which you will find below. There are no spoilers and the films are not put in any particular order or ranking.

Our favourite car films:

Prime Video

A Steve McQueen classic where the ultimate movie star is trying to fulfil his usual obsession with authenticity. Set in 1970, the movie focuses on the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

Prime Video

A Hollywood epic with sensational racing scenes created by a master - John Frankenheimer.

Prime Video

A fun-to-watch, cheerful cult classic with a string of superb characters.

Prime Video

Bullitt is Steve McQueen being Steve McQueen.

Prime Video

This is a based-on-a-true-story epic with, as one can tell from the cast, a budget to match.

Prime Video

As a cinematic exercise, itu2019s beaten by the 2000 remake. But the original has better cars.

Blu-Ray Disc
Fast & Furious 1-9 Box Set
Price: $37.96

There is something so satisfying about a box set containing as much horsepower as this.

DVD Disc
Goodbye Pork Pie (1981)
Price: $75.20

The greatest road trip movie youu2019ve never heard of. Set in New Zealand.

Prime Video

The u201870s Ford Falcon coupe and Holden Sandman panel van are arguably the greatest things to come from Australia and both are cast in this dark antipodean masterpiece.

Blu-Ray Disc
Cars & Cars 2 Box Set
Price: $34.01

A very different flavour to Mad Max, but just as good.

Prime Video
Ronin (1998)
Price: $7.99

An excellent all-round film that was created with the help of someone who knew exactly what cars to use and how to choreograph a car chase.

Blu-Ray Disc
Vanishing Point (1971)
Price: $20.12

A wonderful film with little dialogue and superb cinematography.

Prime Video

A Hollywood epic from Ron Howard that turns a racing rivalry into an exciting drama.

DVD Disc
Love The Beast (2008)
Price: $8.49

Eric Banau2019s film epitomises the petrolhead-machine relationship.

Prime Video

A dark study of humanity where the car plays as big a part as De Niro.

Prime Video

A ridiculously excellent car race across America.

Prime Video

Ayrton Senna was a genuinely interesting figure, which is why this documentary is so thoroughly engrossing.

Prime Video

Ridley Scott creates one of the best road trip films.

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