Four Most Iconic Dodge Vehicles From Cinema History
Dodge has been around for more than 100 years, so it’s no surprise that the brand has played a significant role in the television and movie industry. Often times, these vehicles are featured as getaway cars for the hero or heroine (and for good reason, considering the speed of the cars). In other cases, the vehicle actually serves as a significant plot device.
_ RLD over at Dodge.com posted his 10 favorite movie performances by a Dodge, and we’ve compiled some of those results below. Sure, you’re unlikely to find many of these vehicles at a Dodge dealer in Miami , but you never know when one of those vehicles may instantly transform into an iconic part of Hollywood history… _
1974 Dodge Monaco ( The Blues Brothers )
This iconic comedy features multiple scenes where the main characters (played by Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi) are riding in their beaten-up retired Mount Prospect, Illinois police car. The boys certainly push the vehicle to it’s full potential, including a scene where they crash the “Bluesmobile” through multiple stores in the Dixie Square Mall.
Despite its apparent durability, Belushi’s character wasn’t particularly fond of the vehicle. However, Aykroyd’s character was quick to point out all the advantages.
“It’s got a cop motor, a 440-cubic-inch plant,” he explained. “It’s got cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks. It’s a model made before the catalytic converter so it’ll run good on regular gas.”
The third Monaco was introduced in 1974. The brand offered a trio of engines during the generation’s four-year run: a 360 cubic inch 5.9-liter V8, 400 cubic inch 6.6-liter V8, and a 440 cubic inch 7.2-liter V8 engine.
13 Dodge Monaco’s were used during filming, according to Dodge.com. There were two vehicles built specifically for speed and performance, while three of the cars (featuring only one-gallon gas tanks) were meant for jumps. The Monaco that falls apart during the final chase scene actually took a mechanic multiple months to rig (which perhaps emphasizes the vehicle’s dependability)!
The same vehicle was also seen in Terminator and Smokey and the Bandit II, as well as the title sequence of the 1980s television series Hill Street Blues.
2008 Viper SRT-10 ( Wanted )
Listen, I didn’t only include this racer because it was frequently featured with Angelina Jolie hanging all over it. No, it was chosen because it plays a relatively important role in this action-packed 2008 movie.
The vehicle is used by Jolie’s character as her main mode of transportation, and she cleverly takes advantage of the Viper’s unique speed to elude enemies. While the vehicle is ultimately trashed, you can still see some hints of it towards the end of the movie. While Jolie was supposed to be driving another vehicle, interior shots show her changing gears via the Viper’s shifter!
The pricey (still costs around $90,000 despite nearly being ten years old) and fast Viper ran on a 8.4-liter V10 engine, which could pump out an incredible 600 horsepower and 560 ft-lbs of torque. The Viper was an appropriate choice for a getaway vehicle, as the 3.5-second zero-to-60 miles per hour time, 7.7-second zero-to-100 mph time, and the 12.5-second zero-to-130 mph time provides the driver with some extraordinary speed.
1970 Dodge Challenger ( Vanishing Point )
This 1971 movie featured actor Barry Newman behind the wheel of a stylish white Challenger. The opening scene actually displays all of the car’s capabilities, as the vehicle’s operator (Newman) races his car towards a blockade (composed of a pair of tractors) while cops and helicopter chase after. The driver ultimately reverses his vehicle, chooses another route, and then, as Dodge.com describes, continues to see how much “havoc one man can wreak with a 1970 Dodge Challenger.”
It’s uncertain why the Challenger was chosen, but there’s no doubt that the production crew and producers were certainly fond of the vehicle. In fact, during the big crash scene towards the end of the movie, many on set didn’t want to see the Challenger get wrecked. Instead, the vehicle was replaced with a Camaro for a single shot, which you can still see in the film.
The 1970 Dodge Challenger was actually the first model in the nameplate’s first generation of vehicles. Designed to challenge both the Mustang and the Camaro, Dodge’s speedster immediately impressed. The longer wheelbase and large dimensions made the vehicle stand out, as did the sleek exterior design (drawn up by the iconic Carl Cameron).
The Challenger seen in the movie actually included the R/T package, which included a 383 cubic foot 6.28-liter V8 engine. The vehicle could pump out 335 horsepower, and the muscle car could also deliver an impressive max speed of 150 miles per hour and zero-to-60 time of 5.8 seconds.
1968 Dodge Charger R/T ( Bullitt )
This legendary Steve McQueen movie revolved mostly around, well, a car chase. The vehicle of choice for the hero was the 1968 Dodge Charger R/T, a solid choice if you ask any of the brand’s fans. In fact, the vehicle was so capable and fast, engineers had to install thinner wheels so the “pursued” vehicles (like the Ford Mustang) could keep up.
The vehicle was put up for auction in 2013, and the asking price was a cool one million dollars. The vehicle had been slightly restored, but it still featured the popular 440-horsepower V8 engine with the accompany four-speed transmission. Incredibly, the vehicle only had 62,000 miles on it, meaning a potential buyer could still operate the same ride as McQueen.
The vehicle is iconic for it’s design, as a “double-diamond cock bottle profile” was used, resulting in the use of sleek red paint. The second generation was only available from 1968 through 1970, but you can see some of the vehicle’s attributes included on today’s Chargers and other Chevy vehicles.
The vehicle was featured in many other movies, including The Fast and the Furious and Death Proof.
Honorable Mentions:
- *1978 Dodge Sportsman Van ( _The Cannonball Run_ ) *
- *1982 Dodge Diplomat ( _Beverly Hills Cop II_ ) *
- *2001 Dodge Grand Caravan ( _Super Size Me_ ) *
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