59 Greatest Car Movies of All Time

17-year-old Marty McFly is accidentally sent back in time to 1955 in a time-travelling DeLorean car built by his friend and eccentric scientist Doc Brown. Marty gets in the way of his parents' relationship and must make sure that they fall in love, while also convincing a younger Doc to help him go back to the future.

Ayrton Senna becomes Brazil's national hero after winning Formula One racing championship thrice. It unfolds the politics infested in the sport and shows the humble, shy, spiritual yet occasionally ruthless Senna conquering the Formula One and becoming a superstar across the globe. A documentary that lays emphasis on the illustrious image of the renowned auto racer but his untimely death urges us to reflect on this mystery.

A globally illustrious African-American pianist, Dr. Don Shirley is in need of protection and a driver when he embarks on a concert tour in 1962 that is to take place in Deep South. An Italian-American tough-talking bouncer, Tony Lip, is recruited for the task. Both the men soon develop an unanticipated bond irrespective of their differences in an era of segregation of danger and racism.

This film is set in a post-apocalyptic desert land where a tyrannical ruler named Immortal Joe controls water supply and enslaves wasteland survivors inside his fortress, the Citadel. Max, a newly captured drifter, becomes reluctantly involved in a daring escape led by the rebel warrior, Imperator Furiosa, to take the warlord's five wives to the 'Green Place'.

Recently widowed Walt Kowalski is a disgruntled Korean War veteran and retired auto worker living alone in Michigan. He detests his Hmong neighbors especially because he caught teenager Thao Lor attempting to steal his prized 1972 Ford Gran Torino. However, Kowalski becomes an unlikely neighborhood hero when the teen's gang leader cousin attacks him for the failure.

The Formula 1 races of the 1970s spawned a rivalry so great that it had to be made into a movie. Rush is based on the life and enmity between racers James Hunt and Niki Lauda, who are fierce rivals in the racing arena, but this very fact pushes them to give their best to the sport.

Ford v Ferrari is a biographical sports drama film which tells the story of Carroll Shelby, an automotive designer and Ken Miles, a race car driver.  Together, they unite to achieve their goal, which is to build a vehicle to compete against the Ferrari race cars.    

The Blues Brothers is a musical-comedy that revoles around two brothers—one of whom is a criminal—who embark on a mission to save their childhood school from shutting down. Brothers, Jake and Elwood Blues, played by John Belushi and John Aykroyd, reunite with their band and meet noted music artists to raise money while evading the police and other enemies.

Hollywood stuntman by day, getaway driver by night, the hero, known simply as 'driver', is a loner who gets roped into defending his ladylove and neighbour, Irene, and her son, from her ex-convict husband's crimes. Driver is lifted by its colourful supporting cast, and of course, the car chases.

Baby Driver revolves around a gifted but partially hearing-impaired driver who is indentured into working for a mafia boss, but just as he is about to be free from a life of crime and begin anew with his girlfriend, he gets pulled into another dangerous heist. Starring Ansel Egbort in the lead role, it is an action-packed thriller film.

In this sequel to George Miller’s 1979 Mad Max, former cop Max leads a life of loner. He is exhausted but wanders along with his sole companion, a pet dog. However, one day, he comes across a small community of people who are trying to protect an oil refinery from marauders headed by Lord Humungus and decides to help them in their struggle.

Two friends, tame housewife Thelma and abused waitress Louise, decide to break away from their regular routine by going on a weekend fishing trip, which soon turns into a nightmare after Louise kills a man attempting to rape Thelma. Hunted by the police, they decide to flee to Mexico, committing one crime after another to secure save passage.

This action adventure comedy film revolves around a group of greedy people who hear about a hidden stash of loot. Soon they embark on an adventurous journey through the countryside in search of the buried treasure. 

With the help of exclusive interviews as well as archival footage, this film tries to portray the life and career of legendary former race car driver Michael Schumacher.

Directed by actor Eric Bana, in this film, he documents his obsession with cars and racing. It also revolves around his relationship with his first car, as well as its destruction.

Clark Grisworld decides to take his family on a cross-country car trip from Chicago to Southern California amusement park Walley World. The family have numerous adventures along the way including a falling out, the death of a family member, getting lost in the desert and Clark becoming infatuated with a beautiful woman driving a red Ferrari. 

A group of recent high school graduates spend the last evening of 1962 summer vacation cruising along their small Californian town, before their grown-up lives begin. As a mysterious DJ’s rock-n-roll tunes set the background, and a series of crazy encounters get the fun rolling, four friends contemplate their relationships, their futures, and come to the decisions that may change their lives. 

Walter Chalmers is a senator who wants to take down Pete Ross, a mob boss, with the help of a testimony from Johnny, Ross's brother, who is in protective custody. However, things get quite complicated when a pair of mob hitmen enters the scene.

The fifth installment of the Fast & Furious franchise also referred to as Fast & Furious 5: Rio Heist, finds Dominic Toretto, Brian O’Conner, and their team trying to steal US $100 million from drug lord Herman Reyes. It also marks the debut of fan-favorite Diplomatic Security Service agent Luke Hobbs in the franchise. 

The Great Race is an action adventure sports comedy film which tells the story of two rivals, The Great Leslie, and Professor Fate, who plan an automobile race from New York to Paris. However, Fate’s sidekick, Max, attempts to sabotage Leslie's car and of the other racers, but Leslie finds an unlikely ally in Maggie, a journalist-turned-racer whose car breaks down during the race.  

Vanishing Point is a road action thriller film which tells the story of Kowalski, a car delivery driver, who is being chased by the police for speeding, while he is trying to deliver a car. The chase eventually results in several dangerous outcomes, and the police do their best to arrest him.

A detective is obsessed with catching a criminal known as ‘The Driver’, a criminal who is quite reputed for driving getaway vehicles. Due to his exceptional talent, he has always managed to evade the police. The detective sets up a bank robbery, in order to trap him.

A cult film that revolves around a driver, James Taylor, and a mechanic, Dennis Wilson. The only purpose of their life is to race and maintain their Chevy. While they head east from California, they come across Laurie Bird who sleeps with both of them to incite jealousy between the two. The trio then meets Warren Oates, an overbearing GTO driver, who races with them to New York. The stakes are high, as each side puts their pride and joy at stake: their car.

The most courageous drivers in the world have gathered to compete for the 1966 Formula One championship. However, due a wreck in the first race, Pete Aron, an American race car driver is dropped by his sponsor.  As he does not want to quit, he decides to join a Japanese racing team. Meanwhile, he is also having problems in his personal life, as he is having a love affair with the wife of an ex-teammate.

The seventh installment in the Fast & Furious franchise, Furious Seven finds Dominic Toretto and his team being chased by rogue special forces assassin Deckard Shaw. The movie is also Paul Walker’s last appearance as Brian O’Conner as he passed away in a separate car accident in the middle of filming the movie.

Cars, the animated Pixar classic, tells the story of anthropomorphic talking cars. Racing rookie Lightning McQueen finds himself trapped in Radiator Springs after falling off his truck. As McQueen starts doing community service for damaging roads, he makes friends, falls in love, and ends up being trained by racing legend Hudson Hornet to discover who he truly is inside. 

This is the sixth movie of the Fast & Furious series. Following the successful heist in Rio, Dom, Brian and their team are living peacefully scattered around the globe, but being fugitives, cannot return to their families. DSS agent Luke Hobbs reveals that Dom's presumed dead girlfriend Letty is actually working for a team of mercenary drivers, and offers his whole crew amnesty in exchange for taking down the gang.

A group of thieves led by John Bridger steal gold bullion worth $35 million from Italian gangsters. However, one of the team members betrays the rest and leaves with the bullion, taking the others to be dead. A year later, another team member, Charlie Croker, re-assembles the team to take revenge on the betrayer.

Three friends on their way to a vacation meet a strange stuntman Mike. He offers to give lift to another of their friend, Pam, in his Death Proof stunt car and kills her. Later he kills the three friend by hitting their car. Fourteen months later, he picks up another set of girls as his target; however what he does not expect is a fierce fightback.

Georgia’s Big Enos challenges Bandit to drive a truckload of Coors Beer from Texas and deliver within 28 hours in Atlanta where Coors was not available without permit. But when Bandit picks up hitchhiker Carrie, the runaway bride of Sheriff’s son, sheriff Buford T. Justice gives Bandit a high-speed chase across the states, with police from four states pursuing the careering cars.

Caractacus Potts is an eccentric inventor. A widowed father of two, he is also pursued by beautiful and wealthy Truly Scrumptious.  The plot thickens when the children find that a racing car that has been lying in a local garage is going to be sold as a scarp. On their request Caractacus remodels the car and the four set out for a picnic in it. 

This biographical drama film tells the story of Preston Tucker, the well-known auto designer, who had revolutionized the auto industry. The film shows how he had struggled in his early days, and how his dreams are challenged by the established auto manufacturers of Detroit.    

In this first movie of the Fast & Furious franchise, LAPD officer Brian O'Conner goes undercover to infiltrate the gang of infamous street racer Dominic Toretto, who is the prime suspect for stealing valuable electronic goods. As he assists Dominic's crew against a rival gang, he falls in love with his sister Mia and is gradually drawn to the world of high-speed car racing.

Frank Martin is an ex-Special Forces operator working as a mercenary transporting anything on time without asking any questions. However, after being hired by the American criminal known as Wall Street, he finds that the package is a young woman, and gets into further complications after his employer attempts to eliminate him on the next job.

Based on a novel of the same name by renowned author Stephen King, the film tells the story of Arnie, a nerdy boy who purchases an old car, unaware of the fact that there is an evil presence within it. Anyone who tries to come between Arnie and the car is not spared. 

Filmed in France in 1970, at the 24-hour endurance race at Le Mans that takes place annually, the fast-paced story revolves around Michael Delaney, a Porche driver who is yet to overcome the memory of an accident that took place at the same event, previous year, when a competing driver lost his life. Not just this, Delaney also finds himself infatuated to Elga Andersen, the man's widow. The story also gives a glimpse of the race-long rivalry of Delaney with Erich, his Ferrari-driving archnemesis.

At the turn of the 20th century in Mississippi, Lucius McCaslin, an 11-year old boy embarks on a journey that will stay with him forever. His grandfather, Boss, buys a car and Boon, a local handyman, is hell-bent on getting behind the wheels. As soon as Boss goes out of town on a trip, Boon approaches pliable Lucius and takes him on a road trip along with Ned. While on the road  that not only face the hazards of driving but also a surge of guilt.

The fourth movie of the Fast & Furious franchise serves as a direct sequel to the first movie and sees the return of the original cast. Dominic Toretto, Brian O’ Conner, Mia Toretto and their friends join forces to avenge the murder of Letty Ortiz and bring down the drug lord Arturo Braga.  

NASCAR driver and superstar Ricky Bobby loses it all at the height of his glory when he crashes his car after being outperformed by new French driver Jean Girard. He must stage a comeback with the help of his absentee father Reese who adopts ruthless techniques to give Ricky his mojo back. 

Reformed car thief Memphis Raines is forced out of retirement after crime lord Raymond Calitri threatens to kill his brother following a botched car theft. Tasked with stealing 50 luxury cars within 3 days, he must assemble his former associates and pull off the perfect heist while fending off the police and a rival gang.

Jim Douglas is a race car driver, who is not doing too well in his life and career. Things take a turn when, along with his philosophical mechanic, Tennessee Steinmetz, Jim finds a white Volkswagen Beetle, which has a mind and spirit of its own. However, soon, a car-dealer named Peter Thorndyke, tries to use his assistant to come between the two friends and their unique car.  

Tobey, a former race car driver, operates a garage with his friends. For want of money, he reluctantly agrees with his rival Dino to work upon a rare Ford Shelby Mustang to make it more powerful. He succeeds, but Dino backstabs him and he soon finds himself embroiled in the murder of his friend Pete. Coming out of the jail, his only motive is to seek vengeance.  

Eccentric business magnate Donald Sinclair devises a race from Las Vegas to Silver City, Mexico, for the high rollers of his Las Vegas Casino. The US $2 million prize money is kept in a train station locker but the journey proves to be more than what the contestants can handle. 

Theo is a garden snail who calls himself Turbo and dreams of becoming the greatest racer in the world. When a freak accident infuses his DNA with nitrous oxide, he gains super speed. Now Turbo enters the famed Indianapolis 500 to fulfill his destiny but a villainous racer Gagné stands in his way. 

Crash is a 1996 psychological thriller film which tells the story of a TV director who gets into a serious car accident. He then discovers an underground sub-culture of car-crash victims, for whom a car collision is a sexual turn-on, and it gives them a jotting life force which they come to crave. 

Maindrian is an insurance investigator during the day and a professional car thief by night. His life takes a turn, when he is offered $ 400,000 to steal 48 cars in five days. Although the work seems quite easy for him, he soon finds the police on his trail.  

Driven is a biographical thriller film which tells the story of John, who gets involved with a drug trafficking racket, unwillingly. He seeks the help of his friend Jim, who is an FBI informant. However, Jim has an agenda of his own.

Transporter Frank Martin fills in for his friend as a temporary chauffeur for the affluent Billings family and is required to drive a young Jack to and from school safely. When Jack is kidnapped, Frank becomes one of the suspects. However, Jack is soon released and Frank realises that the actual plan is far more deadly.

Ex-LAPD officer Ray Owens semi-retires as the sheriff of a quiet border town, but crime chases him there when drug lord Gabriel Cortez escapes from FBI and rushes towards border with his gang. Reluctant at first considering the limitations of his small force, Owens eventually prepares for a last stand to prevent Cortez from fleeing to Mexico.

The Cannonball Run is an action comedy sports film, which tells the story of a group of competitors who take part in a wild, illegal car race across America. The eccentric participants are even willing to play dirty tricks to emerge as the winner of the race.  

This comedy film revolves around Michael, a businessman, who competes in an illegal car race, along with several other passionate racers. However, he soon learns that the police is after them, and their goal is to stop this race for good.  

Death Race 2000 is a science fiction sports film which takes us to a dystopian future where a cross country automobile race takes place, which requires its contestants to run down innocent pedestrians to gain points.

A complaisant Uber driver is hired by a short-tempered cop who's recuperating from an eye surgery. The purpose is to help the cop catch a heroin dealer who killed his partner. The inharmonious duo find themselves going through shootouts and stakeouts while they try to catch the vicious criminals.

A strange black car runs down two bicyclists in a desert near Utah. However, this is just the first hit-and-run murders of the series that follows. Sheriff Wade Parents, along with his deputy, Everett, is called to investigate. Things turn ugly when the black sedan kills Everett and endangers the life of Lauren and her students who are a part of a local school parade. The question is how to control the car when no one is seen behind its wheel?

After Malcolm dies while delivering a package, his employer shows up and forces Frank to complete the job. He has to deliver a package and a young girl, Valentina, to Budapest in a car which he has to stay close to or else it will explode. As the two set out on a dangerous journey, they grow close. What exactly is in this package?

In a sequel to Cars, Cars 2 is an animated-comedy that sees famous race car, Lightning McQueen, and his buddy, Mater, travel abroad for the very first World Grand Prix. But when Mater gets involved in espionage with a British spy, adventure and drama ensues. Featuring the voices of Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy, this is a fun family film.

Racer Cole Trickle wants to join the Indianapolis 500; but does not have a suitable car. Meanwhile, he is hired to race for Tim Daland’s team in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series and develops rivalry with Rowdy Burns, which culminates into an accident during Firecracker 400. Later, howeve,r they develop close friendship and Rowdy offers Cole his car to race the Daytona 500 against Russ Wheeler.

This is the third movie of the Fast & Furious series. After participating in an illegal street racing, American teenager Sean Boswell is sent to live with his marine father stationed in Japan. He is soon introduced to the new and dangerous drift racing and quickly lands into a huge debt, putting him at odds with the mafia, and also falls for the girlfriend of the Drift King.

Based on an anime and manga series of the same name, the film focuses on eighteen-year old Speed Racer, whose family runs the Racer Motors. Passionate about automobile racing, he drives his late brother’s March 5, aspiring to be a champion some day. Trouble starts when he turns down an astounding offer from the owner of Royalton Industries.