Famous Fords: Icons From The Silver Screen

Famous Fords ICONS FROM THE SILVER SCREEN In addition to helping revolutionize the American auto industry, Ford has also left its mark on pop culture. Ford vehicles have played a starring role in a number of iconic films and TV shows, from rugged muscle cars to sleek speedsters. Let's roll the reel on some famous film Fords: AMERICAN GRAFFITI 1932 FORD COUPE CALIFORNIA THX138 Mela doing The THX 138 license plate was an homage to George Lucas' first film THX 1138 • A celebration of hot rods and the American car culture of the '60s • The coupe was modified with motorcycle front fenders, bobbed rear fenders, and aluminum headlight stanchions BATMAN (TV) 1955 FORD-LINCOLN FUTURA CONCEPT TAKA BATMOBILE)F POW POW! Gadgets included the Batphone, radar, laser beams, and rear parachutes • The Lincoln Futura was a Ford concept car hand-built in Turin, Italy • The Batmobile was customized in only 15 days with a $15,000 budget • Sold at auction for $4.2 million in January 2013 GONE IN 60 SECONDS 1967 FORD SHELBY GT500 TAKA ELEANOR) Ford Fitted with a 351-cubic-inch Ford Racing motor rated at 400 horsepower • 93 cars were destroyed during the iconic 40-minute chase scene in the original 1974 film • The car was actually a 1967 Mustang Fastback made to look like the Shelby GT500 • Sold at auction for $1 million in May 2013 BULLITT 1968 FORD MUSTANG GT 390- San Francisco residents called the police during filming of the chase scene when cars got up to 110 mph • Steve McQueen driving a muscular Mustang is one of the coolest combos in movie history • 0 to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds • Inspired the special edition 2008 Ford Bullitt Mustang MAD MAX 1973 FORD FALCON XB (AKA V8 INTERCEPTOR) A hood-mounted supercharger and side exhaust pipes were added for the film • Only one Interceptor was created for filming-most productions use multiple cars for stunts • 351-cubic-inch V8 engine • The Interceptor will reappear in the upcoming Mad Max: Fury Road STARSKYE HUTCH 1975 FORD GRAN TORINO (AKA STRIPED TOMATO) STARSKY &HUTCH The car was so popular it inspired worldwide fan clubs in the '70s • The show's producers painted it bright red with a white vector stripe to create a signature look • Models had either a 351-cu.in. or a 460-cu.in. engine for stunts • Ford produced 1,300 Starsky & Hutch replica Gran Torinos to be sold ROBOCOP 1986 FORD TAURUS Modified with matte black paint, push bars, police lights, and dash-mounted computers ETRO OLIC • The Taurus had just hit the market when the film's director ordered a dozen for the movie • The movie's popularity helped the car's sales skyrocket • Peter Weller (RoboCop) couldn't fit in the car with his full suit on-he had to sit in his underwear JURASSIC PARK 1993 FORD EXPŁORER XLT The glass roof accidentally broke when the T.Rex hit it -prompting real screams from the actors inside JURASSIC PARK • Played an important role in the T.Rex scene-one of the most iconic in film history • To make the Explorers look automated, drivers hid in the back and steered them via remote • Diehard fans have created their own Jurassic Park replicas using '93 Fords Sources: http://www.imdb.com/ http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/vintage-speed/top-10-movie-cars-of-all-time-4#slide-4 http://www.ibtimes.com/eleanor-mustang-sold-gone-60-seconds-car-sold-auction-1m-video-1272217 http://batman.wikia.com/wiki/Batmobile_(1960s_series) http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/holy-sale-batman-1960s-batmobile-sells-4-2-million-auction-article-1.1243479 http://mustangs.about.com/od/modelyearprofiles/a/bullitt-trivia.htm http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2014/06/18/claimed-starsky-hutch-gran-torino-sells-for-40000/ http://madmax.wikia.com/wiki/V8_Interceptor http://americangraffiti.net/movie_cars.html http://autoweek.com/article/car-life/all-robocops-rides SARASOTA Ford