Top Must-Watch Movies For Petrolheads

It’s all about the cars, the driving, the stunts! Films perfect for gearheads.

With this year being a bit of a disappointment in terms of film releases, it can be hard to find something to watch. If you have an itch for some quality car chases, racing scenes and ridiculously cool stunts then it can be even harder to find a film worthy of consuming your precious time.

Luckily for you, we’ve compiled a list of the best must-watch films for car enthusiasts so that you can spend less time looking and more time watching.

Bullitt (1968)

Back when the Ford Mustang was still brand new, Bullitt decided that would be the starring car and boy was it a great decision. This film, although old, has some of the best car chases ever and it’s all filmed without the CGI and effects trickery of today’s Hollywood. Racing through the hills of San Francisco, skidding about in the iconic green Bullitt Mustang, it can’t get much cooler than this.

All filmed with old-school techniques, Bullitt is as authentic as films get when it comes to awesome car scenes. In fact, it’s well-known that the cinematographer, William Fraker, actually strapped himself to the bonnet of the Mustang to film a scene at speeds of up to 100mph.

Gone In 60 Seconds (2000)

In what is essentially a fan service to car enthusiasts, watch as Nicolas Cage steals 50 cars in one night, going through a range of cool cars and driving each one to the fullest. It’s like a car nut’s dream!

From American muscle cars to European supercars to luxury cars, including things like a giant white Humvee, Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, Ferrari 550 Maranello, Toyota Supra Turbo and Jaguar XJ220, this film is like a showreel of all the coolest cars of the last century. And even though it’s a Nic Cage film, the plot is pretty good as well with the main character, a retired master car thief, having to steal 50 cars in one night in order to save his brother from a kidnapper.

The Hire (2001-2002)

Not strictly a film but rather a mini-series of eight short 10-minute ‘films’, The Hire was essentially an advertising campaign directed by several world-class directors, such as Ridley Scott and David Fincher, with each episode having a different plot revolving around the main character who was a driver-for-hire.

If you like old bimmers (who doesn’t?) and want to see them driven around in short episodic films with people like Madonna, Danny Trejo, Gary Oldman and James Brown (yes, ‘Sex Machine’ James Brown) then watch The Hire!

Transporter 2 (2005)

If you’re a purist looking for a film without some ridiculous CGI effects then Transporter 1 is probably better suited for you but if you can get past a few scenes with silly effects, Transporter 2 is a fantastic watch with some nail-biting driving.

Starring Jason Statham and a black 2005 Audi A8 6.0 W12, the film succeeds in making the A8 look as badass as it can be and will have you believe that they are truly invincible, yet at the same time, as agile as a Ferrari. This big, blocky, hulking armoured saloon is whipped about and masterfully driven in ways that you thought impossible, capturing the child-like imagination we all have for the perfect car chase.

Baby Driver (2017)

Probably the highest rated movie on our list, Baby Driver takes a star-studded cast and a red Subaru Impreza WRX to tell a tale of a heist crew and one master driver who’s younger and more innocent than the rest of the villainous crew.

Taking an original spin on the classic driver movie genre, Baby Driver incorporates music into the scenes to choreograph the driving to the music, like a dance with screeching tyres and powerslides rather than side steps and pirouettes. Certainly worth a watch, not just for the excellent driving but for the engaging plot developments as well.

Any car films you would recommend? Let us know in the comments!