Start Your Engines! 10 Iconic Pop Culture Cars

Originally published on July 3, 2026. This article lists 10 of the most iconic cars in pop culture, including vehicles from the video game Grand Theft Auto, DC Comics, Back to the Future, and more.

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A hero’s journey is just as important as the destination. Of course, we often focus on the emotional journey; that is, the struggle, the rise, the fall. But how are we getting there? Some heroes walk thousands of miles. Others soar to great heights, or even ride horses, swing on webs, and sail ships through space or the high seas. Travel and transit are vital to these stories.

So … what about the people driving toward their destiny? When a story is set behind the wheel, that car becomes as significant as the person turning left and right — especially if it’s a narrative like Crash (1996),  Amores Perros (2000), and Titane (2021). Below, learn about 10 of the most iconic pop culture cars. These vehicles come from comics, movies, books, TV shows, movies, and video games. Did your favorite make it to the show floor? Or did we leave it in the garage?

10 iconic pop culture cars:

• The Batmobile
• Herbie
• Ecto 1
• DeLorean
• Dom’s Challenger
• The Warthog
• Pegassi Infernus
• Flying Ford Anglia
• Baby
• Billy’s Camaro

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The Batmobile

• Franchise: DC
• First Appearance: 1939

The Batmobile has evolved significantly since its first appearance. In comics, it was an elongated red car more suited to Bruce Wayne. The ’60s TV series starring Adam West paints it black, but keeps the red accents. Atomic batteries, turbines, and jet fire engines make it a pretty sexy super hero car. But modern DC media has upgraded the Batmobile to a much sleeker or stockier car, depending on the man playing Batman. However, the Batmobile is consistently completely black these days.

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Herbie

• Franchise: Herbie — The Love Bug
• First Appearance: 1968

As far as sentient cars go, Herbie has them all beat. Apologies to Lightning McQueen. This adorable anthropomorphic VW Beetle doesn’t need a driver to go, go, go! Painted all white with red and blue racing stripes and the number 53, Herbie is wildly recognizable. The Volkswagen is also a steadfast friend, supporting anyone with a kind heart who sits in the passenger seat or even gets behind the wheel (no license required).

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Ecto-1

• Franchise: Ghostbusters
• First Appearance: 1984

Busting ghosts requires a souped-up ride. It’s just science! The Ecto-1, or Ectomobile, or Specialized Electronical Vehicular Device, is a custom vehicle utilized by New York City’s team. The Ghostbusters have to repair the car and, on top of that, reconstruct it for their supernatural needs. After major modding, the Ecto-1 features an ambulance gurney as well as mounted gadgets — the functions of which are never revealed in the OG movie.

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DeLorean

• Franchise: Back to the Future
• First Appearance: 1985

What’s better than a regular DeLorean? A DeLorean that also functions as a time machine. Outfitted with Doc Brown’s “flux capacitor” component, the homebuilt DeLorean can accelerate to 88 miles per hour and then arrive in the past or future depending on the scientist’s calculations. Marty McFly experiences the full power of this specialized DeLorean when he and Doc Brown discover its energy source can be a bolt of lightning.

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Dom’s Charger

• Franchise: The Fast and the Furious
• First Appearance: 2001

This legendary car is a mythical beast within its own franchise. Dominic Toretto and his dad built this 1970 R/T model when Dom was a kid. For a long time, Dom associated the Challenger with his father’s death, and refused to drive it. Eventually, however, Dom got behind the wheel in the film’s final act. Although he wrecked it in the end, its power and prestige are undeniable. Various characters also help rebuild the Charger throughout subsequent sequels.

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The Warthog

• Franchise: Halo
• First Appearance: 2001

Alright, we’re cheating a bit here. After all, the Warthog is technically an open-air military vehicle. Calling it a “car” seems insufficient at best, and inaccurate otherwise. But this video game vehicle deserves a mention alongside the rest of these icons. Defiant of physics and gravity alike, it’s an un-killable fan favorite with wacky mechanics and a learning curve beyond all gaming standards. Basically, it’s perfect.

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Pegassi Infernus

• Franchise: Grand Theft Auto
• First Appearance: 2001

Cue those heart eyes. GTA‘s Pegassi Infernus is the kind of car you don’t think twice about chasing, stealing, and joy riding. A two bricks on the throttle kind of car, the Infernus first came into the franchise during Grand Theft Auto III. It’s been a vehicle option in every game since. And while players can modify it to their heart’s content, most keep it a fun and flashy blue, or go for the classic hot-rod red skin.

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Flying Ford Anglia

• Franchise: Harry Potter
• First Appearance: 2002

While the Flying Ford Anglia technically first “appears” in print in 1998/99, we’ll focus on the film version since that’s the on-screen visual debut date. In The Chamber of Secrets movie, Ron Weasley nicks this enchanted car from his parents in order to rescue Harry Potter from his abusive aunt and uncle. When the boys are late to the train, they pilot this car to Hogwarts … and promptly crash it on the school grounds. Talk about unrestrained summer fun!

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Baby

• Franchise: Supernatural
• First Appearance: 2005

The Winchester brothers’ Chevy Impala is basically its own character in the CW series. Dean’s beloved “Baby” carries these hunters through all their missions across America. Sam and Dean keep all their weapons in the trunk. Plus, they play some of Supernatural‘s most awesome needle drops through its stereo systems. Baby also dies and comes back to life plenty, just like its owners, and each resurrection is as emotional as if a human relative has been revived.

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Billy’s Camaro

• Franchise: Stranger Things
• First Appearance: 2017

Deep blue and rumbling as its owner, the Camaro does a lot of character work for Billy Hargrove. It’s ostentatious yet impenetrable. The car is performative yet undeniably masculine, and Billy spends all his time cruising around and intimidating people from within its protective exterior. And in season 3, when the Camaro gets wrecked, (SPOILER ALERT!) Billy dies soon after. Neat, right? Also, an ’80s Camaro is just a cool car. So it gets the final spot on our list.

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What’s your favorite fictional car? Do you think it’s more iconic than our pop culture picks? Start your engines and share the wheels you’d most like to take for a spin at side.show/geekgroup or in the Sideshow Social Network. And as always, don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!