If you watch even a little television, you can't help but recognize when an automobile on a series ascends from a mere background prop into just as integral a part of the plot as the main actors themselves. I asked Jody Victor to choose his favorites from past and present TV series.
Jody Victor: While I'm not a big TV series fan, I do know how great some of those cars become. Look at my list (in order of preference) and see if any match your favorites.
10. 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am from "Knight Rider" - It's impossible to compile a list of great TV cars without including the Knight Industries Two Thousand (KITT). The talking, smarter-than-the-Hoff Firebird Trans Am was the embodiment of all we thought possible in the '80s - at least as far as sentient transportation was concerned. With an arsenal of crime-fighting technology on board and a super-cool "Turbo Boost" option, the car could vault over obstacles, drive through a hail of bullets and generally thwart the bad guys at every turn.
9. 1986 Ferrari Testarossa from "Miami Vice" - The show that pioneered the "bright blazer, T-shirt and loafers sans socks" look of '80s cool also brought the brashest of Italian exotics of the time into the homes of millions. When "Miami Vice" debuted they cruised around in a much cooler '72 Ferrari Daytona Spyder. Unfortunately, that car was blown up by a rocket launcher. Fortunately, the rig was actually a kit car based on a Corvette chassis, so no one on the set shed too many tears, especially when Ferrari offered to supply the show with not one, but two 1986 Ferrari Testarossas.
8. 1951 Ford F1 from "Sanford and Son" - The only truck on my list but nearly as iconic as the show's catchy theme song and the quick and biting wit of Fred G. Sanford, the show's 1951 Ford F1 pickup had seen more than a few miles by the time it starred in the sitcom's intro in 1972. While not as centrally important to the plot of the show as some of the other vehicles on this list, the truck on "Sanford and Son" was nearly a permanent part of the set.
7. 1975 Ford Gran Torino from "Starsky and Hutch" - Powered by a stout 351 ci V8 with a healthy 250 horsepower, you can't think of Starsky and Hutch without their FoMoCo demon coming to mind. With plenty of tire smoke, J-turns and car chases in every episode, "Starsky and Hutch" was a kick in the pants for Torino sales. Ford even produced 1,000 special edition models of the car with the iconic red-and-white paint scheme to commemorate the show.
6. 1983 GMC G15 Van from "The A Team" - What could be cooler than a group of rogue ex-special forces operatives on the run from the military? Ex-special forces who act as mercenaries for good and roll in a black van with a red spoiler, that's what. While the cast of "The A Team" offered up acting that was almost as painful as wearing 150 pounds of gold chains around your neck, scenes of the crew's wicked 1983 GMC G15 van ramming through cardboard boxes and sliding around dirt roads mid chase are what adolescent dreams are made of. While still not quite cool enough to overcome the creepiness of four grown men rolling around in a windowless van, we pity the fool who thinks this van is anything less than awesome.
5. 1983 Ferrari 308 GTS from "Magnum P.I." - While Thomas Magnum might have been the key character in "Magnum P.I." this Ferrari Red prancing horse, which he used to tear around Hawaii, stole the show. Ferrari rolled out more than 12,000 copies of the 308 GTS, making it one of the most popular models the Italian automaker has ever produced. Definitely, the Ferrari remains one of the coolest rides on TV.
4. 1969 Dodge Charger from "The Dukes of Hazzard" - Though the General Lee, Bo and Luke Duke's pet name for their Hemi Orange Dodge Charger, regularly thwarted the authorities, it couldn't escape the laws of physics. It's hard to find an exact figure for the number of cars the show's stunt crew wrecked while the series was on the air, but estimates range from 301 to 329. Built as a race car in the show, the General Lee boasted a full roll cage, massive "01" livery on both sides of the car and the signature Confederate battle flag on the roof. The car was as central to "The Dukes of Hazzard" as any main character, and the production crew broke a number of jump records during filming.
3. 1969 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser from "That 70's Show" - If that massive station wagon's single-piece skylight isn't enough to convince you this is one of the coolest rides on the airwaves, the stout 350 V8 engine under the hood should be. With the entire cast of "That 70's Show" sliding across the vinyl bench seats of the mighty Olds at one time or another, this wagon is what car guys think of when they think retro sitcoms.
2. 1975 Pontiac Firebird Esprit from "The Rockford Files" - While you won't see too many reproductions of Jim Rockford's 1975 Pontiac firebird Esprit at your local car show, it's still one of the most memorable rides to come over the airwaves. Clips of the Coppermine Gold Poncho chasing down or running away from hoodlums and the occasional hero are some of the best ever captured on video.
1. 1966 Batmobile (aka 1955 Lincoln Futura Concept) from "Batman" - Topping my list is the vehicle that the king of crime-fighting kitsch and his youthful sidekick used to fight crime in Gotham City. This iconic machine began life as the 1955 Lincoln Futura Concept which was handcrafted in Italy and cost a blistering $250,000 to create. Like most concepts the Futura was never really meant for production. The car sat in the dark corners of a warehouse for five years until Ford, Lincoln's parent company, sold it to George Barris - legendary builder of cars for the big and little screen - for a dollar. In 1965 the producers of "Batman" asked Barris to create the very first Batmobile, and he instinctively looked to the Futura. More than 40 years later the Caped Crusader's cruiser is the most well-known mechanical crime fighter, having taken down every bad guy from the Joker to the Riddler and more.
Thanks, Jody! Great flash from the past!