If you’re a car lover, you’ll no doubt love a good movie about cars. In our previous post, we looked at the Most Iconic Movie Cars Ever, which is also a good read for car enthusiasts! Whether you’re into car chases, classic cars or just love the need for speed, Refused Car Finance have put together a list of the best movies about cars and driving. How many have you seen?
1. Fast & Furious Series.
One of the most famous driving movie series about cars is the Fast and Furious franchise. First released in 2001, the story follows Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his gang as they lead an underground street racing club in New York. As the series develops, the gang meet many enemies along the way and gets caught up with the law and drug dealers whilst also producing some of the greatest car races and impressive cars along the way. The series now has 11 films altogether, an average age rating of 12 and an average IMDb (International Movie Database) score of 7/10. The whole series should be added to your watch list!
2. Cars.
Our most family-friendly driving movies and the only animated movie on our list is Cars. Released in 2006, Cars is based around a famous race car called Lightening McQueen, who learns the true meaning of family and friendship in a small, sleepy town called Radiator Springs. Normally used to a fast-paced and high-profile life, Lightning McQueen soon learns that there is more to life than money and fame. In 2011, Cars 2 was released and in 2017 Cars 3 joined the series. All films are great for the whole family and are rated PG by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC).
3. The Italian Job.
First released in 1969 and then remade again in 2003, The Italian Job is one of the most famous films about cars and was responsible for putting MINI Coopers on the map. In the films, MINI Coopers are seen racing through the streets of Turin in Italy and performing some of the best driving stunts ever seen in movie history. After the 2003 remake of The Italian Job, there was an increase in sales of MINI Coopers by 22%! The original film stars Michael Caine, Noel Coward, Benny Hill and many more big names. It was a great success, with an IMDb rating of 7.3/10 and an age rating of PG, it can be enjoyed by people of all ages!
4. Taxi.
A French comedy driving film made in 1998, follows Pizza Delivery boy turned Taxi Driver Daniel (Samy Naceri) who gets caught speeding in a Peugeot 406. To get out of being fined, he must chauffeur around a non-driving police officer. This is a film that is charming, easy to watch and light-hearted. The 2003 American remake was slated by critics but the 1998 original is loved by many. It does have another 4 French sequels which are also highly rated, so if you’re a fan of the first one, they’re also worth a watch! Another one on the list with a solid rating of 7/10!
5. Drive.
Rotten Tomatoes has described Drive as ‘the best film of 2011’ and with a rating of 93%, it could well be! However, it is seen as more of a ‘cult classic’ rather than a box office hit. Drive centres around a Hollywood stuntman (Ryan Gosling) who doubles as a getaway driver at night. Gosling’s character, Driver, falls in love with his neighbour, Irene (Carey Mulligan) and gets more than he bargained for when he meets the man who is married to the woman he loves. The film features a 1973 Chevrolet Malibu and a 2011 Ford Mustang GT, so it’s a great choice for classic car lovers. Drive has one of our highest age ratings, with a recommendation of 18 years old and above due to strong, gory violence.
6. Rush.
Rush is one of the only driving movies on our list that is based on true events. Released in 2013, Rush is the story of the 1970s rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda who fight it out for the Formula One World Champion. Starring Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl who are willing to risk everything to become world champion. The film features many original Formula 1 cars from 1967. The McLaren M23-8 used in the film is the actual chassis that the real James Hunt drove during the world championship! With an IMDb rating of 8/10, it is one of the highest-rated movies on our list!
7. Ronin.
Ronan is 1998 film starring a young Robert De Niro as a freelancing former U.S Intelligence agent who tries to track down a mysterious package that is wanted by the Irish and the Russians. Ronan has been heavily praised for its car chase scene and has been named one of the best in history. The whole scene was shot at full speed on a very narrow single-lane road in Europe, the skill level of driving was so hard that a former Formula 1 racer was hired to do the driving! The film features some old classics such as the Audi S8, Citroen XM, E34 BMW 535i and Peugeot 406. Ronin has also been rated appropriate for ages 15+ and has an impressive 7.3/10 on IMDb!
8. Ferrari.
Ferrari is a 2023 biographical film set in 1957. It follows Italian entrepreneur Enzo Ferrari (played by Adam Driver) as he prepares his racing team for the iconic Mille Miglia 1000-mile race. The film explores the true story of the infamous Enzo Ferrari and his personal life. Whilst grieving the loss of his only son and facing bankruptcy, Enzo struggles through both personal and professional hardship. We feel it is one of the best driving movies due to the dazzling racing sequences and love for the Ferrari brand.
9. Bad Boys II.
It probably wouldn’t be the first film to spring to mind when it comes to cars about driving but Bad Boys 2 features some of our favourite driving scenes! Bad Boys 2 was released in 2003 and stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. The story follows two cops as they investigate the ecstasy scene in Florida. There are many car chases throughout and during filming around 20 cars are destroyed in the process. The highway car chase scene is one of the best and also has some hilarious one-liners throughout.
10. Senna.
Senna is a 2010 documentary film about legendary Formula One racing driver Ayrton Senna. The Brazilian won the F1 world championship three times before his death at the age of 34. He led the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix before he crashed and ultimately lost his life. The film takes you on a journey through his life both on the track and off it. There were no CGI scenes filmed in this movie and all footage is real, archived videos of Senna doing what he loved.
Looking for car finance?
Have you been inspired by some of the cars on our list? Is it time you got a new car? Apply today with no affect on your credit score and we’ll be in touch with a finance decision for you!