10 maddest movie vehicles

Shut up and drive

Forget miles-per-gallon calculations, and dont even think about how eye-wateringly expensive the insurance would be the cars, planes, bikes, and other assorted means of transport on this list are just awesome. So awesome that most of them could never actually exist in real life, but that wont stop us dreaming.

Strap in and get ready to feel like your current ride is really, really inadequate

10. The Millennium Falcon

As seen in: Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977) and sequels.

Registered owner: Han Solo (Harrison Ford).

Maddest features: Modelled after George Lucass half-eaten hamburger, the Millennium Falcon had a reputation for trouble even before it fell into the hands of intergalactic smuggler Han Solo. So while it might not look like much from the outside, under the hood it boasts all kinds of modifications that make it faster than pretty much anything else out there.

When its working, that is.

9. Flying taxi

As seen in: The Fifth Element (1997).

Registered owner: Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis).

Maddest features: Being a taxi driver in the future is going to require even more local knowledge than it does now because in the future, cars will fly, and drivers will need to know the best way to weave between sky scrapers as well as the best shortcuts and the nearest cash machines.

The taxi cab Korben drives doesnt just fly, though its got a built-in 3D satnav, and even AI to let him know when hes racked up too many points on his licence to keep going. Actually, maybe thats not such a great selling point

8. The Catbus

As seen in: My Neighbour Totoro (1988).

Registered owner: N/A.

Maddest features: Well, aside from the fact that its a cat thats also a bus fur, whiskers, and all it can also fly, and it can take its passengers anywhere they want to go, even if they dont actually know where their destination is. And it doesnt even get grumpy when passengers dont have the correct change.

7. Ghost Riders bike

As seen in: Ghost Rider (2007) and Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance (2012).

Registered owner: Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage).

Maddest features: Technically, were talking about two different bikes here; in the first film, the Rider, er, rode a Harley Chopper, the same kind of bike Peter Fonda drove in Easy Rider. In the second movie, the Chopper was replaced with a sleeker model, the Yamaha VMAX. In both cases, though, the special ingredient was hellfire. Yup, its a bike that goes on fire. Not one to try at home, then.

6. The DeLorean

As seen in: Back To The Future (1985) and sequels.

Registered owner: Dr Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd).

Maddest features: The DeLorean DMC-12 is a bonkers-looking car to begin with, with its upwards-opening gullwing doors. But Dr Browns DeLorean is extra-special, since its actually a plutonium-powered time machine. Plug in the dates you want to travel to, accelerate to 88mph, and youre off. Driving this car, youd basically never have an excuse to be late ever again except, maybe, if you got stuck in traffic and couldnt get up to 88mph.

5. The Tumbler

As seen in: Batman Begins (2005) and sequels.

Registered owner: Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale).

Maddest features: Batmans driven all sorts of crazy cars, but Christopher Nolans version of the Batmobile might be the most striking. Its practically a tank. Built from scratch by a team of special effects technicians who even customised the tyres to ensure the Tumbler handled precisely the way they wanted it to its a terrifying looking vehicle that also performs where it counts: it can reach speeds of 100mph, jump off six foot high ramps, and land without a hitch.

Oh, and its got multiple propane tanks built in, for that jet-propulsion effect.

4. The Nautilus

As seen in: The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003).

Registered owner: Captain Nemo (Naseeruddin Shah).

Maddest features: Nicknamed the Sword Of The Ocean, the Nautilus is a super-luxe submarine thats unlike any submarine youve ever seen before. Its massive, for one thing. Its shaped like a blade, or a very narrow wedge. And the whole thing is covered with Art Nouveau flourishes. Is it practical? Probably not, but one look and you know its captain isnt someone to be messed with.

3. The submersible Lotus Espirit

As seen in: The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).

Registered owner: James Bond (Roger Moore).

Maddest features: At first glance, its a slick sports car. But James Bond is nothing without his gadgets, and this particular model has plenty of hidden features: missile launchers, oil slicks, and, oh yeah, the ability to drive underwater. Yup, it converts into a submarine perfect for tracking down supervillains with underwater lairs.

2. The mechanical spider

As seen in: Wild Wild West (1999).

Registered owner: Dr Arliss Loveless (Kenneth Branagh).

Maddest features: Its a giant mechanical spider. Its the ultimate mode of transport for the truly evil: its huge, it crushes everything in its path, and it strikes terror into the hearts of arachnophobes. Plus its got built-in nitro-glycerine cannons.

1. The Doof Wagon

As seen in: Mad Max: Fury Road (2015).

Registered owner: Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne).

Maddest features: Where do we start?! In a post-apocalyptic world where fuel and water are scarce, warlord Immortan Joe has enough resources to spare to roll a 15-ton morale machine into war behind his warboys. From the front, its a huge stack of amps, fronted by a blind man playing a flame-throwing guitar from the back, you can see the percussion section.

The maddest thing about this is that director George Miller insisted it was actually built for the film. And that it actually worked. Amazing.