Well this is troubling: In a UK survey, the Batmobile was beat out by The Mystery Machine and Herbie for the title of “best fictional car of all time.”
The survey was conducted by Toys R Us to celebrate the release of Disney Pixar’s Cars.
I can understand The Mystery Machine, although I have a sinking feeling it received votes because of the live-action films and not because of the original animated series. The green and blue Chevrolet Sportsvan with orange flowers screams 1960s. What’s not to love?
But Herbie’s better than the Batmobile? Herbie?
Here’s the Top 20, a few of which are downright puzzling:
1. Scooby Doo’s Mystery Machine
2. Herbie
3. The Batmobile
4. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
5. Harry Potter’s flying car
6. The A-Team van
7. Fred Flintstone’s car
8. Austin Powers “Shaguar”
9. Dick Dastardly’s Mean Machine
10. KITT from Knight Rider
11. The De Lorean from Back to the Future
12. The Italian Job Minis
13. James Bond’s Aston Martin
14. Penelope Pitstop’s pink car
15. Del Boy Trotter’s Reliant Van
16. General Lee — the Dodge Charger from The Dukes of Hazzard
17. The Pink Panther car
18. Thunderbirds Fab 1
19. Starsky and Hutch Ford Gran Torino
20. The Greased Lightning car
That many people remember Dick Dastardly and Penelope Pitstop from Wacky Races? And the car from Greased Lightning? Wow. Go, 1970s!
August 3rd, 2006 at 9:56 am
That list is ALL out of whack. The Batmobile should clearly be at the top, and where’s the Mach 5?
August 3rd, 2006 at 10:14 am
Only posting to also voice complaint re: missing “Mach 5″, not that you can do anything about it.
August 3rd, 2006 at 10:36 am
This is so sick and wrong. Only a clearly demented person would not willingly admit the Batmobile is the coolest car ever.
http://www.thisispopculture.com
August 3rd, 2006 at 10:44 am
I think the problem with the Batmobile may lie in the fact that there have been so many versions of the car that no “one true incarnation” exists for every genreation as they do for the other vehicles on the list. There’s the many comic book versions, the ’60′s television show version, the various cartoon versions, the many toy versions, and, of course, all the different movie versions. Whereas the Mystery Machine has just one iconic image that’s remained unchanged to this day.
August 3rd, 2006 at 11:05 am
Yes, but they are all the best.
Who would win in a fight: Batmobile or the Mach 5?
August 3rd, 2006 at 11:09 am
“Who would win in a fight: Batmobile or the Mach 5?”
Are Batman and Speed driving their own cars, or have they switched cars for some haney reason?
August 3rd, 2006 at 11:29 am
Would there be an advantage to switching cars? Or does Batman just take out Speed when he steps out of his car?
August 3rd, 2006 at 11:42 am
Does Batman have prep time?
(oh GOD I’m a nerd)
August 3rd, 2006 at 11:44 am
What about the Ectomobile??
August 3rd, 2006 at 11:52 am
Batman is always prepared!
The Ecto-1, Ecto-2, or Ecto-3? (nerliness is next to godliness. or something)
August 3rd, 2006 at 3:48 pm
No Mach-5? No Ecto-1? No Blues Brothers Invincible Police Car? No Beverly Hillbillies and/or Munstermobile?
August 3rd, 2006 at 5:00 pm
How about Supercar????
August 4th, 2006 at 9:04 am
Guys, guys, guys. Settle down. This is the *UK* we’re talking about. What do they know about cars in pop culture? If they were to list the 20 most famous *telephone boxes*, then, maybe, I’d listen.
August 4th, 2006 at 9:15 am
I’m afraid that, as far as I’m aware, they never showed Speed Racer over here in the UK. So folk over here don’t know what the heck the Mach 5 is.