Six of the most Iconic Cult TV Cars

K.I.T.T

Almost upstaging The Hoff on an 80s weekend afternoon, K.I.T.T (or Knight Industries Two Thousand), is a highly intelligent robotic automobile. Forget Google’s self-driving cars, K.I.T.T could not only drive himself, but at speed, often coming to the aid of Michael Knight, a private crime fighter and vigilante. 90 episodes of Knight Rider were made over 4 series, and a few different spin offs appeared too, such as an updated series in 2008.

K.I.T.T was kitted out (geddit?) with artificial intelligence, flame throwers, a turbo boost, a microscanner, and even an olfactory sensor so he could smell trouble through his front bumper. Definitely remains one of the top 10 iconic cult tv cars.

© http://knight-rider.wikia.com/wiki/K.I.T.T._(2000)

Learn more about him at http://knight-rider.wikia.com/wiki/K.I.T.T._(2000) If you want your own K.I.T.T and have £18k to spend, have a watch of this

The General Lee

Yeeee-haaaaaa! The General Lee was the trusty orange Dodge Charger owned by the Duke boys in 1980s comedy-adventure show The Dukes of Hazzard. How the car stayed together after all the car chases, jumping over barrels, and rolling it did I’ve no idea, but that’s the magic of TV for you! In reality, the show’s production team actually used over 300 cars, each one being painted in the car’s distinct livery – and with welded shut doors for those all-important entries through the windows. One of them ended up in the ownership of Gary Schneider, and you can read more about their journey on http://mygenerallee.com/

© http://mygenerallee.com/

Let’s relive the best bit of the whole show shall we?

Mr Bean’s Mini

Famous for being the arch-nemesis of a blue Reliant Regal Supervan, Mr Bean’s mini was actually several different minis, the most prominent being the green coloured Austin Citron Green. Practically a one-man show, Mr Bean’s car was the nearest thing he had to a sidekick, and the mini features in a large proportion of the 15 episodes of the main show, and also the various spin off series and sketches. A replica, complete with button-eyed teddy, is on display at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu.

From The Daily Mail

The Reliant Regal

Owned by Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter as his van for his professional outfit Trotter’s Independent Traders – or TIT for short – this is probably the most famous three-wheeled vehicle in the world. In a distinctive bright yellow, the car helps Del Boy and hapless younger brother Rodney on their path to world domination, and next year’s millionaire status. Maybe. Only Fools and Horses is one the longest running and popular British TV sitcoms, winning several awards and featuring a host of well-known characters, yet the car is probably as recognisable as any one of them.

© Photo from The Daily Mail

FAB 1

Lady Penelope’s pink adapted Rolls Royce appeared in many episodes of cult TV puppet show Thunderbirds. It had machine guns to the front and back, grappling hooks, an oil slick dispenser, and was covered by a bullet proof canopy. Driven by gentle butler Parker, FAB 1 helped International Rescue’s most glamourous field agent on several secret missions. The model used for the car was actually seven feet long and was the most expensive prop ever made for Thunderbirds. It was well looked after, having to look the business in several episodes; Rolls Royce even oversaw the build and provided some genuine parts to the show’s creators.

© The Express

While FAB 1 was modelled on a Rolls Royce, Lady Penelope was modelled on the show’s co-creator Sylvia Anderson, who produced Thunderbirds and other similar puppet action shows with her husband Gerry Anderson. You can learn more about her and their relationship in The Express If there is a more dignified and glamourous car chase than this one, I’d love to see it!

The MKII Jaguar

Prominent in the TV series Inspector Morse, this classic 1960s MKII Jaguar in its distinctive burgundy colour is one of the most recognised cars on British TV. Already a beautiful example of a motor, it was made even more glamourous against the backdrop of the Oxfordshire countryside and a soundtrack of Wagner and Mozart.

© The Telegraph

The car sold at auction in 2005 for more than £100,000 – a huge amount over its usual market value, reflecting the interest in this specific car, and in the Inspector Morse TV series. I love this clip from the series which shows the contrast between Morse’s refined taste in music and Lewis’ general cultural ignorance. Shameless shot of the beautiful car too! So, what do you think? Do you have any classic TV cars to add to our list? Have a look at our list of Top Cult Movie Cars