It’s no secret that Porsche is a luxurious auto option. Not only are they built for speed, but they are built for style and class – and pack quite the reputation to go along with that as well. With their clean, minimal lines, infamous rounded headlights, and smooth leather interiors, not to mention their incredible performance and handling, Porsche has and will continue to dominate the market in exotic sports cars. So when we’re watching our favorite action movie, we may not be surprised to find the main character driving the iconic Porsche auto machine.
Since the 1950’s our favorite German sports car has taken to the big screens many times throughout the years and has been the star of some of the most iconic films. Whether it is action, romance, or comedy, Porsche’s have been used in cinema as beautiful luxury cars right in the middle of all the action. From Tom Cruise, to Bruce Willis, and even Will Smith many incredible actors in Hollywood have driven Porsches in their movies. In fact, it’s thanks to actors Steve McQueen and Robert Redford, who were avid Porsche enthusiasts in real life, that Porsche’s soon became a Hollywood favorite in the late 60’s. The trend continued throughout the years, and we can still find Porsche’s in movies even today. Of course, there are so many iconic Porsches that have made an appearance on the big screen. However, we believe these are some of the most famous Porsches that have left their mark in Hollywood.
Top Gun (1986)
Top Gun, a 1986 action drama film, may always be appreciated as an American classic. In this movie, US Naval Aviator LT “Maverick”, played by Tom Cruise, and his Radar Intercept Officer LTJG “Goose”, played by Anthony Edwards, fly the F-14A Tomcat aboard the USS Enterprise. The movie takes a twist when two hostile MiG-28 aircrafts decide to intercept. Maverick gets a missile lock on one of them, while the other aircraft locks onto his wingman, Cougar. Maverick drives off both hostile aircrafts and lands the Tomcat. Despite Mavericks recklessness, Stinger send Maverick an Goose to attend the Naval Fighter Weapons School, TOPGUN. This iconic action movie is accompanied by other incredible actors including Meg Ryan, Val Kilmer, and Kelly McGillis.
In the movie Charlie, played by Kelly McGillis, drives a beautiful black Porsche that was only made famous for being in Top Gun. It was a 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster, and it became such a wildly popular car that it later appeared in other Hollywood movies included 48 Hours and Bullitt. The car is a gorgeous vintage masterpiece with all black exterior and thick chrome lines accents that define that Porsche look. The 356 Speedster is also a convertible, with the top down of course for the movie, creating such a classy look for that particular scene.
Risky Business (1983)
Just a few years prior, we can find Tom Cruise again in what was considered his ‘breakout film’ in a Porsche 928. Risky Business was a classic comedy and Tom Cruise’s first movie. Cruise’s character, Joel Goodson, is a straight-A high school student living with his parents in the Chicago North Shore area of Glencoe. His parents have high aspirations for him and even push him to attend Princeton University, where his father attended. When his parents go out of town for a trip, Joel’s friend Miles, played by Curtis Armstrong convinces him to take advantage of an empty house and his new freedom and convinces him to have some fun. They raid the liquor cabinet, play the stereo at full blast and dance around the living room singing “Old Time Rock and Roll” in a button down shirt and boxers – an iconic scene in this movie. Throughout the movie, Joel is found driving his dad’s 1978 Porsche 928 being chased by the antagonists but eventually escapes. After accidentally undoing the parking brake, the Porsche rolls down a hill onto a pier which sinks the Porsche to the bottom of Lake Michigan.
The 1979 Porsche 928 is a classic model for its time. As car manufacturers began to move into the big-hair 80’s, cars began to take on a more futuristic look with flatter body shapes, sharper lines, and minimal colors and the 928 in Risky Business is a perfect example of this. While this model still holds on to its rounded headlights, the nose is much flatter compared to the rounded look we see today and even prior from this time period. The exact 928 that was used in the movie was later sold at a Hollywood memorabilia auction in 2012. The Porsche ended up selling for $49,200 – five times more than a 928 without movie bragging rights.
Le Mans (1970)
Le Mans, another American classic, actually features several Porsches throughout the movie, introducing some of the most incredible German luxury auto in Hollywood. Le Mans is a 1971 was a documentary style film starring car enthusiasts and A-list Hollywood actor, Steve McQueen. The film depicted the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race – the oldest and most prestigious sports car race in the world – and even features actual footage captured during the 1970 race held the previous June. While many Porsche’s make a grand appearance, naturally, the most valuable car was the Porsche 917 driven by McQueen. Four 917’s were used during the film including three short tail version, sporting numbers 20, 21, and 22 in a Shell-sponsored 917 long tail. The cars all featured the famous Gulf colors, which were a burnt orange, and light powder blue.
McQueen drove the No. 20 model in the film which happened to be just one of 25 917’s ever produced. Powered by a 4.5-liter engine that produced 580HP, is was Porsche’s 917 that gave the company its first win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race in 1970. Despite the spectacular crash scene in the movie, the car still survives today. It has been restored and sold at multiple auctions since then.
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