With a total box office of $3.1 billion and a world wide following The Fast and The Furious franchise is one of the most profitable, and beloved movie franchises in the world. The seventh installment, Fast & Furious 7, was recently released in cinemas and has generated a box office of over $800.5 million, as well as being a fitting tribute to the life and work of star Paul Walker who was tragically killed during production. The Fast and The Furious franchise has proved that fast cars are still a winning combination so we’re counting down the Franchise’s top seven cars.
The Fast and The Furious – 1970 Dodge Charger
If there’s one car that has stayed the test of time for the franchise as well as defined the character and motivation of street racing rebel Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) then it’s his 1970 Dodge Charger A/T. First introduced in 2001’s The Fast and The Furious, the Charger has been a mainstay throughout the franchise’s history, defining Dom’s purpose to live his life a quarter mile at a time, and always push forwards. With a factory V8 engine with 390 horsepower, which can blitz a quarter mile in 13.9 seconds, Dom stepped it up a notch with a supercharger, and was able to push it to nine seconds flat! The Charger’s hero moment comes when Dom takes on undercover agent Brian O’Conner in a drag race to beat an oncoming freight train at the film’s climatic finale.
2 Fast 2 Furious – Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R
The mean streets of Los Angeles where replaced by the sun, and glitz of Miami when the now renegade Brian O’Connor made his claim on the town in a Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R in 2 Fast 2 Furious. Brian’s ride was part of the fifth generation (1999 -2002) range and featured a 2.6 L RB26DETT twin turbo engine with 6-speed manual shifting, plus a few added tanks of NOS for affect. Brian’s Skyline was the perfect vehicle to open 2 Fast 2 Furious, and signaled that the franchise was moving in a new direction. Its climatic moment was the film’s dynamic bridge jump, where Brian smashed the accelerator, and held on for dear life as he sailed through the air!
Tokyo Drift – Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII
For the film’s third entry Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift the action went international when Texas teen Sean Boswell (Lucas Black) was sent to Tokyo to get away from his problems, and was introduced to the high-end edge of drift racing. His hero car, and somewhat crash test vehicle, was a Mitsubishi Evolution VIII, gifted to him by Han (Sung Kang, who would go on to play a pivotal role in later films). With a 2.0 liter 271 horsepower engine, the EVO VIII was capable of achieving 0-100 in 5.1 seconds, and held a six speed transmission. With a rear wheel drive conversion this slick ride was Sean’s ticket to the world of drifting, and would eventually lead him to being crowned with the title of ‘DK’ or ‘Drift King’.
Fast & Furious – 1972 Ford Gran Torino
With 2009’s Fast & Furious director Justin Lin brought the original crew back together with Diesel, Walker, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster all returning to the franchise. Both Dom and Brian had to work together this time around, and they had some seriously bad competition to deal, especially Dom who had to contend with his Charger’s evil twin: a hissing green 1972 Gran Torino. This two door hardtop was one mean machine with a 429 CJ engine, and included new upgrades such as a Hurst shifter, a Hays clutch, and Coys C-67 Gun Metal wheels.
Fast Five – Gurkha LAPV
In Fast Five things got stepped up a notch big time thanks to the appearance of non-nonsense DSS Agent Luke Hobbs played by the larger than life Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, and a force as big as Johnson demanded one big ride. He got it in the form of a Gurkha LAPV, a custom made military armored transport built by Terradyne Armored Vehicles. This military vehicle runs on a 6.7 L V8 turbo diesel chugging out 300 HP, with a six-speed transmission, and weighs an intimidating 6803 kgs! It was all the force that was needed for Hobbs to make his point.
Fast & Furious 6 – Jensen Interceptor
We couldn’t get enough of the Toretto-O’Connor family, and when the hunted became the hunters the action was moved to London for Fast & Furious 6, and things got personal. Michelle Rodriguez turned dark this time, and her vehicle of the choice, a Jensen Interceptor was a perfect fit for Letty. The 1971 two-door, four seat hatchback included a modified GM "LS3" V8 crate 6.2 liter engine and was rated at 430 horsepower. Finished in matte grey it was an edgy fit that showed off Letty’s dark side.
Fast & Furious 7 – Lykan Hypersport
In Fast & Furious 7 the Toretto-O’Connor family thought they were complete, but that wasn’t to be as they had to contend with a brand new force in the form of Jason Statham’s Deckard Shaw who was out for blood. It was this man hunt that sent the fast family to Dubai, and set Dom and Brian on a ‘collision course’ with a Lykan Hypersport. This supercar is one of only seven known in existence, and if your willing to fork out $3.4 million ($US) you can even have your selection of diamonds, rubies or sapphires placed in your headlights! The Lykan is powered by a twin turbo flat-six 3.7 liter (3746 cc) engine, which produces a top speed of 385 km/h, and can go from 0 to 100 in 2.8 seconds! The beast was let out of it’s cage in the most adrenaline pumping moment in franchise history, and is definitely a must see moment up on the IMAX screen.