If you were to single out the dominant American way of life elements, cars and movies would easily be top of the list. Motion pictures and automobiles have one thing in common; they are both based on movement, a quality embedded in modern life.
Perhaps that is why you will find at least one car scene in pretty much every modern film produced. However, some filmmakers take this to another level with spiced-up scenes in racing movies that seek to bring the underground car culture to the fore. Through its Fast and Furious Franchise, Universal Pictures has done its bit to showcase the best offerings of the car world. We have written about the coolest Japanese cars featured in the F&F franchise, and now we bring it closer home as we seek to unearth the coolest muscle cars to appear in these movies.
10 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Yenko
The 1989 Yenko Camaro SYC was a major car driven by Korpi and Bryan in the 2 Fast 2 Furious film. The SYC was a replica of the original Yenko Camaro, which used a 427 Cubic Inch 7-liter V8 mill punching out 425 horsepower.
This muscle car was a limited production car that came from the factory with a special performance package featuring a ducted hood, dual exhaust system, gauges, Z/28 suspension, and other goodies. The car used in the movie was donated to the Paul Walker Charity ROWW to honor the actor.
9 1970 Dodge Charger Tantrum
Lately, restomods and pro touring cars are all the rave in the car scene. This Dodge Charger Tantrum is a project built by SpeedKore, the same Wisconsin shop that worked on the Plymouth Barracuda featured in the Furious 7 film. SpeedKore worked their magic and turned the 1970 Charger into a 1650hp supercar with a 9-liter Mercury Racing V8 crate engine.
Although we don’t get to see it thrown into action, the Tantrum makes appearances in two movies, and it remains a minor car driven by Toretto. In Fate of the Furious, we see it after the failed job in Berlin, then it appears later in F9 parked outside Dom’s farmhouse, and later as Dom drives it to meet up with the crew.
8 1967 Ford Mustang
In the closing scenes of Tokyo Drift, we see Sean Boswell race Takashi in a 1967 Ford Mustang and win the battle after several close calls with the edge of the treacherous mountain road. The muscle car had to receive a new engine, and since the movie is set in Japan, it receives a Skyline GT-R’s RB26 engine swap. A lot of fabrications go into the Mustang to fit the 2.6-liter twin-turbo inline-six motor.
This car is one of the unique builds to feature in the Franchise, and it took the production team two months to install the Skyline engine, whose horsepower was upped to about 500hp.
7 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona
In Fast & Furious 6, Tej Parker and Luke Hobbs visit a car auction where Tej buys all the cars, including the Dodge Charger Daytona. Later this pony is seen driven by Dom as he races Letty in the street and the tank chase in Spain where the front is damaged after hitting a railing.
The 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona is one of the rarest cars used in the Franchise, with only one year of production. The legendary NASCAR racer was famously banned from the competition for being too good at racing because it was so fast.
6 1973 Chevrolet Camaro F-Bomb
Built by former Hot Rod Magazine Editor and Roadkill Host David Freiburger, this car features some of the most outrageous mods done on a Camaro, with jet-like power proportion. Underneath the F-Bomb decals is a 6.6-liter twin-turbo producing an insane 1,540hp and 1,527lb-ft of torque. After the F-Bomb came into the limelight at the 2006 SEMA and blew everyone away, the Fast and Furious Franchise had to feature it in their movies.
Dom uses the car to escape the tunnel in Fast & Furious in the F-Bomb, leaving his Charger, then later rams into Fenix Calderon to get justice for Letty Ortiz.
5 1968 Dodge Charger Maximus
Universal Pictures can’t help but bring a newer and wilder Charger for Dom in every instalment of the Fast & Furious franchise. In Fast & Furious 7, Dom can be seen driving the 1968 Dodge Charger Maximus in the end scene where they bid farewell to Paul Walker.
Maximus was hand-built from scratch by the legendary Tom Nelson, featuring a patented 9.4-liter twin-turbo 527-inch 2250 Hemi engine. It generates a monstrous 2,000hp. What makes it more unique is the 6-inch all-metal wider body that allows its rear fenders to house 18-inch-wide tires.
4 1968 Dodge Charger Hellacious
Yet another car that helps showcase Dom’s love for Mopar and Chargers. The Producers are tasked with pushing the limits with each film instalment, and every time they have to do something they hadn’t done before. That is how SpeedKore built the most daring project yet for the Franchise with the 1968 Dodge Charger Hellacious.
The Hellacious is the first-ever widebody mid-engined classic muscle car. Extensive modification on the frame allowed the 6.2-liter Hellcat engine to be mounted behind the front seats, followed by several other mods, including a Lambo-sourced transmission. The build cost north of $1 million.
3 1971 Plymouth GTX
Dom’s 1971 Plymouth GTX surprisingly claims the crown for the fastest car in the franchise graced by hypercars like the quad-turbocharged Bugatti Veyron and the Koenigsegg CCXR Edition. At 269mph, it is the perfect car for Dom in the Fast 8 film.
Dom uses the Plymouth to steal Russian Nuclear codes. It is in black with 16-inch-wide rear tires and with an ultra-low stance. Under the hood is a supercharged 7.2-liter V8 Hellcat motor producing 2,000hp. The movie car was originally a 1971 Plymouth Road Runner transformed into a GTX complete with a fully caged interior.
2 2015 Ford Mustang GT350
In the Fast 9 film, fans were introduced to Dom’s brother Jakob, and while many were wondering where he had been all this time, his car of choice didn’t go unnoticed; a 2015 Ford Mustang GT350. This one features a special 5.2-liter V8 engine codenamed voodoo, making 536hp and has a dizzying 8250rpm rev limit. It also comes with beefier race-ready suspensions and several aggressive aerodynamic components.
Jakob’s car is also involved in one of the most excessive and unbelievable scenes in the entire franchise, where he drives it off a cliff, only to be caught by a magnet mounted underneath a plane.
1 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat
One of the major cars in F9 and another entry in the endless list of Dom’s Chargers is this 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. The car features a 6.2-liter V8 engine producing 707hp and 650lb-ft of torque, with aftermarket upgrades pushing the power above 800hp. Other key mods include a Challenger SRT Demon hood and wheels.
Dom uses this Hellcat to chase Jakob while causing numerous landmines to detonate. After, he is involved in another of the film’s outrageous stunts where he latches the car’s front wheels onto a rope from the bridge, which successfully throws it across a ravine.
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