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Entertainment & Arts

Gran Torino, Herbie and other cool car stars

By Patrick Kevin Day, Stephanie Lysaght, Jevon Phillips and Lora Victorio, Times Staff Writers How high has the car risen in the power-mad ranks of Hollywood movie stardom? In the case of Clint Eastwood's latest film, "Gran Torino," it's scored a spot on the red carpet. Not too bad for a title character who utters not a single line in the movie. Not even the Death Star got to attend any of "Star Wars" many star-studded screenings. But the 1972 Gran Torino isn't the only major car to star in a movie or TV show. It's just the luckiest -- expect to see the first paparazzi photos sans hubcaps to crop up sometime early in 2009. In the meantime, let's look back at some of the biggest four-wheeled stars of the big and small screens.

By Patrick Kevin Day, Stephanie Lysaght, Jevon Phillips and Lora Victorio, Times Staff Writers

How high has the car risen in the power-mad ranks of Hollywood movie stardom? In the case of Clint Eastwood‘s latest film, “Gran Torino,” it’s scored a spot on the red carpet. Not too bad for a title character who utters not a single line in the movie. Not even the Death Star got to attend any of “Star Wars” many star-studded screenings.

But the 1972 Gran Torino isn’t the only major car to star in a movie or TV show. It’s just the luckiest -- expect to see the first paparazzi photos sans hubcaps to crop up sometime early in 2009. In the meantime, let’s look back at some of the biggest four-wheeled stars of the big and small screens.  (Nina Prommer / EPA)

Though KITT may be the most recognizable name and grill from TV’s recent past, he’s not alone. They may not ever grab the cover of Rolling Stone or TV Guide, but these TV star cars have charisma to spare.

Batmobile

The Batmobile from ‘Batman’

Every Batman gets his Batmobile. The Christian Bale version gets something that looks like a tank. The George Clooney era Batmobile looked like something from a Mardi Gras parade. But only the Adam West Batman was confident enough in his superheroing abilities to make the Batmobile into a convertible. How else is Batman supposed to catch some rays? In the Batcave? Holy tanlines, Batman!  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Mystery Machine

The Mystery Machine

It wasn’t the greatest vehicular spectacle: not powerful and often getting stuck or running out of gas on the spookiest roads imaginable. But it was home for Velma, Fred, Daphne, Shaggy, Scooby-Doo and (later) Scrappy-Doo. And, as evidenced by the cookie jar image, it is one of the most recognizable and copied vehicles to ever be on TV.

The van was cool at the same ‘60s time that Daphne and Velma’s miniskirts were cool -- and even Fred’s ascot. We never knew what Shaggy and Scooby were doing in the back of that van, especially in light of their eternally hungry state, but we knew that it would be there and that it would be more colorful than anything else on the road.  (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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