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Letter to the editor

The 10 hottest TV cars of all time

They made their mark on the small screen, but these 10 cars are bigger than life. And for some TV shows, the featured car might even be bigger than the actors driving them. Here are the 10 Hottest TV Cars of All Time, as voted by St. Petersburg Times readers:

By Scott Long, Times Staff Writer
Published February 11, 2008

If you miss the bright orange paint on the The General Lee, or the Confederate flag on its roof, you'll definitely yield to its Dixie horn.
	[Handout]

ADVERTISEMENT Related stories TV cars: This is why we love 'em [Hollywood Star Cars Museum] Crockett's Ferrari Daytona Spyder from Miami Vice makes us want to sign us up for vice cop work. [Hollywood Star Cars Museum] Clampett family jalopy from The Beverly Hillbillies looks closer to what we park in the driveway every night.

1. Batmobile (Batman 1966-68)

About it: The '55 Lincoln Futura debuted at the Chicago Auto Show in 1955, and like hundreds of concept cars, it never made it to a dealer near you. But it caught the eye of the show's producers 11 years later and George Barris, known as the "King of the Kustomizers" worked his magic.

Love it: Sure, what ultimately kept the streets of Gotham safe was the street smarts of the Caped Crusader, the Boy Wonder and, let's be honest, Alfred. But we got fired up every time we saw the Batmobile scorch out of the Batcave to "POW!" The Penguin.

See it: The series isn't on DVD, but rent the comically brilliant 1966 flick Batman - The Movie (gotta love the Shark Repellent!).

2. The General Lee (The Dukes of Hazzard 1979-85)

About it: If you miss the bright orange paint on the '69 Dodge Charger, or the Confederate flag on its roof, you'll definitely yield to its Dixie horn.

Love it:A generation of boys never meanin' no harm grew up dreaming of skimming across the hood of their car and rescuing leggy Daisy Duke by launching their car over Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane's always-doomed cruiser.

See it:The series is on DVD, or you can create your own YouTube version with the $275 General Lee decal kit from www.buildagenerallee.com.

3. Magnum's Ferrari (Magnum, P.I. 1980-88)

About it: The '79 Ferrari 308 GTS was designed by Italian car design firm Pininfarina, and driven cross-country by writer P.J. O'Rourke before the series began.

Love it: Forget that big number on the gas station signs these days - Ferrari is synony-mous with the ultimate luxury in sports cars. And who wouldn't want Magnum's life? Living in a plush guest house, drinking beer, romancing the ladies? And all on someone else's dime.

See it: The show airs daily on the Sleuth Channel, but catch the real thing at the Cars of the Stars Motor Museum in Great Britain or on the Universal Studios' Studio Tour in Hollywood.

4. KITT (Knight Rider 1982-86)

About it:Knight Industries Two Thousand, a '82 Pontiac Trans-Am T-top, was designed by Michael Scheffe.

Love it:If you commute the streets of Tampa every day, you want - dare we say, need - Turbo Boost, flame-throwers and automatic pilot.

See it: On DVD. The updated series, starring Justin Bruening, debuts on NBC at 9 p.m. Sunday.

5. Corvette (Route 66 1960-64)

About it:Its colors (first powder blue, later beige) were chosen to show up better in the black & white we saw it as.

Love it:"Nothing flashy, no gimmicks, and certainly no Hollywood effects!," says Times reader Roger Allen, 60, of Spring Hill. "Just one of the greatest cars ever mass-produced right here in the good old USA!"

See it: The first season and classic episodes are available on DVD, or check out James Rosin's book, Route 66 The Television Series 1960-64.

6. Crockett's Ferrari Daytona Spyder (Miami Vice 1984-89)

About it: Enzo Ferrari, and many Times readers, have been quick to remind viewers that the '72 Daytona Spyder 365 Don Johnson zoomed around in was really an '80 Corvette C3 sporting Ferrari body panels.

Love it: We get to grow cool stubble, wear flashy clothes, nab the bad guys - and make enough money to drive a Ferrari?!? Sign us up for vice cop work. (Good thing we had guidance counselors to tell us the truth.)

See it:Daily on the Sleuth Channel. Or buy it at www.miamivicecar.com for $37,500.

7. Koach (The Munsters 1964-66)

About it: Another George Barris classic, it was built from Model T bodies for $18,000.

Love it:Best of both worlds - an old-school car hot-rodded for the future.

See it:8 a.m. Sundays on TV Land.

8. Starsky's Ford Grand Torino (Starsky & Hutch 1975-79)

About it: The red, V8-powered two-door with a white stripe was chosen over the Chevrolet Camaro creator William Blinn preferred.

Love it: Admit it. You'd much rather get pulled over by a car that looks like a striped tomato, especially if your passenger is named "Huggy."

See it: On DVD, or in the 2004 big-screen remake.

9. Nash's Plymouth Barracuda (Nash Bridges 1996-2001)

About it: The '71 electric yellow ragtop is a true muscle car.

Love it: When America rediscovered its love affair with convertibles, what better one to tool around in on the curvy streets of San Fran?

See it:Daily on WGN.

10. Clampett family jalopy (The Beverly Hillbillies 1962-71)

About it: The '21 Oldsmobile Roadster also came from the hands of George Barris.

Love it: Finally, we have a car on this list that looks closer to what we park in the driveway every night.

See it:Daily on WGN and TV Land.

Scott Long can be reached at long@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8556.

Sources: 1966batmobile.com, www.cartoday.com, magnum-mania.com, knightrideronline.com, Popular Mechanics, munsterkoach.com, starskytorino.com, the Official Unofficial Nash Bridges Web site, www.barris.com.

[Last modified February 8, 2008, 20:54:31]