Hollywood’s Most Expensive Hot Rods
Whether it’s a James Bond film, something from any number of Batman movies (not to mention the classic television show), or if it’s a period piece that the filmmakers want to get just right, choosing the best vehicle for a film makes all the difference. If the film or franchise is iconic, those cars can end up worth six or seven figures. Here are 50 of those cars, motorcycles, trucks, vans—and a couple of planes—that sold for big bucks at auction.
Note: All dollar amounts are in USD.
1963 Volkswagen Beetle, Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo (1977)
The third film in the Herbie series features the iconic Volkswagen Beetle once again, this time with white, red, and blue stripes and a black number 53 in a circle on the hood and doors. The film takes place in a fictional road race in France and Monaco, so it utilizes lots of cars. The movie made money, but it received poor reviews and is little remembered today, which may explain why this iconic Beetle is way down on this list, selling for $86,250 in 2018.
1948 Ford De Luxe, Grease (1978)
This was the “Greased Lightnin’” car that magically transformed from beater to bright red with white lightning and then back to a beater again. Oh, and it flies too, at least in the ending fantasy sequence. At auction, it went for $88,550 in 2005.
1935 Cadillac V12 Convertible Sedan By Fleetwood, The Artist (2011)
This mostly silent black-and-white film takes place between 1927 and 1932. A big success, the film won the Best Picture Academy Award (among many others). Given the historical setting, period-appropriate cars were used; the 1935 Cadillac was a little bit after the movie’s timeline but in 2013, it sold for $99,000 at auction.
Best scene from The Artist (2011), Jan Horcicka
2004 Lexus Concept Car, Minority Report (2002)
Steven Spielberg’s cyberpunk movie is set in 2054, and futuristic-looking cars were needed, but they still had to look like something that could appear within the lifetime of many viewers. Built specifically for the film, this Lexus had the appearance of a car that could exist for a little over 50 years (to 2002 viewers). At auction, the car went for $101,790 in 2011.
N2A's Lexus 2054 featured in Minority Report, E-Cite Motors
2013 Local Motors Rally Fighter, Transformers 4: Age Of Extinction (2014)
The Rally Fighter, introduced in 2009, is an open-source car and is believed to be the first crowd-sourced production vehicle. At auction, the car sold for $104,500 in 2016.
Transformers Age of Extinction Optimus Rally Car Chase Scene HD, AmazingClipsReview
1961 Volkswagen Beetle, Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005)
For the sixth (and apparently final) installment in the Herbie series, they used a 1961 Volkswagen Beetle. A commercial (if not critical) hit, the VW Beetle sold for $107,250 at auction in 2018.
Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005) Street Race, Jalen Moran
1969 Dodge Charger, Fast & Furious (2009)
The Dodge Charger was produced between 1969 and 1970. It was used throughout the fourth Fast & Furious movie in 2009 and again in Fast Five in 2011. At auction in 2013 it sold for $105,270.
Fast and Furious 4(tm) Flat Black Charger, Muscle Or Performance Auto Restoration
1999 Chevrolet Suburban, The Sopranos (1999-2007)
For the first four seasons, this car was mob boss Tony Soprano’s main ride, including in the opening credits. He was driving a Cadillac Escalade by season 5, maybe indicating he was moving up in that world. Then again, Tony and his men were nothing more than a “glorified crew”, but the Chevrolet Suburban did sell for $110,000 in 2013.
Who had the best car in The Sopranos? (Season 1), Whips in the Wild
Batmobile, Batman Returns (1992)
With Batman productions, you get a Batmobile. It changes from film to film, but the dark color and angular design tend to be the common elements. This version sold for £72,800 ($119,185) in 2013 at auction in the UK.
Batman Returns - Batmobile Pursuit 1080p, Gaston Monges
1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III, Goldfinger (1964)
Arch-villain Goldfinger drove a black and yellow 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom. Focus is often on James Bond’s cars, but this one is iconic in its own right. The bodywork wasn’t really made of two tons of 18-carat gold, but it did sell for $121,000 at auction in 1986 (about $355,035 today).
ZidaneHartono, Wikimedia Commons
Volkswagen 21-Window Samba Bus, That ‘70s Show (1998-2006)
The VW bus is an iconic symbol of hippies during the late 1960s. This variant has more windows than you usually see and appeared in the throwback sitcom That ‘70s Show. At auction in 2018, it sold for $121,000.
1964 Volkswagen 21-Window Deluxe Samba Bus Walk Around @mohrimports, Mohr Imports
1954 Vincent Black Prince Prototype, 1984 (1956)
The third television adaptation of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, this black-and-white film, although not rated as high as the others, still managed to convey a bleak and hopeless dystopia. The 1954 Vincent Black Prince motorcycle prototype was used as a futuristic totalitarian vehicle for the Thought Police. The motorcycle sold for $122,000 in 2013.
1955 Vincent Black Prince | Jay Leno's Garage, Jay Leno's Garage
1922 Rolls-Royce 40/50 Silver Ghost Salamanca Town Car, The Great Gatsby (1974)
The third film adaptation of F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel (the first was a silent film from 1926, now lost, while the second was produced in 1949), this version went all out with the costumes and set designs and the use of period cars was important. The Rolls-Royce featured in the movie went to auction in 2014, selling for £82,140 ($127,978).
1925 Rolls Royce 40/50 Silver Ghost Salamanca Permanent, Cars & Travels ! - REMROB
Pre-Production Replica BMW Z8 Roadster, The World Is Not Enough (1999)
A James Bond film starring Pierce Brosnan, this one had the usual assortment of cars. The one that made it on to our list was a replica of a BMW Z8 Roadster, as BMW hadn’t produced the car yet, only the prototype. The specially made replica proved that anything touched by Bond had worth, selling for £85,250 ($136,663).
BMW Z8 from The World Is Not Enough (1999), Cars and Movies
1958 Austin-Healey 100/6, School For Scoundrels (1960)
Not a film too many people are familiar with these days, School for Scoundrels stars Alastair Sim, Terry-Thomas, and Ian Carmichael, and featured this 1958 Austin-Healey (driven by Carmichael’s character). This classic British sports car sold for £85,500 ($138,652) in 2012.
Adrian Pingstone (Arpingstone), Wikimedia Commons
1955 Chevrolet Custom, Two-Lane Blacktop (1971)
A film starring singer-songwriter James Taylor and Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson, it’s about two guys who live to race their ‘55 Chevy. Never a hit, it didn’t launch movie careers for Taylor or Wilson, but the film now has a cult following. In 2015, the car from the movie sold for $159,500.
1955 CHEVY -vs- 1970 CUDA "Two lane Blacktop", Ram Berto
1976 Lotus Esprit Coupé, The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Two modified Lotus Esprits, the only two fully functional ones, were used for The Spy Who Loved Me, while seven other non-driving Esprits were used for the transformation of the car into a submersible. One of the two functioning models was sold for £111,500 ($165,446) in 2008.
1966 Batmobile And Batcycle, Batman (1966-68) & Batman The Movie (1966)
Originally built from a 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car, there were four replicas made for the classic Adam West Batman series. This Batmobile that sold at auction in 2012 for $170,500 is one of those four. It was sold with one of the Batcycles used in the series and 1966 film, which had been based on a Yamaha two-stroke 250cc twin-cylinder Catalina.
Terry Robinson, Wikimedia Commons
1901 De Dion Bouton 5hp Motorette, Excuse My Dust (1951)
Not exactly a movie known to most people these days, the De Dion Bouton was a starring vehicle for comedian Red Skelton. The De Dion Bouton featured in the movie was owned by MGM studio until 1970, but it’s unknown if it was ever used in another film. It was sold for $191,400 in 2013.
Andromeda2064, Wikimedia Commons
1955 Bentley S-1, Dead Ringer (1964)
Not to be confused with the 1988 David Cronenberg film Dead Ringers, this 1964 film starred Bette Davis. The Bentley was owned by Warner Bros co-founder Jack Warner until his death in 1978. In 2015, it was sold at auction for $220,000.
1929 De Havilland Gipsy Moth Biplane, Out Of Africa (1985)
Not a car, this yellow and black 1929 Gipsy Moth biplane was piloted by Robert Redford’s character. Initially sold at auction in 2013 for €201,250 ($227,976), in 2024, it was sold again at auction for $527,500, with the proceeds going to the creation of a new rhinoceros sanctuary in Kenya.
Out of Africa | Robert Redford and Meryl Streep Soar Over Kenya, Universal Pictures
1928 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Phantom I Ascot Dual Cowl Sport, The Great Gatsby (1974)
Another Rolls-Royce used in the 1974 version of The Great Gatsby, although it was a 1928 model, not quite accurate for the 1922 setting of the story. At auction in 2009, it sold for $238,000.
On the Road With The Great Gatsby's Rolls-Royce, YurView
The Beverley Hillbillies Truck, The Beverley Hillbillies (1962-1971)
The beat-up old jalopy that the Clampetts drove from the Ozarks to Beverley Hills was built on a 1922 Oldsmobile truck base, giving it the appearance of a vehicle that’s been around a long time and has had lots of work done to keep it going. An iconic image from the show’s opening credits, it sold at auction in 2015 for $275,000.
The Beverly Hillbillies Opening and Closing Theme 1962 - 1971 HD, TeeVees Greatest
2006 Marine Technology 39RP Boat, Miami Vice (2006)
The movie reboot of the 80s crime series updated the pastel with more serious dark colors. The tech was also changed to appeal to an audience more used to Mission: Impossible (the Tom Cruise franchise). The boat that appears in the film was sold for $283,800 in 2014,
Speedboat Scene | Miami Vice (2006) | Screen Bites, Screen Bites
Ford Mustang Fastback, Need For Speed (2014)
A custom 2013 Ford Mustang GT with a specifically wide-body version was used in this racing video game adaption. Interestingly, the car was sold at auction for $300,000 just as the movie was released in 2014, fueling speculation that promotional campaigns with auction houses may be a new marketing tactic for action films.
Need for Speed 2014 Full Movie (4K Ultra HD), Cam
1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Playboy Roadster, Giant (1956)
The last film before James Dean’s untimely death, Giant is an epic drama spanning several decades at a Texas ranch. The Playboy Roadster was used in the film and was featured in a number of other films until Warner Bros sold off its fleet of prop cars in 1970. In 2015, it sold for $302,500 at auction.
1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Playboy Roadster by Brewster, Cars & Travels ! - REMROB
1937 Bentley 4¼-liter Drophead Coupe, Never Say Never Again (1983)
The Sean Connery comeback James Bond film had fans divided but it did well at the box office and featured the requisite gadgets and cars that everyone expected. This 1937 Bentley was sold at auction in 2010 for £221,500 ($336,130).
1937 Bentley 4¼-Litre Parallel-Door Drophead Coupé by James Young, Iconic Auctioneers
Batpod, The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
This highly anticipated Batman film featured a Batpod (motorcycle) and a mere four years after the film hit the theaters, it was sold at auction for £260,000 ($338,066). This was the highest amount paid for a motorcycle at auction at that time.
Gavatron (talk), Wikimedia Commons
1912 Rolls-Royce 40/50HP Open Drive Landaulette, My Fair Lady (1964)
This big musical from 1964 takes place in 1912 London, so its vehicles were of 1912 vintage. A well-built car, it remained in production for 20 years. In 2017, this one sold at auction for $385,000.
2008 Aston Martin V12 DBS, Quantum Of Solace (2008)
Seven 2008 Aston Martins were used in this Daniel Craig-helmed Bond film. In the original James Bond books by Ian Fleming, Bond always drove an Aston Martin, but he’s only done so in nine Bond films (out of 25, or 27 depending on what you include as a Bond film). This 2008 Aston Martin V12 DBS was sold at auction for £241,250 ($390,696) in 2012.
Thesupermat, Wikimedia Commons
1985 Modena Spyder, Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
The Ferrari that Ferris Bueller and friends use for their day out was not actually a Ferrari—that would have been prohibitively expensive. Instead, three replicas were built by Modena Design & Development, and the fake Ferrari was dubbed the Modena Spyder California. One of the two replicas that could drive was sold at auction in 2018 for $407,000.
The 1985 Modena GT Spyder California from Ferris Bueller's Day Off, STA-BIL Brand
1940 Buick Phaeton, Casablanca (1942)
Cars don’t appear all too much in Casablanca but during the crucial scene at the end when Captain Louis Renault drives to the airport at gunpoint with Rick, Ilsa, and Victor, they’re traveling in a 1940 Buick Phaeton. The iconic farewell between Rick and Ilsa takes place next to the car. That Buick fetched $461,000 at auction in 2013.
Here's Looking At You, Kid - Casablanca (5/6) Movie CLIP (1942) HD, Movieclips
2014 Land Rover Defender SVX Spectre 4x4 Utility527486, Spectre (2015)
The fourth outing for Daniel Craig as James Bond features a Land Rover Defender. This was a limited-edition model built by Jaguar Land Rover's Special Vehicle Operations that was modified for the film. It went to auction in 2018, where it sold for £365,500 ($483,050).
2015 Land Rover Defender SVX 'Spectre' JB24, Iconic Auctioneers
1991 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy, Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
There’s an iconic moment in the second Terminator film when Arnold Schwarzenegger's cyborg character climbs onto a Harley. That motorcycle was a 1991 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy, and it has gone down in movie history. It sold for $512,000 in 2018.
DeLorean DMC-12, Back To The Future III (1990)
Across the three Back to the Future films, seven DeLoreans were used. This one was used in the third film, for the scene where Marty drives back to 1885 to find Doc. Of the seven DeLoreans, only three survived and this one is the only one in private ownership, going to auction in 2011 for $541,000.
1930 Duesenberg Model J Torpedo Phaeton, The Great McGinty (1940)
This 1930 Duesenberg appeared in at least seven films (probably more), including the 1977 Howard Hughes biopic and as recently as City Heat in 1984. Initially owned by the wife of Duesenberg founder EL Cord, it was sold to John W de Noira's Pacific Auto Rental in Hollywood in 1937. At auction in 2013, it sold for $698,500.
1934 Mercedes-Benz 500 Nürburg Offener Tourenwagen, The Hindenburg (1975)
Used for the 1975 film about the Hindenburg, this Mercedes’ value is more from it being particularly well-built and rare. Sold a few times at auction, the most recent sale was in 2014, going for €517,500 ($704,182).
Alexander Migl, Wikimedia Commons
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
Adapted from a non-James Bond novel by Ian Fleming, this fantasy film from 1968 featured a car built by Ford’s racing team and was based on a race car called Chitty Bang Bang I, owned by Count Louis Zboroswski. The car used in the film was bought at auction in 2010 but was sold at the same auction house a year later because, at 17 feet in length, it wouldn’t fit in Zboroswski’s garage. The car was sold in 2011 for $805,000.
Michael Gaylard, Wikimedia Commons
Lotus Esprit Submarine, The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Two 1976 Lotus Esprits were employed in the film while a third non-functioning model was used to transform into a submarine. The final submarine was fully functional and was built to resemble the Lotus Esprit. The submarine went to auction in 2013 and sold for $966,560.
The Spy Who Loved Me Movie CLIP - Can You Swim? (1977) HD, Movieclips
1956 Fiat-Bartoletti Tipo 642 Transporter, Le Mans (1971)
The Steve McQueen film Le Mans is a fictionalized depiction of the actual 24 Hours of Le Mans race. It utilized actual footage from the 1970 Le Mans race. One of several cars used in the film, this one sold for £656,700 ($1,013,199) in 2015.
Fiat Bartoletti Ferrari team modena motorsport trackdays spa francorchamps, redisthecolor
Porsche 911S, Le Mans (1971)
This was the car driven by Steve McQueen in the first three minutes of the film. It had been purchased new for the film for 30,000 deutschmarks ($8,338.61 in 1971). At auction in 2011, it sold for $1,370,000.
Steve McQueen driving Porsche 911S - Le Mans intro, Bib48_MovieClips
1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider By Scaglietti, The Gumball Rally (1976)
Another film about an endurance race, this one was also a comedy. It inspired a number of comedic car race films. This Ferrari used in the film was auctioned for $1,650,000 in 2013.
Best Car Action of The Gumball Rally, AutoMojo
1944 Vickers-Supermarine Mk IX Spitfire, Battle Of Britain (1969)
The epic WWII film Battle of Britain is noted for its spectacular flying scenes. The fighter plane featured in the film was a model used a bit later in the conflict. This particular model was sold in 2009 for £1,739,500 ($2,527,204).
Falcon® Photography, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1965 Aston Martin DB5, GoldenEye (1995)
This James Bond film starring Pierce Brosnan featured a 1965 Aston Martin DB5, but not the one driven by Sean Connery’s James Bond in the 1960s (that one sold for $4,595,998 in 2010). Selling for a little less at $2,592,348, the Brosnan Bond car went to auction in 2018.
GOLDENEYE | Aston Martin DB5 versus Ferrari F355, James Bond 007
1954 Ferrari 375 MM Berlinetta, Lucky To Be A Woman (1956)
Only seven 1954 Ferrari 375 MM Berlinettas were built, and the fifth model was featured in the Italian comedy La fortuna di essere donna (Lucky to Be a Woman), starring Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni. The 340 hp V12 racing car was sold at auction for $4,620,000 in 2010, the high sale price due to the quality of the car rather than its appearance in the film.
1955 Ferrari 375 MM Berlinetta | Amelia Island Auctions 2025, GoodingandCompany
1956 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta, The Love Bug (1966)
The Herbie series of movies were more than just sentient Volkswagen Beetles; the films often took place at racetracks and other cars were used. This 1956 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta has been under numerous ownerships and what is now one of the most valuable cars in the world was once abandoned on the Hollywood Freeway in the 1970s. Prized more for its quality than for its appearance in the movie, it sold for $6,710,000 in 2012.
The Love Bug | Unofficial Official Trailer | Disney+, Disney Plus
1970 Ferrari 512 S, Le Mans (1971)
Another car featured in the 1971 Steve McQueen racing film, the selling price at auction is unconfirmed. Nevertheless, when it did go to auction in 2018, it was believed to have been sold for $10 million.
Le Mans (1971) - When Racing Was Cool, KoroushGhazi
1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder
This car is often listed as one of the models used in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. It wasn’t, but it was owned by James Coburn for 20 years. Not actually a movie car (the false claims notwithstanding), it is nevertheless one of the most valuable cars in the world. At auction in 2008, it went for $10,894,900.
Driving a Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder in the Hills of San Francisco., citoscamera
1970 Porsche 917K, Le Mans (1971)
We end with another Le Mans car. This Porsche raced at the actual 1970 Le Mans, where it set the record for fastest lap. Used by Steve McQueen’s production company, it disappeared for 25 years, and was finally rediscovered in a Paris warehouse in 2001. It was sold at auction in 2017 for an amazing $14,080,000.
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