Sections: Awards | Best of the Web Apr 17th, 2008 27 Comments 
Please note that is a small i, small n, small i. Yes, they do Mini Cooper S Classic. Which could only mean, really, one film. The Italian Job from 1969.
The Mini Cooper which played a starring role in the classic crime caper The Italian Job has been named best movie car of all time.
In 1969 film The Italian Job, Michael Caine attempts a massive gold heist in the city of Turin, using three of the classic Mini Coopers as getaway cars.
There are quite a few movies out there with very cool cars in them. How did the Mini pull this off?
The Mini scooped the award in a poll of 2,000 movie fans conducted by Uniroyal tyres.
There you have it. I’m honestly surprised the Tumbler from Bat Man Begins didn’t make the cut. Do you remember the tires on that thing? Go ahead, list your favorite below.
[ The Italian Job's Mini Cooper S named best film car ] Autotrader.co.uk
James Apr 17th, 2008 Link
That’s a toughie. Here’s a few others I would vote for:
TSizemore3 Apr 17th, 2008 Link
I always thought this was one of the greatest car movies ever made. The Minis were an essential part of the plot and one cannot imagine any other car in that role. Fiat 500? Renault 2CV? No other small car of that era had the combination of personality and performance that the Mini did.
Now if only they didn’t do what they did to those faithful Minis at the end of the movie… At least the remake was kinder in the end.
James Apr 17th, 2008 Link
I love the Mini/MINI – but what about all those Bond cars? I would have to say the Aston Martin DB5
Jon Apr 17th, 2008 Link
Mad Max’s matte black interceptor, with the blower/intake sticking conspicuously out of the bonnet. Wasn’t that the Australian Ford Falcon?
Cool car, that just oozes testosterone. Arrr arrr arrr!
bling Apr 17th, 2008 Link
I like Herbie. That car has soul.
Vanwall Apr 17th, 2008 Link
No Contest, IMHO. Throw in the very recent “Bourne Identity” Mini, classic “Danger Man/Secrect Agent” and the countless appearences in film over a 40+ year film career, and the Mini wins hands down. It didn’t have gimmicky talking versions, gadgetry out the ying yang to excess, and no fake body-suited comic-book wanna-bes leapin’ around, so it depended on its innate handling superiority and let’s face it, the camera loved the Mini – no bad angles, no special lighting needed, and it was often a focal point in the films it was in. I would’ve questioned any other result, frankly.
Vanwall Apr 17th, 2008 Link
Hey, DB kill the double post will ya?
c4 Apr 17th, 2008 Link
1997’s “The man who knew too little” also features some cool scenes in a Rover Classic Mini.
Speaking of MINIs and movies, whatever happened to the Italian Job #2? (or 3 for that matter).
mike c. Apr 17th, 2008 Link
One of my favorite car scenes is in the Bill Murray film “The Man Who Knew Too Little”. I’m pretty sure Bill’s character is driving a Mini when circling around a round-about many times. It just looks like so much fun to just drive in that tight circle over and over again.
mike c. Apr 17th, 2008 Link
c4, I was typing that up at the same time you were, but you beat me to it.
Dr Obnxs Apr 17th, 2008 Link
Thank god that the new Elanore didn’t win. That car sucks, and I’m a Mustang fan. But really, this is a poll of not that many people. Take it for what it’s worth….
Matt
Ellis Apr 17th, 2008 Link
How about Mr. Bean’s Mini!
Pete Apr 17th, 2008 Link
Really lousy acting aside, I still like the “Salzburg Connection” when the “hero” asks for a “small, fast car” and gets a BMW 1600…ahhh, the good old days! But the Mini’s in the pipe and on FIAT’s roof were pretty good too!
c4 Apr 17th, 2008 Link
Mike, there was also a police chase in that movie and the little Mini showed its handling prowess.
I love that movie. I have it in my DVD collection!
Jon Apr 17th, 2008 Link
Dr. O:
I must take issue with your “the New Eleanor sucks” comment. I loved it. It was the only good part about that movie. Over-the-top, untamable horsepower. Good stuff.
Also, the 3 MINI’s in the Italian Job remake. They were great. Especially Charlize’s Red S.
Even better was the (classic) Mini Cooper S she drove like a bat out of hell through the city, and parallel parked handbrake-style, in the beginning.
Finally, let’s not forget the (presumed) Ferrari 275 GTB driving at full speed through the streets of Paris, in Claude Lelouch’s short film, “C’était un rendez-vous” .
Mowse Apr 17th, 2008 Link
Yeah the new IJ shreds the old one. That started my lust for R90s. Why only one(red one) “S” though?
Shamus Apr 17th, 2008 Link
Like all good heroes and heroines, the Mini is the perfect underdog character in it’s own right. It’s small, unpretentious, charmingly unassuming good looks mask a stout, quick heart capable of an almost certain greatness in the face of all V-8 powered adversaries.
How could it not have won?
GregW Apr 17th, 2008 Link
Don’t forget New Zealand film “Goodbye Pork Pie” about three characters who steal a Mini, call themselves the Bondini Gang, and drive from the North to South of NZ commiting crimes and evading the law. One of the first films directed by NZ’er Geoff Murphy who eventually went to Hollywood and made “Dante’s Peak”, “Young Guns II”, and 2nd unit director on “Lord of the Rings”. Search Wikipedia for details of the film.
GregW Apr 17th, 2008 Link
Here are more films with Minis;
Alfie – starring Michael Caine
Three Men and a Lady (1990)
Four weddings and a Funeral (1995)
Double Team – starring Dennis Rodman and Jean-Claude Van Damme
Bridget Jones Diary (2001)
Bridget Jones – The Edge of Reason ( 2004 deleted scene)
Hitch (2005)
Match Point (2005)
Miss Congeniality 2 – Armed and fabulous (2005)
Crash (2005)
Wicker Park (2004)
Spanglish (2004)
Lords of Dogtown (2005)
Munich (2005)
If Only (2004)
Hotel Rwanda (2004)
Plots with a view (2002)
Air Bud; Seventh Innning Fetch (2002)
Wasabi (2001)
The 51st State (2001)
Guardian Angels (1995)
Some kind of wonderful (1987)
Chinese in Paris (1974)
Day for night (1973)
Turkish Delight (1973)
The Wicker Man (1973)
Take it easy, its a waltz (1971)
The Upper Hand (1966)
Doctor in Distress (1963)
The Pink Panther – A Shot in the Dark (1964)
Cold Feet – UK TV series
Charmed – USA TV series
Tomb Raider (2001)
Vanwall Apr 17th, 2008 Link
GregW – I forgot about “Goodbye, Pork Pie”, that’s a classic funny crime film, and the star is the Mini! Good call!
neuron Apr 17th, 2008 Link
Minis were great in the I-Job but the coolest part of the movie was Noel Coward
Robbie Apr 17th, 2008 Link
Porsche 928 – Risky Business and Middle Age Crazy Bullitt Mustang (BRG)
James Apr 18th, 2008 Link
Jon,
It was recently determined that Rendezvous was filmed using a Mercedes Benz 6.9. The 275 GTB would have been a mouch rougher ride, given the camera stablilization available at the time. The sound effects are awesome though…and the film is incredible.
Chris M Apr 18th, 2008 Link
IMHO, the driving stunts in the original Italian Job are amazing, and much more impressive than in the remake. Especially the scene where all three Minis drive onto the domed roof of some building in Italy. Scary.
Cap'n Bill Apr 18th, 2008 Link
I guess that makes our 2008 PW/B Cooper S with registration “ITALJB” an instant classic.
John Apr 22nd, 2008 Link
I can’t believe no one mentioned Vanishing Point (the original) with it’s awesome 1970 Hemi Challenger. They loved that car so much that at the end of the movie they switched the car that crashes; if you watch in slow motion it is a Camaro and not the Challenger.
elfed bartley Aug 27th, 2008 Link
why the hell is this page smoothered in german mini’s and not a single pic of the best movie car in the world? a genuine 1969 mini cooper S, thank you for a great car Sir Alex, when mini’s were mini’s!!!
HTML Formatting Tips
MotoringFile also allows use of Markdown formatting in the comment section. This accomplishes the same formatting as HTML but is typically easy to use.
| _your text_ | → | your text |
| **your text** | → | your text |
| `my code` | → | my code |
| * Bulleted list * Second item | → | • Bulleted list • Second item |
| 1. Numbered list 1. Second item | → | 1. Numbered list 2. Second item |
| [link name](URL) | → | link name |
| *** | → | Horizontal ruler |
| <http://url> <email@add.com> | → | Auto-linked |
|  | → | Image |
Copyright © 2002-2009 Gabriel Bridger