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Here Are the Most Memorable Movie Ferraris of All Time

This month marks the 122nd anniversary of Enzo Ferrari, the man who founded and drove the Prancing Horse to the pinnacle of automotive excellency. No better way to honor the man than by recalling the most iconic Ferraris to ever grace the silver screen.
Ferrari Testarossa, made famous on the TV show Miami Vice 10 photos
Photo: Ferrari
Scent of a Woman (1992)The Rock (1996)Bad Boys II (2003)Goldeneye (1995)Against All Odds (1984)The Gumball Rally (1986)Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)
Moviemaking has the power to make a regular story become unforgettable, iconic. It also has the power to immortalize a certain moment for future generations, with everything it brings about, from fashion, hairstyles and the cars people drove at the time. The Ferraris on this list, while they’re not bona fide characters, are definite scene-stealers, beautiful machines allowed enough screentime to become instantly memorable.

Truth be told, Ferraris are always bound to attract attention, regardless of where they are or who’s driving them. In the case of these, though, they’re given icon status by being included in the storytelling process. So let’s see which ones made the cut.

*Disclaimer:

The order of movies on the list is random. At the same time, this list is not and does not pretend to be exhaustive, so feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments below.

Scent of a Woman (1992)

“Hoo-ah!” Al Pacino can probably make any car look great by simply sitting in it, but having his character drive the 1989 Ferrari Mondial T Cabriolet in this movie acquired a different meaning by the fact that his Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade was blind.

In a 6+-minute scene, we get to see the maniacal Colonel driving the Ferrari through a surprisingly deserted Brooklyn neighborhood, without even scratching it or missing a turn, until he somehow stumbles upon the one car on the street, which also happens to be a cop car.

The Rock (1996)


Nicolas Cage has always had a soft spot for expensive, fast rides, and his star power allows him to have a say in the cars his characters end up driving on the big screen.

When he teamed up with Michael Bay for The Rock, he was lucky that Bay shared his passion, so he got to chase a Humvee H1 in a yellow Ferrari F355 Spider. Some of the footage used a replica and image manipulation, but this scene still includes plenty of real Ferrari awesomeness.

Bad Boys II (2003)

Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) was never one for subtlety and this is also apparent in his choice of cars. In the first and third Bad Boys movies, he drives Porsches, but in the second, he got to chase down bad guys in a Ferrari 550 Maranello.

Michael Bay also directed the first two movies, so he took great pleasure in putting the 550 Maranello through its paces for our viewing pleasure, only adding some Hollywood trickery here and there, when the stunts would have been too dangerous to do in real life.

Goldeneye (1995)

Pierce Brosnan’s first outing as 007 came with a superb race down a winding mountain road between his Aston Martin DB5 and a red Ferrari F355 GTS driven by Famke Jenssen, while Bond’s paramour / psychologist who was supposed to be evaluating him screeched in fear and frustration in the passenger seat.

The race scene employed plenty of movie magic to help Bond keep up with the Ferrari, and ended without adding to the 007 body count. It’s pure Bond action, with smart puns and now-laughable come-ons that would only ever work to pick up girls if your name is Bond. James Bond.

Against All Odds (1984)

This is probably not a movie many remember, except for those who, upon viewing it, noticed that it features what is considered, to this day, one of the best car chase scenes in the history of film.

The chase is actually a street race between a red Porsche 911 SC Cabriolet and a black Ferrari 308, down Los Angeles’ Sunset Boulevard, through Bel Air, through heavy (at the time) traffic, with zero damage to any car. James Woods’ place at the wheel of the 308 is taken by Carey Loftin, only the most prolific and acclaimed stunt driver of all times, who strove to shoot the entire scene with as little trickery as possible.

The Gumball Rally (1986)

No respectable list on movie cars is complete with this mention. The Gumball Rally was a silly but hilarious movie, but it deserves credit for using real cars and showing them off in as realistic a manner as possible. The star of the film is, without a doubt, the 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider by Scaglietti (titled as a 1972 Spider), which sold for $1.65 million in 2013.

Perhaps one of the most memorable scenes is a race between the Daytona and a 1966 427 Shelby Cobra, which you can also check out in the video below. It’s just perfect without any commentary.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

While this 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider is often mentioned among the most iconic movie Ferraris of all times, it was never real.

Indeed, the film uses a replica for all scenes, including the one in which it meets its untimely demise, when Cameron takes out his anger and frustration towards his father on his most prized car. And then, it goes flying through a window, crashing through trees, on the ground below.

Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)

Life really can’t get any much better than it is for Axel Foley: he works as an undercover cop and is pretty good at his job, and he gets to drive a red Ferrari 328 GTS, paid for with taxpayers’ money.

The movie includes some pretty embarrassing goofs, like the use of a 308 in the first part of the movie, which then mysteriously becomes a much more expensive and newer 328, and turns into a 308 again. These aside, the Ferrari gets enough screentime to keep any Ferrarista with his eyes peeled.

National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)

Here is the most unpredictable and hottest street race ever, if we can call it that. There is no bigger cliché than that of a hot blonde driving a red Ferrari (except perhaps that of a handsome man driving a red Ferrari, with a hot blonde in the passenger seat), but when that blonde is Christine Brinkley and her license plate reads “LUV ME,” you can’t but obey.

So here is a scene in which a station wagon is able to take over a Ferrari 308 GTS because, in Hollywood, absolutely everything is possible. Even getting a girl like that to flirt with a man driving a station wagon, with his wife asleep in the passenger seat.

Special TV Mentions: Magnum, P.I. (1980-1988) and Miami Vice (1984-1998)

The OG “influencers,” Magnum and Det. James Crockett, each with sometimes-questionable fashion style and a penchant for startling patterns and colors, but with great appeal to the ladies and even better taste in cars. Magnum drove a cherry-red Ferrari 308 GTS, while Crockett drove a black 1972 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider for the first two seasons, and a white Testarossa in season 3. The Daytona was a replica, but the show was such a hit that Ferrari gave producers a real Testarossa for free.
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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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