10 Of The Most Iconic Sci-Fi Vehicles In Movies And TV

The real world is often misrepresented in Hollywood when it comes to technology. Hacking, for example, is usually oversimplified and exaggerated for dramatic effect. However, when it comes to science fiction, filmmakers have an even more creative license. This is one of the main reasons why Tinseltown delivers such iconic sci-fi movies and, with them, some unforgettable sci-fi vehicles.

These vehicles range from full-on spaceships to earthbound cars, and they often have some sort of backstory to complement their advanced technology. While our simple planet does have some unusual modes of transportation, they don't compare with those of the high-tech gadgetry found in science-fiction blockbusters. Most of them might be automotive creations that are impossible in the real world, but this does nothing but add to their appeal.

What's more, with movies now ever reliant on CGI, and artificial intelligence continuing its rapid acceleration, we can expect these big-screen creations to get even weirder and much more complex. And with technology also rapidly developing in other sectors, let's hope we are all around to see at least one new Batmobile.

"She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid," was how Han Solo put Luke Skywalker at ease in "Star Wars: A New Hope." The ship was fast, if unreliable, and could even "make point five past lightspeed," and represented freedom, adventure, and beating the odds. The latter of which you were never supposed to mention.

To be honest, we could do a whole article about iconic "Star Wars" vehicles. How does a "hunk of junk" allegedly inspired by a half-eaten burger go on to become one of the most iconic sci-fi vehicles ever? Perhaps it's the cool characters that have flown the Falcon that have endeared it to fans. Of course, Han Solo is the ship's primary pilot. If he wasn't cool enough, it was also flown by original owner Lando Calrissian in "Return of the Jedi." Others, such as Poe Dameron, Rey, and even Chewie, Luke, and Leia, have all had a shot at handling this legendary bucket of bolts.

One thing is for sure, the Falcon has been integral to many key moments in the sci-fi franchise. From navigating an asteroid field and escaping the hungry jaws of a space slug, to evading the clutches of a Star Destroyer by escaping with jettisoned trash, the Falcon has been through it all. With the newer releases of "Star Wars" movies also featuring the Corellian freighter, your own kids may also have the Millennium Falcon at heart. One way you might be able to secretly relive your own childhood is by helping them build a Millennium Falcon Lego kit at home. Just make sure they get a turn piloting the finished model.

It may only be a matter of time before we see the first Level-5 AI-powered car. However, with all the current challenges of developing a fully automated AI automobile, that kind of car remains in the realm of science fiction for now. While "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Star Trek" explored AI in machines, "Knight Rider" was one of the first to explore the role of artificial intelligence specifically in cars. Even now, decades later, when people discuss intelligent vehicles, it's unlikely they are talking about anything other than KITT.

KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand) was protagonist Michael Knight's sentient supercar and crime-fighting partner. Who could forget the iconic vehicle turbo-boosting high over a closing drawbridge or using advanced tech to analyze crime scenes and catch bad guys? David Hasselhoff played Michael Knight, but it must be one of the few TV shows where what is essentially a prop stole the limelight.

The role of KITT was played by a modified 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am (in fact, around 20 were used during production of the show), and was voiced by William Daniels. The distinctive sleek black body and oscillating red scanner screamed cool with hints of power and menace, but it was Daniels' reassuring voice that let you know KITT was definitely on our side.

More than just a "wonderful toy," the Batmobile has been thrilling audiences of all ages since it made its first on-screen appearance in the 1966 TV show, "Batman." That 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car featured plenty of "high-tech" gadgets, such as the emergency Bat-turn lever for quick U-turns, a Bat-chute for slowing down, a Bat-phone for making Bat-calls, and a mobile Bat-computer. But it was Batman and Robin sliding down the Batpole, leaping into the Batmobile, and screeching out of the Batcave that gave this sci-fi vehicle iconic status among Bat-fans.

However, in 1989, Tim Burton's game-changing Caped Crusader movie hit the big screen and propelled the superhero genre into mainstream Hollywood. And with this new dark and gothic "Batman," we got the "Keaton-mobile," easily the best Batmobile of all time. Who could forget the first sight of Michael Keaton's Batman launching this vehicle with heart-pounding intensity onto the big screen? Armored, sleek, elongated, and sporting a colossal jet-engine turbine intake, it was a dramatic departure from the campy 1960s show. The vehicle perfectly embodied Burton's dark vision of Gotham City. It was over 20 feet long, and featured a voice-activated shield, bomb dispensers, and an afterburner to boost velocity.

In film lore, the Batmobile could reach speeds of up to 330 mph. However, the real-life reality of the Keaton-mobile is somewhat more modest. It was actually tough to drive due to poor visibility, and while it did have a V8 engine, it wasn't tuned for extreme Bat-performance. Despite this, it was listed for sale for a cool $1.5 million, while the '60s Batmobile was sold for $4.2 million over a decade ago.

"The way I see it, if you're gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?" said the enigmatic Doc Brown to Marty McFly in "Back to the Future." Fun fact: the time-traveling vehicle in the hit 1985 movie was originally supposed to be a refrigerator. If it wasn't for Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale's warped humor, we may well have had a completely different movie. The "Back to the Future" scriptwriters changed the time-traveling vehicle from a fridge after John DeLorean's arrest and charge for drug trafficking in 1982. Thankfully, the pair's gamble paid off, and the iconic car is widely remembered for its fusion of retro and future aesthetics and gull-wing door design.

The fiery tracks the DeLorean leaves in its wake as it disappears back in time to 1955 is easily one of Hollywood's most iconic scenes. However, throughout the trilogy of movies, the car had a few upgrades. At the end of the original film, we are introduced to the flying DeLorean, with Doc Brown telling Marty, "Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads." 

This left us wanting more, but it wouldn't be until 1989 when we got to see the flying DeLorean again. This time, it was fueled by household garbage and featured wheels that rotated 90 degrees when flying, new thrusters and vents, and an even more futuristic dashboard. By "Back to the Future Part III," the beaten-up time machine was traversing railroads and evading the pursuit of natives in the Old West.

"Tron" was a groundbreaking sci-fi movie released in 1982, and the most enduring image from this film has to be the Light Cycles. These motorcycle-like vehicles leave behind glowing neon walls of light and energy in their wake, and exist in the fictional "digital frontier" known as The Grid.

The movie's special effects may look a little dated by today's standards. However, "Tron" was the first movie to give us extended scenes generated entirely by CGI. In fact, the movie delivered an unheard-of 15 minutes worth of computer-generated imagery, a move which prompted the film's disqualification from the visual effects category at the Academy Awards. However, it was John Lasseter, the animator widely renowned for the success of Pixar, who said, "Without 'Tron,' there would be no 'Toy Story.'"

The iconic Light Cycles got an upgrade in 2010's "Tron: Legacy." These 5th-generation models had a more streamlined, aerodynamic look reminiscent more of real-world motorcycles. Riders could slow down and accelerate (in the original movie, they operated at a fixed speed during races), could maneuver more fluidly (as opposed to 90-degree angles), and had customizable Light Ribbons. They could now also brave the "off-grid" territory of the Outlands; a rough, mountainous terrain of deep chasms and jagged peaks that Light Cycles were definitely not designed for.

While "Tron" gave us the digital frontier, "Star Trek" took us to the final frontier. With its wealth of memorable quotes — from "to boldly go where no man has gone before," to "live long and prosper" — we could cite "Star Trek" until we've explored every strange new world in the universe. Yet, among all its contributions to pop culture, it's the groundbreaking sci-fi franchise's signature vehicle, the USS Enterprise, that stands out as one of the most iconic in movies and TV.

The ship's fictional capabilities have even inspired real-world scientific research. A recent study, for example, has suggested that the warp drive — the Enterprise's faster-than-light travel mechanism — might be theoretically possible to invent in real life. Another real-world inspiration is the ship's transporters, which have influenced scientific research on quantum teleportation (on a subatomic level, anyway). Then there's the Holodeck, which is still very much in the realms of sci-fi, too, but has inspired significant improvements in virtual reality. These are just some of the many technologies predicted in Star Trek with surprising accuracy.

However, it's the Enterprise's instantly recognizable silhouette that is iconic. This is true even for those who are quick to reach for the remote when it appears on screen. It's so iconic that there are fan groups who have even produced detailed technical manuals and schematics for the ship (unsurprising given that some have even learned the Klingon language fluently). However, the USS Enterprise will always be a representation of humanity's aspirations for its peaceful exploration of space.

The early seasons of "Doctor Who" from the 1960s to the '80s were among the most popular to ever hit the small screen in the U.K. It started to gain in popularity across the Atlantic around the mid to late '70s, often considered the "golden age" for American fans of "Classic Who." Conventions and fan clubs began sprouting up stateside, while novels, comics, and merchandise began to find a market. While the Doctor regenerated when actors grew older or their contracts ran down, the TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space) was a mainstay throughout.

Based on a 1960s British police phone box, the TARDIS was a unique vehicle that could traverse time and space. It was much bigger on the inside, with some fans theorizing that it was infinite, and is a timeless prop that even non-fans easily recognize. Its engine is powered by a star artificially converted into a black hole, and ranks as our most absurd sci-fi engine ever. Its familiar wheezing noise when it materializes and dematerializes was created by Brian Hodgson, who made the sound effect by simply scraping his mother's house key along the strings of an old piano.

"Blade Runner" wasn't a huge commercial success but it did gain a cult following in subsequent years. "I've seen things you people wouldn't believe," went Roy Batty's speech to Deckard in one particularly compelling scene. If he were addressing the audience, Spinners would be one of many items on his list. 

These flying cars were designed by serial sci-fi neo-futurist concept artist Syd Mead. They got their name from the 360-degree rotations they perform when taking off. However, similar to "Back to the Future's" flying DeLorean, Spinners also featured the ability to travel on land and in the air. Furthermore, they flaunted sleek, aerodynamic bodies and gull-wing doors that opened upwards. Other similarities include their capability to take off and land vertically, and hover stationary in mid-air.

The original "Blade Runner" movie was based on American writer Philip K. Dick's 1968 novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" The film's approach of limiting their use to police vehicles or private cars used by the affluent was in line with Dick's original cyberpunk vision. The new models in "Blade Runner 2049" were even bigger, sleeker, and more streamlined. They had a number of upgrades and could navigate tight urban spaces with ease. They also featured necessary air-filtration systems and were generally better sealed against the harsh climate of 2049.

Optimus Prime is the leader of the Autobots from "Transformers," and represents heroism and selflessness. He's an alien, humanoid robot that can transform into a truck, which is highly convenient given that he needs to seamlessly blend in to his surroundings after landing on Earth. With a distinctive red and blue color scheme, Prime is the central figure leading the charge against the evil Decepticons. Their primary goal is to acquire energy and resources through conquest. These conquests include our dear planet, Earth — and luckily for us, the Autobots are very much on our side.

The "Transformers" have appeared in various media over the decades, including comic books, cartoons, video games, and, of course, live-action movies. Despite the franchise's success in Hollywood, Prime's first introduction in 2007's "Transformers" remains a memorable moment in sci-fi history. It was the Autobot leader's grand entrance, and the scene involved his transformation from truck to robot and brought a beloved animated character into a realistic, live-action setting for the first time. However, his catchphrase, "Autobots, roll out!" has become a well-known quote in popular culture, helping to establish Optimus Prime as a prominent figure in science fiction.

The V8 Interceptor from "Mad Max" has had a somewhat eventful history since being blown up in "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior." Central to Mel Gibson's Mad Max character and the film's gritty aesthetics, the Interceptor represents one of the last vestiges of the old world in the franchise's post-apocalyptic new world. The vehicle is based on a 1973 Ford Falcon XB GT coupe, and its appearance has evolved throughout the movie series. From its beginnings in Gibson's "Mad Max" as a high-performance police interceptor, to its surprising cameo in Tom Hardy's "Mad Max: Fury Road," this iconic sci-fi vehicle has cemented its place in cinematic history.

Yet, the Interceptor is not the only iconic vehicle from the series based on real-life cars. There are plenty more modified muscle cars for gearhead fans to get excited about, and in the likely event that car chases are also your bag, "Mad Max: Fury Road" delivers one that spans almost the movie's entirety and is one of the most iconic in history. At least one of the Interceptors used in the original movie has survived, and let's hope this supercharged muscle car continues to symbolize freedom and power.