7 Of The Best Cars Driven By Brian In 'Fast & Furious' (And 3 Of The Worst)

The speed, style, and high-octane action of the Fast & Furious franchise is legendary. The original films also have a unique energy that encapsulates much of early-2000s pop culture — a nostalgic feeling for those who lived through the era. 

Brian O'Conner, played by the late Paul Walker, will always be the heart of the franchise alongside Vin Diesel's Dominic "Dom" Toretto. Brian exemplified the ride-or-die ethos of Fast & Furious, demonstrating it at the end of the first film by sacrificing his career as an LAPD officer after experiencing the family bond in Toretto's street racing crew. Walker himself was a lifelong car enthusiast and had a deep appreciation for the automotive community, which helped him almost seamlessly translate that through Brian on-screen.

Walker's character first races Dom in a 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse and later drives other iconic models like the 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 and the Toyota Supra MK IV. Brian soon forms emotional ties to each vehicle and begins to form a garage that's an essential part of Fast & Furious lore. Of course, not every vehicle in Brian's lineup was great. While some are etched into cinematic history, others failed to live up to the long legacy of iconic Fast & Furious cars curated by all the cast members.

This list highlights the seven best cars driven by Brian — the vehicles that made him the icon that he is — and the three that couldn't keep up.

The 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 might be the most iconic car associated with Brian. It notably made its debut in "2 Fast 2 Furious" after viewers saw him ditch a red 1991 Dodge Stealth while on the run from the police in "Turbo Charged Prelude," a short film that covers the time between the first and second movies in the franchise. 

Brian beats out the competition at the beginning of "2 Fast 2 Furious" in the car with a bridge jump to the finish line. The Skyline GT-R in the movie has aggressive styling with a silver body and blue racing stripes, making it instantly recognizable. The Skyline GT-R is packed with performance on its own, but Brian's car really became a powerhouse after technical advisor Craig Lieberman put thousands of dollars worth of  upgrades into it. He made it a symbol of Brian's skills as a driver and the upgrades reflected the character's passion for top-of-the-line cars.

Automotive experts also praise the GT-R even without the upgrades for its turbocharged inline-six engine and all-wheel-drive system, although Lieberman and the crew later changed to rear-wheel. The team also added Nitrous Oxide (NOS) along with underbody neon lights. There were also four GT-Rs purchased — each for about $48,000 — for use in the extreme stunts performed during the filming. While the car only had a limited role in "2 Fast 2 Furious," its impact on the franchise is great and has become one of the most revered vehicles in both cinematic and automotive culture.

It's still hard to beat the signature 1994 Toyota Supra MK IV seen in the original film, "The Fast and the Furious." It's a car immediately recognized by longtime fans of the franchise and is deeply woven into the DNA of the series. After all, this car is present in one of the first moments where Dom and Brian start to become family, an overarching theme often emphasized in the films. 

Brian notably restores the Supra after picking it up from a junkyard with Dom and some of the original characters, transforming it by swapping the engine with a 2JZ-GTE inline-six twin-turbo. They also of course make the addition of NOS to further boost its performance, helping make it a 10-second car and a true street demon.

Fans might also remember the Toyota Supra in the signature shot at the end of the film when Brian and Dom race over the train tracks, a turning point for the characters as Brian tosses Dom the keys and lets him escape arrest. While it was often eclipsed by some more exotic cars in later films in the series, experts like technical advisor Craig Lieberman and even casual drivers have praised the Supra for its handling, performance, and tunability. Lieberman originally had a modified yellow Supra for the film, again packed with NOS among other upgrades, but was asked to paint it orange instead — giving it the iconic look fans now know. 

Overall, the Supra has some excellent performance that perfectly suits Brian's character and it represents a crucial turning point in his transformation from undercover cop to street racer.

The 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII is arguably one of the more underrated vehicles in the Fast & Furious franchise, although it played a pivotal role for Brian in "2 Fast 2 Furious." 

This rally-inspired performance car is driven by the character during the undercover Miami operation and reflects Brian's passion for performance driving and competitive racing. This is especially the case considering the Evolution VII is equipped with an all-wheel-drive system and a turbocharged 2.0L inline-four engine. That potent combination already offers handling and power, and Lieberman added a ton of mods including a nine-point roll cage, RMR exhaust system, and more. 

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII truly has all-around performance, so it makes sense as to why Brian would have one in their garage. While it stands out thanks to the lime green body and blue decals, it's less flashy than other cars Brian drives in the franchise. It's still a racing machine, though, and is an excellent representation of the character's continued understanding of vehicles. 

While it's not the most technically advanced car Brian ever drives, the 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse represents humble street-racing beginnings for Brian and the beginning of the initial rivalry and eventual brotherhood between the two. It features prominently in "The Fast and the Furious" and is one of the first cars viewers see Brian with after he gets his superiors at the LAPD to build him a convincing car to street race Dom. He does just that, running against Dom's Mazda RX-7 before taking second place and delivering the iconic "Dude, I almost had you," line. 

In the first film, Lieberman and the crew notably painted the body neon lime green with black accents and added some upgrades to improve its performance. They included a 16-valve, four-cylinder, DOHC two-liter 420A motor with a T3 turbo along with a cold-air intake. There was even standalone fuel management, a front-mount intercooler, and NOS. The Eclipse was capable of about 165hp but in the movie, they exaggerated it to 450hp. Carbon fiber and SE7EN alloy wheels were also added by Lieberman and the crew, along with the neon underbody lighting. They also used at least five different versions of the car while filming. 

The Eclipse is a perfect example of Brian's passion for street racing at the start before understanding exactly what machinery would suit his needs and style, which is why it's still one of the best in our eyes.

The 1971 Nissan Skyline GT-R is a vintage gem that makes a brief but memorable appearance in "Fast Five." This particular GT-R is one of the most iconic Japanese cars in history with a twin-cam two-liter inline-six engine, a rarity around that time, which is why it performed so well in the Japanese racing circuit in the 1970s, with 50 wins over a three-year period. The Skyline has an understated elegance and serious power with a long-standing legacy. Brian buys this car in the film, showcasing his continued growth and affinity for powerful classic cars that have style and substance. 

Brian is then seen driving it around in Rio de Janeiro in the movie with Mia (Jordana Brewster) and Dom as they escape American law enforcement and pull off a job for a corrupt businessman. This classic Skyline — which is known as the Hakosuka by enthusiasts in Japan — speaks to the character's growing appreciation for vehicles across different eras, and while it's not the most technologically advanced, it's still one of the best cars we see Brian drive. 

The 2012 Nissan GT-R R35 is a high-tech performance vehicle that showcases Brian's longstanding love for Nissan and the GT-R series. It's features prominently at the end of "Fast Five" and throughout "Fast & Furious 6" and comes equipped with a 3.8L twin-turbo V6 engine, offering staggering speed and power. When the R35 was built, it was one of the fastest production cars in the world, lauded by experts for innovative technology and an advanced all-wheel-drive system, ensuring maximum stability and control. 

The R35 Brian drives in the films has a matte silver finish and futuristic design that combines state-of-the-art engineering with street racing culture. Overall, the GT-R R35 is the ultimate expression of Brian's personal journey to a seasoned car enthusiast, mechanic, and street racing after the humble beginnings with the 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse. He's refined his skills to match the demands of the R35, making the car vitally important to Brian, and is arguably one of the best vehicles he ever drives. 

While it deviates from Brian's typical selections throughout the franchise, the 1969 Yenko Camaro SYC he drives in "2 Fast 2 Furious" is a quintessential American muscle car that couldn't be left off of his best vehicles lineup. It has a 427-cubic-inch V8 engine with over 450hp, offering more than enough grunt and acceleration for some high-speed driving, while its blue exterior and white racing stripes make it visually striking and memorable. 

The Yenko Camaro also signifies Brian's early evolving relationship with street racing in the second film. He's had cars with great precision and handling but finds the Camaro with brute strength and gets a taste of that side of the line typically reserved for Dom. The car also serves a great purpose in "2 Fast 2 Furious," as he wins it in a pink slip race and uses it to save Monica (Eva Mendes) from certain death. 

Its combined significance for Brian in the film and the Camaro's historical importance as one of the most iconic muscle cars of all time, and that makes it one of the best cars Brian ever drives. Sure, it doesn't match the sophistication of his later selections, and Brian never really drives a muscle car again in the franchise. Still, its timeless design and nod to Dom — who is conspicuously absent from the film — make it special.

First up in the not-so-notable category for Brian's cars in the Fast & Furious franchise is the 1991 Dodge Stealth featured in "Turbo-Charged Prelude." Many fans forget about the short film, whose full title was "The Turbo Charged Prelude for 2 Fast 2 Furious" and covered the events between "The Fast and the Furious" and "2 Fast 2 Furious." 

In that short film, the 1991 Dodge Stealth was used as a getaway car for Brian as he evaded law enforcement after letting Dom go with the 10-second car he owed him — the iconic 1994 Toyota Supra MK IV. While the Dodge Stealth serves its purpose, it falls short in comparison to other memorable rides Brian has driven. It still has a decent setup under the hood with a twin-turbo V6 and all-wheel drive, but it lacks the high performance and handling of the Nissan Skyline or Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII. It also featured relatively restrained styling with a single tone red paint job and no decals.

If the Stealth had different styling and more screen time, it might've been higher on the list, but it ultimately serves as little more than plot device to connect the sequel and say goodbye to a much more memorable car. Additionally, it doesn't totally fit with Brian's longstanding affinity for iconic Japanese vehicles, even though in reality the Dodge Stealth was essentially a rebadged Mitsubishi 3000GT. Unfortunately, all of this makes the Stealth a mostly forgettable footnote in Brian's automotive legacy.

The 2010 Alfa Romeo Giulietta 940 is also one of Brian's less memorable rides. Brian drives it during "Fast & Furious 6" on a mission to infiltrate a high-security convoy around Owen Shaw (Luke Evans) and it is also driven by Mia at the end of the film. Still, it's more of a disposable tool in the movie, considering the other cars within it. While Alfa Romeo's signature styling performance-driven vehicles are highly present with the Giulietta 940, it fails to live up to the standards of the other vehicles Brian has driven in the franchise.

Even with its respectable 1.75-liter turbocharged engine and cool aesthetics that we wished made it to America, it doesn't pack the same NOS-enhanced punch of many of the cars Brian's garage. There's always a focus on speed, power, and jaw-dropping stunts, and compared to the speed and handling of Brian's previous Skylines or even the muscle of the Yenko Camaro, the Giulietta seems too tame. It also doesn't quite fit Brian's personality or emotional connection that he typically has to the cars that he drives. Brian's best cars are always an extension of his personality and skill, and the Giulietta 940 doesn't quite hit that target.

The Chrysler Town & Country Brian is seen driving briefly in "Furious 7" was never going to be anywhere close to the top of the list. It's clear that the spacious and family-friendly mini-van was included as a plot device to symbolize Brian's evolving priorities as a father to Jack and Olivia, the two kids he had with Mia over the years between "Fast & Furious 6" and "Furious 7." The Town & Country is a completely practical vehicle to have when raising a young child. Even so, it still has a 3.6-liter V6 engine with 283hp, so it could be worse.

Once again, this car is largely used for a narrative purpose, as the Town & Country reflects Brian's growing shift toward family life with Mia. Still, it can't be denied as the lowest point in his vehicle lineup, considering the iconic cars that he'd driven before. It purposefully feels out of place and uninspired, and viewers see Brian struggle with his desire to still be out there with Dom and the rest of the crew despite his responsibilities as a father. Either way, the Town & Country is a far cry from the flashiest, most powerful, high-octane rides that made Brian a legend and it certainly doesn't match the thrill and intensity of Brian's other cars, such as his iconic Skyline.

To create this list of the seven best and three worst cars driven by Brian O'Conner in the Fast & Furious franchise, we looked carefully at the vehicle specs, professional automotive reviews, fan reception, the impact the car had on the franchise and the character, and screen time. 

We also analyzed some of the iconic scenes from the movies where Brian's cars played pivotal roles. The best cars were ultimately determined based on their performance, cultural significance, and how well they represented Brian as a character and skilled driver. For example, the 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 and 1994 Toyota Supra MK IV scored highly because of their technical prowess and association with memorable action sequences from the first few films.

With the worst cars, we evaluated where they were lacking performance, aesthetics, or emotional connection and relevance to Brian compared to others he'd driven throughout the Fast & Furious films. The Chrysler Town & Country and 1991 Dodge Stealth lacked in specific areas and were less memorable, with less of a connection to Brian. As a result, they were given the position at the bottom. This list is also intended to reflect a balanced perspective on Brian's legendary garage, with some of them becoming part of the late Paul Walker's personal collection.