Ranking: 17
Year of release: 1968
The car: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Why it’s special: Because it was written by Ian Fleming – whose stories revelled in cool cars – it always looked promising, but the crisp script, catchy score and excellent cast (featuring Goldfinger himself, Benny Hill and the unforgettable Robert Helpmann as the fiendish child-catcher) it turned into a copper-bottomed classic.
Best bit: Being car fans we ought to mention Chitty itself, which was hand-built for the movie and not based on any particular classic racer. Four were built, and the proper ‘driving’ version had a Ford Zodiac 3.0-litre V6 engine. One version did actually fly, but only when hung beneath a helicopter.
Pub fact: Although the movie cars were tailor made, Fleming’s book was influenced by the aero-engined racing cars built by Count Louis Zborowski in the early 1920s.
Plot overview: Based on Ian Fleming’s children’s favourite, this is the tale of inventor Caractacus Potts, who turns a rusted wreck into the titular super car, ready for an adventure into the mysteriously childless barony of Vulgaria.
For: ‘There are cheeldren here somewhere. I can smell them.’
Against: Truly Scrumptious – a cinematic soundtrack low point.
CAR verdict: You gotta love it.
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