Vehicles have been an inseparable element of film since the dawn of cinema. The 1960s New Hollywood period infused the action genre with an automotive flourish, with memorable scenes brought to life by Sean Connery in Goldfinger and Steve McQueen in Bullit demonstrating the raw power of a good car chase scene. All-timer films such as Back to the Future, Ferris Bueller, and Mad Max: Fury Road are often directly associated with the iconic vehicles featured in them.
This cinematic obsession with automobiles has only grown, as evidenced by the Best Picture nomination for Ford v Ferrari in 2020, the continued production of the Fast and the Furious series, and the recent silver screen adaptation of the renowned video game racing franchise Gran Turismo. For decades, films have helped shaped our perception of how automobiles operate - for better or worse. Let's take a dive in to separate fact from myth when it comes to the portrayal of vehicles in movies.
1. Landing a Jump Doesn't Hurt Your Car At All
In movie scenes, we often witness vehicles executing flawless jumps from on high, landing with cat-like smoothness, and continuing on their way as if nothing extraordinary just happened. The protagonist is okay, and that's all you need to know, the film seems to convey to us. You don't need to know what's going on under the hood of that car right now.
The reality is that when a vehicle attempts a similar stunt in real life, it's rarely able to drive off unscathed. Undertaking even small jumps or traversing unconventional terrains can lead to a multitude of car problems, including damaged tires, broken suspension, and engine failure. Even when the vehicle's exterior appears undamaged, there could be internal injuries. Either leave the airborne antics to the professionals or be ready to schedule a visit to our Service Center.
2. Nitrous Oxide Sends You Into Warp Speed
Many films employ a deus ex machina, a take on the literary trope where a "god from the machine" arrives abruptly to solve an insurmountable issue. In car-centric films, the deus ex machina often takes on the guise of outlandish technology with little footing in real world engineering. Cue the nitrous oxide button, popularized in films like Fast and the Furious and Mad Max 2.
If you're of a certain age, you're probably familiar with the basic concept of the "turbo button" from years of Mario Kart; by triggering the N.O. button, the vehicle is catapulted into a supercharged state, and the surroundings morph into horizontal lines as the hero effortlessly outpaces their rivals.
Nitrous oxide actually is a practical resource in real life, though it won't turn your engine into a spacecraft. The power boost from nitrous oxide typically ranges from 10-15% - effective, if not physics-defying.
3. "Drifting" Is The Fastest Way to Race Competitively
Drifting, as made most popular by the third installment of the Fast and the Furious series, Tokyo Drift, is a fascinating technique. It entails directing a vehicle into a purposeful, controlled sideways skid. In Tokyo Drift, main character Sean Boswell is forced to adapt to this unconventional horizontal driving style to keep up with his competition. (Spoilers: he eventually gets really good at it.)
In reality, however, drifting is comically impractical. Any skidding in a race is largely detrimental, as maintaining speed is achieved by rolling through corners, not skidding. This is evident in Formula 1 races, where you'll rarely find skid marks on the track. It's as though the world's top drivers understand that drifting is more likely to land them at the back of the pack than leading it.
Another flashy driving habit you shouldn't get into: downshifting at high speeds. Despite how cool the opening scene of Baby Driver is, attempting to recreate it could cause significant damage to your clutch plate and flywheel.
4. All Vehicles Are Magically Impervious From Severe Weather
In the perpetually sun-drenched streets of Hollywood, extreme weather is more often a product of dramatic effect than natural occurrence. Unless the director happens to be an avid storm chaser in their spare time, the heavy rain or snow you see is on film is typically the result of meticulous set design and/or visual effects. Consequently, cars in such scenes perform in ways that defy reality.
For every scene like that in I'm Thinking of Ending Things, where Jesse Plemons' character highlights the practicality of snow chains, there are scenes like Fate of the Furious's Icelandic set-piece, where dueling cars glide and drift on a frozen tundra as if it were a paved road. Before you attempt to replicate such feats in a real snowstorm, remember that even a slight drop in temperature during the autumn months could potentially lead to battery failure.
5. A Single Bullet in the Gas Tank Causes an Explosion
In the realm of cinema, a car's fuel flap is often portrayed the same way as a human heart: a direct hit to either, and it's all over. However, in reality, the impact of a solitary bullet on a fuel tank rarely results in more than penetration. An explosion necessitates a combination of fuel and oxygen; a blend which fuel tanks do not typically house in sufficient quantities to trigger such an event. So we'd tell you to rest easy if someone starts shooting at your car, except for the fact that... well, someone is shooting at your car.
Hopefully, any such adventure in your life is confined to the big screen with you as a spectator. And just because we've dismantled a few myths today, that doesn't mean you need to disenfranchise yourself from all that cinema has to offer. After all, just because we don't live in a world of Matrix physics doesn't mean you can't enjoy the ludicrous highway chase scene from The Matrix: Reloaded.
If you do encounter problems in the real world, New Motors Subaru is here to help. From oil changes to brake maintenance, we're here to keep you on the road and to make sure your own story reaches its deserving conclusion.
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