Gear Patrol

Weeding through Hollywood’s entire crop of iconic movie cars in the hopes of arriving at an agreed upon best of list is like trying to choose the sexiest Victoria’s Secret model — it can be grueling work, but the research isn’t exactly painful. Car guys are a picky lot, especially when looking to the silver screen: Some go weak in the knees when they hear an American V8 rumble to life slightly out of frame, while others are gaga for the svelte silhouette of a European exotic on a twisty backdrop. A select few believe the essential chase scene is the deciding factor, while yet another breed is only happy when the director has chosen an “appropriate” vehicle for the character driving, regardless of whether the movie was even watchable.

The GP Team’s collection of petrolheads put all of these variables into play, entered into deep philosophical debate and eventually agreed to disagree so we could present you with our picks for the best movie cars ever. Gentlemen, start your arguing engines!

Summer isn’t nearly as enjoyable without top-down driving. As much as we’re fans of hardtop automotive design and the way a sweeping roofline catches the eye, we have to admit that the clear growl of an engine and the wind in your hair makes the warmer months that much better. Even a drive up Pacific Coast Highway in a cream-hued 1995 Chrysler Sebring Convertible can be a pleasure (as long as no one actually sees you). Bully for you, convertibles are better than ever — gone are the fussy tops, the anemic engines, and silhouettes that would make Quasimodo cringe. The crop of current convertibles range from modern nostalgia to supercar power players, but one thing they all do is make your motoring pleasure good for all the world to see.

Poor Bill Hammerstein. He and his wife had so few guests coming by his SoCal home that he knocked down the guest house out back entirely. In its place, he built a three-stall garage that houses a red Shelby Cobra, a red Mercedes 300 SL convertible and a — you guessed it — red V12 1971 Ferrari 365 Daytona coupe. Yeah, that Daytona.

Some concept cars are the stuff of dreams, and some make a justified beeline for the crusher. But then there are the truly glorious ones: the concepts built just for show, never meant to be anything more than the Paris runway model of the automotive world, or those lucky few that see their design elements actually influence production cars, even if they themselves never make it to the street. Tragically, for many of the best, somewhere between an auto show debut and the fevered, hopeful dreams of auto enthusiasts, some kind of childhood-hating shutdown switch gets flicked by faceless bean counters. In honor of the fallen, we take a look at 10 of the best concept cars that only ever got to lay rubber on the auto show floor.

Ferrari’s supercar legacy is not only alive and well, it’s now hooked up to hybrid power for the first time. Making use of a HY-KERS system that generates 160 hp on top of the V12′s already crazy 780 hp, the all-new Ferrari LaFerrari should get to 60 in less than three seconds and top out at 217 mph. But it’s not all go and no show. The beautifully designed supercar is both fluid and muscular, making use of more organic design elements than the car it replaces. The sum of these parts? A supercar easily worthy of the Ferrari name.

To find gifts for those men who consider driving simply a way to get from point A to point B, head to the nearest Brookstone. For those impassioned drivers you know — the ones who have 5W-30 running through their veins, love talking about tire aspect ratios and own some kind of driving/riding apparel (which…

If you’re a car nerd like some of us here at GP, you can spot mid-cycle changes made to an automobile with just a cursory overview (when sober). These mid-cycle refreshers are common in the industry but not so much for Ferrari. The Ferrari California is an exception, and the changes are welcomed. Though plenty…

For the trio of recent Mega Millions Lottery winners, we have a bit of sage wisdom. Invest and invest wisely. The 2012 RM Monaco Auction is a solid place to start. No fewer than 22 pristine and historic Ferraris will appear on the auction block on May 11th and 12th, 2012. From a curvaceous 1963…

We wouldn’t expect anything capable of earning the title of “Fastest. Ferrari. Ever.” to be anything short of spectacular, and the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta is just that. In spades. Ushering in the world beyond supercars the Berlinetta is propelled by a V12 engine harnessing 740 angry ponies (509 lb-ft of torque), which endows it with…

Let’s say you’ve done the prancing horse on pavement and now you long for the same Italian heritage on the waves. Not too many options. Well, if you’re independently wealthy, your “ship” may have come in with the impending auction of the Ferrari Arno X1 Hydroplane. Built in 1953 and powered by a 12-cylinder, 4500…

The current Ferrari California, we confess, is a might overstyled and definitely gravitationally challenged. Nevertheless, it’s a Ferrari and we don’t besmirch many of them (except perhaps the Mondial). For 2013, they’ve improved upon it with the Ferrari California Handling Especiale, which bumps up the power output by 30 horsepower and drops nearly 70 pounds….

Better than a necktie, a misshapen fruitcake and a smothering of grandma’s kisses all at once is a gift for our inner gearhead. From bike to motorcycle to car gifts, the editors at Gear Patrol have whittled down our monumental list of coveted wheel-related items for your giving and/or receiving pleasure. And regardless of what’s…

At the 1975 Paris Auto Show, Ferrari released a new model that would set a new direction for the company and reinvent the design language for all exotic supercars thereafter. The 308 GTB replaced Ferrari’s Dino 246 and quickly became the most recognized of the Modena-based manufacturer’s cars, even to this day. Decidedly modern in…

The 2nd prize winner of the 2011 Ferrari World Design Contest, Turin IED graduate Samir Sadikhov of Azerbaijan has created what might be the penultimate modern-day Ferrari design (subjectively, nothing beats an early model Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet). Designed with “flexible aerodynamics” principles, Sadikhov’s concept proposes a roof mounted rear wing that activates over 125…

A. Smart: Steering wheel mounted Manettino to adjust F1-Trac high-performance traction control system, suspension and E-diff settings B. Symphonic: Intentional removal of the audio system so you can hear the sonorous V8 and listen to yourself scream with joy C. Sleek: Formula 1 aerodynamics to decrease lift and increase downforce and cooling. More traction, less…

By: Daniel Mader | The Truth About Cars The California is a bit like my first girlfriend: pretty from the front, but a little frumpy at the rear, especially in the wrong clothes (sorry Sarah). This is Ferrari’s softer side. Huh? How can you mess with the classic GT recipe? Sorry Ferrari but the California…

[click on image to enlarge] Sure, the new 2009 Ferrari California is drop-dead gorgeous, but why not go all out and try for an original Ferrari 250 GT California? The one that started it all. And honestly, you’ll look much less like a pretentious ass in the drivers seat of one of these. We wouldn’t…

[click on image to enlarge] Gear Patrol’s offices are a stone’s throw away from the Ferrari Park Avenue store here in New York. And though, there are no raising of hands as to who here will be getting a 2008 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti One to One this week there are few hold outs as to…