The world mourns the passing of Paul Walker, the tall and handsome blue-eyed actor who played Brian O’Connor in all six Fast and Furious films. He was halfway through filming his scenes in the seventh instalment when he and a friend tragically died in a car accident in his native California. They had been attending a charity even at the time. In his honour, we’ve trawled through all the films to identify the three best cars that have graced the franchise. Surprisingly, they all ended up coming from the original movie, and though they weren’t all necessarily driven by Walker’s character, they all have one thing the late actor adored: speed.
1995 Volkswagen Jetta GT III
In the 2001 Fast and Furious film, Dominic Teretto’s mechanic, Jesse, drives a 1995 Jetta GT III. It’s a tuner’s dream, with good straight-line speed, an easily modified exterior and street cred in spades. It sports a 2-litre, 4-cylinder engine. There’s the customary nitrous of course, along with a carbon fibre exhaust, front splitter and Pirelli SuperSport tires. The Jetta is finished off with a simple white paintjob, with blue decals as a bonus. Though Jesse perishes at the end of the film, his Jetta lives long in the memory. In fact, it’s since been snapped up a former child star Frankie Muniz.
1970 Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger is the beating heart of The Fast and the Furious. Dominic Toretto recounts the story of helping his father to build the car as a boy, only for the car to eventually be the cause of his father’s death. Dom has been wary of the muscle car ever since and is unwilling to drive it — until the climax of the film, that is. In a fit of rage, Toretto hops into the black stallion and challenges Brian O’Connor to a high-stakes race. This muscle car, with its gloriously throaty engine note, produces an eye-watering 900 bhp. But perhaps it’s the vehicle’s aesthetic that stands out most. There’s the hammerhead shark-esque nose and the exposed supercharger, rounded off with an intimidating matte black paintjob.
Toyota Supra Turbo
In honour of Paul Walker there could only ever be one winner. This orange supercar is driven by Walker in the very first movie (notice how the original film is best). The first time we spy the 1994 Toyota it isn’t in the best shape. Good thing the Fast and Furious boys know a thing or two about tuning cars. They proceed to do what they do best, tweaking, modifying and remaking this beast to the tune of “$15 000” worth of modifications. With its mods in place this Supra Turbo produces 544 bhp and features new intercoolers, air intakes, an overhauled exhaust kit and of course, nitrous oxide. That’s not to mention the innumerable changes to the actual body of the car, which begin with a pearl orange paintjob — like a Lambo —, a new front spoiler, side skirts, headlights, underhood lighting and the essential final ingredient: a rear wing.
Walker might be dead, but he leaves a lasting legacy courtesy of a film franchise that has delighted millions of fans globally.
