Cars from the film Drive and what they mean
The movie Drive, now playing in a theater near you is a mysterious and obscure action thriller starring protagonist Ryan Gosling as a mechanic and driver of the stunt, heist and motor racing variety. If you’re thinking along the lines of Fast and Furious or Gone in Sixty Seconds, think again. If the pink cursive font from the movie poster makes you think of Miami Vice, think again…again. While the film takes cues from Miami Vice with a soundtrack inspired by 80′s new wave and gratuitous scenes of violence, Drive truly stands alone in a hybrid of genres.
You’ve read the reviews here and here already so this post will take a different approach when breaking down the film. Cars take little precedence in Drive, but each vehicle serves as a reflection of the people who drive them. There’s a 1973 Chevrolet Malibu, an early 90′s Toyota Camry, a muscle car era Pontiac GTO, a 2011 Mustang GT 5.0 and a Lincoln Town Car. Let’s start with the white 1973 Chevrolet Malibu.
Who drives a 1973 Malibu? The protagonist, that’s who. Gosling’s character, who remains unnamed throughout the film, is curiously quiet and seemingly lacking any sort of personality, much like a ’73 Malibu. This changes, however, when he meets his neighbor played by Carey Mulligan and her young son. The two hit it off which is surprising because they probably only say a total of 50 words to each other the entire film. Seriously.
Carey Mulligan’s character drives a late model Toyota Camry that coincidentally breaks down when Gosling is around. Good thing he’s a mechanic. The hum-drum maroon Camry coincides perfectly with Mulligan’s role as the “girl-next-door.” Don’t be fooled into thinking she’s totally wholesome just yet because like that old Camry, she’s a little rough around the edges. Case in point, Mulligan’s husband is in jail and even though Gosling’s total lack of charisma woos her, she doesn’t put the relationship with her incarcerated husband in jeopardy. She’s reliable, just like an old Camry.
Then there’s Gosling’s boss, Shannon, played by Bryan Cranston. Shannon owns the repair garage where Gosling tinkers around. Even though he is never seen actually driving his old yellow Pontiac GTO muscle car, it’s a perfect fit for Shannon, a guy who has clearly seen better days. The GTO was launched when gas prices were cheap and V8′s were the norm, but times have since changed. It’s 2011 and V8′s are being replaced with turbocharged 4 and 6 cylinder engines. Shannon clings to the past and a false hope that he can still “make it” despite having a gimpy leg and bad luck. Shannon seems poised for a comeback like the GTO’s short-lived revival in the early 2000′s, yet some things are never meant to be.
The Malibu is Gosling’s daily driver, but for heists his vehicle of choice varies. In the beginning of the movie he drives a Chevrolet Impala during one robbery, later in the movie he gets behind the wheel of a black Ford Mustang 5.0. This is where Gosling’s character begins to change. It would be a stretch to claim the Mustang caused this transformation, yet the black and menacing car symbolizes a dark side of Gosling’s character. A side that reveals he will do whatever it takes to survive, ultimately creating the rising action of the film.
Then there’s a black Lincoln Town Car, the quintessential bad-guy-car since pretty much forever. The Town Car is a big and flashy land yacht of a car. It gives many riders a false sense of security that they’re totally safe in the backseat. Ron Perlman plays a guy named Nino who owns a pizzeria that’s a front for his shady business ventures. After a heist gone wrong leads to mucho dinero (that means lots and lots of money) goes missing, Nino is out to get Gosling. Nino, however, gets shuttled around in the back seat of a Lincoln Town Car. Are you catching on?
Drive is a movie that requires a little patience, a little suspension of disbelief and a willingness to accept it isn’t a typical gear head car flick. Despite this, it will leave a lasting impression and as a result has some critics calling it the best movie of the year. So we’ll leave you with this Mojo tip: see Drive and let us know what you think.
Written by Max Katsarelas
Photo credits: buzzsugar, carsforsale, rav4world
Sep 27, 2011 @ 18:01:00
Great post!u00a0nnI wanna see this movie so bad.
Sep 27, 2011 @ 18:01:00
Great post!
I wanna see this movie so bad.
Sep 29, 2011 @ 00:34:00
Um… What about the Chevy Impala with 300 extra ponies from the opening scene???
Sep 29, 2011 @ 15:32:00
The Impala from the opening scene is unassuming. It is the quintessential sleeper and therefore a perfect car for Gosling to use while escaping heat from the LAPD. nnThere you go.
Sep 29, 2011 @ 00:34:00
Um… What about the Chevy Impala with 300 extra ponies from the opening scene???
Sep 29, 2011 @ 15:32:00
The Impala from the opening scene is unassuming. It is the quintessential sleeper and therefore a perfect car for Gosling to use while escaping heat from the LAPD.
There you go.
Jul 01, 2012 @ 03:40:00
My wife checked this MASTERPIECE out from our local library, I loved it. My wife drives a 2006 Impala that was a former New York City popo car… we got if off oBey for a mere $3500 with only 65K miles on it so I popped on some five-spoke 18′s, took it to Maaco for a $240 black re-paint, flowmasters and nice 4″ stainless resonator tipsa and put SS emblems on her making her a $5000 SS “Tribute Car”…lol it fools everyone! It looks like the real deal,..so now comes the million dollar question I still have not found the answer to: Does the Impala in the movie have a 3.9 V-6 (like our car) or was it a true 5.3 V-8 car like the real SS (minus the badges)??? I could not tell from the sound…the 3.9 will rock-n-roll, it gets up to 90 in about 14 seconds from a 35 mph roll…lol… not bad conciderring the cops in New York probably put 20,000 hours of just ideling on the motor… SO WAS THE CAR IN THE FLICK A V-8 OR SIX??? 300 horese could be either one with the right mods…really…
Jan 22, 2012 @ 04:08:00
It’s a Corolla not a Camry.
Feb 23, 2012 @ 13:16:00
Take a closer look, it’s most definitely a Camry.
Jun 09, 2012 @ 02:25:00
I have a 2001 corolla and that is just like it. Its a corolla. Camrys are bigger
Jun 25, 2012 @ 18:20:00
Calm down, betches.
Jan 31, 2012 @ 16:53:00
Excellent article. Drive was one of it not my favorite film of the year and I love your analysis of the cars used. I always thought about the cars the Driver uses but not really the other characters. Very nice.
Aug 18, 2012 @ 12:24:00
Much appreciated!
Feb 09, 2012 @ 17:55:00
Aww – I’m a Olds guy, and I thought it was a cutlass. I wasn’t too far off. It was hard to tell b/c you never really saw his car in the light, or the entire vehicle wasn’t framed.
Good post!
Feb 14, 2012 @ 00:58:00
You forget the Chrysler 300C which in my impression seems to be a remembrance for Bullit, the Dodge Charger chasing the Mustang (in this case is a Chrysler which is practically same company as Dodge, may be not to be so obvious). Anyways great movie, like the cars, the chasing scene, the music, the history, the end…
Feb 23, 2012 @ 13:23:00
It’s true, we did leave it out. You make a good point that it could pay homage to the Bullitt Dodge Charger chase scene, but why would they use a 300C? And a green one at that?
Mar 05, 2012 @ 16:49:00
The 300C actually reminded me of History of Violence, the David Cronenberg film in which the evil William Hurt character is chauffeured in the back of a menacing-looking Chrysler.
Apr 08, 2012 @ 07:45:00
When I saw the movie I felt the same way as Fer Meza. The setting for the chase reminds me heavily of Bullitt after they got out of the city, many of the shots and maneuvers are similar, and although I thought the 300C was grey, on watching your video post I do see a shade of green in there. Anyway, my thought was that a new Charger might have been too blatant to the movie producers (it’s a very subdued film), and the 300C is basically the exact same car. The Mustang being black and the 300C with a touch of green would be a flip on the original Bullitt car colors where the Charger was black and the Mustang that strange, dark, highland green that people spend so much money trying to recreate.
Anyway, I love this movie and thanks for letting me know what Gosling’s car is!
Mar 08, 2012 @ 03:39:00
hey guys and gals i am doing a physics project and i need to know what car ryan gosling uses to push the lincoln town car off of the cliff
Apr 09, 2012 @ 06:28:00
1973 Chevrolet Malibu
Mar 12, 2012 @ 03:37:00
It’s definitely one of my new favorite movies, and I have less then five.
Mar 22, 2012 @ 01:58:00
thanks for the article.. i watched the movie and I was eager about knowing more about the cars!
and yes there’s a car chase( as one guy said) that remembers bullit.. something for car lovers to enjoy ..movie of the year..definetly
Apr 09, 2012 @ 06:26:00
Great Movie! I also agree with the some reviewers saying it was the best of the year. I was shocked to say the least when did not see it at the Oscars. Hopefully for 2013? We’ll see…
Apr 29, 2012 @ 15:00:00
the stock car that they buy is actually one of the old spice cars from the movie talladega nights.
Sep 16, 2012 @ 18:02:32
I paid to see Drive in the theater, twice. I never do that. The European style of the film may shock people who were expecting Tom Cruise in Days of Thunder. Lol. I appreciate that the directo
Sep 16, 2012 @ 18:25:18
I paid to see Drive in the theater, twice. I never do that. The European style of the film may shock people who were expecting Tom Cruise in Days of Thunder. Lol. I appreciate the director letting the actors act ! We don’t need every scene explained with dialogue. (Take note Hollywood) Excellent scenery, soundtrack and technical advisement. Gosling is a believeable wheel man. Understated integrity and confidence says more than showing off. I wish there were more films like this. . .
Sep 16, 2012 @ 18:26:13
I paid to see Drive in the theater, twice. I never do that. The European style of the film may shock people who were expecting Tom Cruise in Days of Thunder. Lol. I appreciate the director letting the actors act ! We don’t need every scene explained with dialogue. (Take note Hollywood) Excellent scenery, soundtrack and technical advisement. Gosling is a believeable wheel man. Understated integrity and confidence says more than showing off. I wish there were more films like this. . .