May 23, 2024 | Jamie Hayes

Mad Max: Fury Road's Vehicles All Started As Real Cars


What A Lovely Day

Mad Max: Fury Road has some of the most creative and terrifying vehicles ever put on screen, but few people realize that every single one actually started life as a real vehicle—at least, before the War Boys got to them.

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Tatra T815 "The War Rig"

The star of the movie, Furiosa's War Rig is actually a T815 from Tatra, a Czech company known for its unique suspension system.

image of AM General M814 Warner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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1959 Cadillac Coupe de Villes "The Gigahorse"

The steed of Immortan Joe himself, the Gigahorse features two Cadillac Coupe de Villes stacked on top of eachother.

The Gigahorse car from Mad maxSAEED KHAN, Getty Images

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MAN KAT I A1 (8x8) "Doof Wagon"

It takes a full military cargo truck, a MAN KAT I A1 8x8, to carry the righteous amps of the Doof Warrior, the guitar-slaying herald of any good war party.

image of a Mad max cars from aboveWarner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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Howe and Howe Ripsaw EV1 "The Peacemaker"

The Bullet Farmer's vehicle has a Valiant Charger body...on top of the massive treads taken from a Howe and Howe Ripsaw EV1 

image from Mad max carWarner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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Ford Falcon XB GT Coupe 1973 "V8 Interceptor"

The car belonging to Mad Max himself, the V8 Interceptor is featured in Mad Max, Mad Max 2, and Fury Road—and it's been a Ford Falcon XB GT Coupe this whole time.

image from a front view car of Mad maxSAEED KHAN, Getty Images

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Ford Falcon XB GT Coupe 1973 "Razor Cola" aka "Caltrop no.6"

The V8 Interceptor gets wrecked, and from the ashes came Razor Cola, this time driven by a warboy named Strip

image from a car in mad maxWarner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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1937 Plymouth Sedan "Plymouth Rock"

You wouldn't recognize the 1937 Plymouth buggy in the movie—probably because it's covered in jagged metal spikes and looks like a hedgehog.

1937 Plymouth Sedan Warner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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Buick Special 4-door Sedan 1948 "Buick" aka "Polecat no.7"

An original Buick Special 4-door Sedan looks straight out of gangster movie. Fury Road's Polecat no.7 has seen a couple modifications—most notably massive, dually wheels in the back.

image of a mad max carWarner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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Chevrolet 5 Window Coupe 1934 "The Nux Car"

Nux's car is a 1935 Chevy 5 Window Coupe, modified and outfitted with fierce looking harpoons.

image of a Mad Max CarWarner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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Chevrolet Utility 1950 "Caltrop no.4"

Caltrop no.4 looks not too far off the Nux Car, but with the body of a 1950 Chevy Utility pickup truck.

image of Mad Max carWarner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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Dodge Charger 1971 "Caltrop no.1"

A Dodge Charger with massive rear wheels and a rear-mounted turret, Caltrop no.1 is pretty simple—but looks amazing.

1717080777342Warner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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Dodge Fargo 1940 "BigFoot"

Rictus Erectus drives what else but a monster truck, BigFoot. They actually started with a real monster truck, but threw a 1940 Dodge Fargo chassis on the top.

image of car flying in the airWarner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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Ford F-100 "Tyre Medic" aka "Buggy no.1"

The idea behind the Tyre Medic is that it could provide tires for other vehicles in a convoy. If you look close, you can probably tell that it started as a regular Ford F-100

image of a Ford F250 1980 Warner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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Ford 3 Window Coupe 1932 "Elvis" aka "Convoy no.1"

Looking like a classic hotrod, "Convoy no.1" was originally a 1932 Ford 3 Window Coupe before Ian "Elvis" Davis got to it and made it something worth of the Fury Road.

image of a car from mad maxSAEED KHAN, Getty Images

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Ford F250 1980 "Clawcar no.1"

Clawcar no.1, built around a 1980 Ford F250, looks almost like a regular tow truck at first—but that gigantic claw on the back is definitely not standard.

1717080835957Warner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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Hillman Minx 1940 aka Buzzard no. 5

You maybe haven't heard of the Hillman Minx, but it was produced in Britain from 1931 to 1970—and a 1940 version was transformed in Buzzard no.5 for Fury Road.

cars driving image from Mad maxWarner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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Holden EK Special Station Wagon 1961 "Ploughboy" aka "Clawcar no.4"

The Ploughboy attempts to slow down the War Rig in Fury Road by harpooning the truck and dropping its plow into the sand. It looks like a monster truck—but it's really just a 1961 station wagon from Australian car manufacturer Holden.

image of Holden EK Special Station Wagon 1961 Warner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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Holden FJ Utility "Cranky Frank" aka "Caltrop no.3"

Cranky Frank is probably the best name of any car in Fury Road. It was built from a Holden FJ Utility truck, and it's one of the few vehicles from production that still survives.

image of a card from Mad maxWarner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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Holden Monaro

The Holden Monaro was Australia's own muscle car, and two of them are briefly seen in the War Boys' convoy in Fury Road, equipped with flamethrowers.

image of  Ford Falcon XB GT Coupe 1973 Warner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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Mini Cooper S 1964 "Buggy no.8" aka "The Mini"

You probably didn't notice the modified 1964 Mini Cooper S known as "Buggy no.8" in Fury Road. That's because director George Miller thought it looked dumb so he put it way in the back of shots.

image form mad max filmWarner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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Nissan Skyline R32 "Caltrop no.2"

If you spotted the Nissan Skyline R32 in Fury Road, you deserve a cookie.

image of cars ridingWarner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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Perentti "Buggy no.9"

Buggy no.9 might look like a Corvette, but it's actually a Perentti, a fiberglass copy of the Corvette made by Australian company Custom Performance in the 70s.

image of a ruined car from mad maxAngela Papuga, Getty Images

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Volkswagen Beetle "FDK" aka "Firecar no.3"

When you look at Fury Road's Firecar no.3, you can barely even tell there's a Volkswagen beetle underneath, but that's what it started life as. 

image of a mad max car wheelSAEED KHAN, Getty Images

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Yamaha R1 2010 "Vuvalini Bike no.2"

Even the Vuvalini's bikes were real, based on the 2010 Yamaha R1, which is nearly unrecognizable from its final appearance in the film.

image of a woman riding motorcycleWarner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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AM General M814 "The People Eater's Limousine"

AM General built the original Humvee and other heavy vehicles for military use—including the M814 6x6 truck that served as the skeleton for the People Eater's Limousine.

1717081128958Warner Bros. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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Cadillac Eldorado "Caltrop no.5"

A Cadillac Eldorado with hydraulic suspension and slick paint job will catch anyone's eye going down the street. So would the lifted Caltrop no.5—but probably because of the massive turret in the passenger seat.

Mad max cars on display at Tokyo Comic Conimage_vulture, Shutterstock


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