The Most Famous Cars in the History of TV

The relationship between television and the automobile is as twisted and dramatic as a script from one of Aaron Spelling’s many hit shows.

It features some of the earliest forms of product placement. And while it’s impossible to quantify how many cars were sold as a result of their presence in prime-time, looking at those old shows through today’s contemporary lens provides something more valuable than data.

The cars have the quality of artifacts at an archeological dig, giving us clues about what the people of that time period valued, how they viewed themselves, and like primitive people, what they worshipped. There’s a vast subculture devoted to TV cars, with online forums and public events often drawing more fans than the actual stars of the long-shuttered shows.

Consider this collection a kaleidoscope of Americana. It’s not a ranked list from top to bottom (although we have our favorites). With so much diversity (sedans, sports cars, cartoon-like creations), over so many decades, it’s impossible to do that in good conscience.

In the words of the classic TV cliche: “Follow that car!”

Show: The Mary Tyler Moore Show

Seasons: 7

Airdates: Sept. 19, 1970 – March 19, 1977

Network: CBS

In the opening credits of Seasons 1 and 2, we see Mary Richards driving into Minneapolis in a 6-cylinder Mustang hardtop, fresh off a failed relationship and looking for a new start in life. Rolling next to her in one freeway clip is a lumbering blue Cadillac, giving Mary’s white 1970 coupe a lithe, nimble presence.

The car didn’t get a lot of screen time, as most of the action in the show was in her apartment or at WJM-TV, where she worked. The car was shown in front of the house in which Mary lived in an upstairs apartment in the show’s early seasons. The stock ‘Stang was swapped out a couple of years later for a yellow 1973 Mustang convertible in an episode in which Mary and pal Rhoda visit a dealer and experience sticker-shock.

Notably, the images of the first car rolling into town were accompanied by the theme song “Love is all around” and the timeless line “You’re gonna make it after all.” The car wasn’t as central to that sequence as the famed hat toss in a bustling downtown. But it played a role in the show’s captivating intro, and its subtle presence spoke to car fans of that era.

Show: Knight Rider

Seasons: 4

Airdates: Sept. 26, 1982 – April 4, 1986

Network: NBC

The science-fiction-tinged action drama that made (for better or worse) a household name out of David Hasselhoff, was defined by two things – Hasselhoff’s magnificent mane, of course, and his co-star, the 1982 Pontiac Trans Am that was transformed into the Knight Industries Two Thousand (KITT).  

The artificially intelligent automobile spoke (it possessed a bit of an attitude, voiced cleverly by William Daniels), and tracked to any destination without any driver input than voice command. Oh yeah, it could travel at speeds up to 200 mph and was virtually indestructible. 

In the lead character of Michael Knight, Hasselhoff and KITT fought crime under the umbrella of an organization called the Foundation for Law and Government (FLAG). Notably, for the testosterone-drenched show, the chief engineer in charge of KITT’s car was a woman, Dr. Bonnie Barstow.

The car cost the production company $100,000 to build, with the red front-mounted scanner bar (which allowed it to see), modified dash, and other hi-tech interior additions designed by consultant Michael Scheffe. The list of “standard features” controlled by the internal supercomputer is long: turbojet power, rocket boosters, an ejector seat, satellite communications, radar, laser defense system, traction spikes, a grappling hook, flame throwers, and of course, as was de rigueur for the decade, the T-Top roof system that allowed big ‘80s hair to billow in the wind.

There was also KITT’s evil twin, known as KARR, an acronym for Knight Automated Roving Robot. But we won’t … go down that road.  

Show: The A-Team

Seasons: 5

Airdates: Jan. 23, 1983 – March 8, 1987

Network: NBC

The burly black-and-grey machine with a slashing red stripe was the fifth member of the hooligan outfit. Driven by Mr. T, known in the show as “B.A. Baracus,” the van achieved iconic status in the 1980s with its black and red turbine mag wheels, rooftop spoiler, quad-tip exhaust, mobile telephone and radio, front brushbar, fog lights, and 350 cubic-inch V8.

Known in the industry as a G-Series or a G20 van, it appeared in every episode, hauling a bunch of ex-U.S. Special Forces, now mercenaries on the run from the Army, from one chaotic (and often indecipherable) adventure to the next. High-speed chases and violent jumps were a plot staple; according to a former stunt coordinator, eight vans were destroyed over the show’s 98-episode run.

By the end of the series, the crew was left with just a pair of first-unit vans and one second-unit van. Care to see one hurtle through the air? Try “A-Team van jump” on YouTube for a healthy collection of vehicular violence.

Footnote: The van used for the 2010 movie starring Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, and Jessica Biel was a custom 1994 Chevrolet G20.

Show: The Avengers

Seasons: 6

Airdates: Jan. 7, 1961 – May 21, 1969

Network: ABC (1961-69) Emma Peel’s sleek white and powder blue British convertibles were among an eye-popping lineup in the acclaimed show, most of them driven by her male counterpart, secret agent John Steed. 

Outfitted with a CB radio (notable in its day), she drove it at high speeds down a collection of classic British country roads, hedges, and stone walls perilously close. It was part of her strong heroine character, highlighted by her mastery of martial arts and fencing. 

Although she piloted several vehicles, it’s the Elans that people remember actress Diana Rigg driving. For the black and white episodes (1966) it was a Lotus Elan S2, followed by the more recognizable S3.

The Elan was known for its combination of a powerful engine and lightweight, and an eye-catching aerodynamic shape. The 1967 official Lotus sales brochure, as noted by the website of the famed Colin Chapman Lotus Museum, says it was a car for “a gender discerning owner.”

Contemporary reviews of the car were glowing, with Road and Track crediting it with a “weird, physics-defying sense of zero weight transfer in corners … a sensation akin to flying just over ground.”