7 Famous Chevys in Pop Culture & Cinema

Movies and cars have been inseparable since the dawn of the automobile and motion picture industries. Both emerged at roughly the same time, so it makes sense when you think about it. Nowadays, a blockbuster movie often includes a car crash, epic chase, or high-speed getaway. 

Whether it’s in “The Blues Brothers,” “Bullitt,” or “The Fast and the Furious,” including a great car makes any movie (especially an action one) even better. Read on to discover the iconic Chevys you may have seen on the big screen. And when you’re ready, come find a Chevy for your own starring role at Monument Chevrolet in Pasadena, Texas. With our vast selection of new and used Chevys, commitment to service after the sale, and friendly hometown deals, we’ll make you a customer for life. 

7 Famous Chevys You May Have Seen on the Big Screen

Here are some of the iconic Chevrolet vehicles used in popular movies:

Chevrolet Step-Van: “Cheech & Chong’s Up in Smoke”

The Chevrolet Step-Van in the cult classic movie “Up in Smoke” plays nearly as big a role as actors Tommy Chong and Cheech Marin. The movie’s premise is that the van is built entirely of marijuana. Unknowingly, the actors drive the Chevy from Mexico to the U.S., narrowly avoiding arrest and getting into all kinds of trouble along the way. 

Because of the movie, the Chevrolet Step-Van, first released in the 1920s, quickly became a popular delivery vehicle for companies including Frito-Lay, FedEx, and UPS. In the 1990s, the production of Chevrolet Step-Vans halted. However, its reputation lives on, thanks to its memorable movie role. 

Chevrolet 150: “American Graffiti”

The 1973 film “American Graffiti,” directed by George Lucas, featured three 1955 Chevrolet 150s. This classic film is popular for its all-star cast that includes Wolfman Jack, Suzanne Sommers, Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, and Harrison Ford. It’s a coming-of-age comedy that features a group of high school seniors as they engage in a final night of cruising before their graduation.

The Chevrolet 150 showcased a revamped chassis and Chevy’s newly introduced small-block V-8 engine. At that time, people also had the option of selecting from three types of transmission and three different engines, which ranged from 123 to 162 horsepower. 

Chevrolet El Camino: “Harold and Maude” 

The 1968 Chevrolet El Camino played a starring role in the 1971 dark comedy “Harold and Maude.” The vehicle had its big scene when Maude, played by Ruth Gordon, drives through a toll booth, and the police subsequently try to stop her. The getaway chase features a series of donuts and wraps up with the officer’s bike stalling out. 

This unmistakable Chevy was nicknamed a “coupé utility” vehicle. After the film, the model’s popularity took off across the U.S. The El Camino came standard with a 366-cubic-inch Turbo-Jet big-block engine that could generate around 375 horsepower. This engine was paired with a three-speed transmission. 

Chevrolet Suburban: “The Sopranos”

The 1999 Chevrolet Suburban was one of the four-wheeled stars of HBO’s crime drama television series “The Sopranos.” It came with a heavy steel guard on the front. Besides appearing in the opening credits for all six seasons of the show, the Suburban played a role in several memorable scenes during the show’s first four seasons, including one episode in which Tony Soprano (played by James Gandolfini) blacks out while driving after a panic attack and another where he fights his way out of a mob hit by two gunmen outside of a convenience store. 

In 2013, the show’s production company auctioned off the truck and sold it for around $110,000, with James Gandolfini signing the sun visor on the driver’s side. 

Chevrolet Lumina: “Days of Thunder”

The 1990 Chevrolet Lumina appeared in “Days of the Thunder” with Tom Cruise. Cruise plays the character Cole Trickle in the film, and the Lumina is his race car. The vehicle appeared as a NASCAR racer with all the specs. Throughout the movie, the Lumina gets wrecked and rebuilt with several paint jobs, but that’s common when it comes to NASCAR. 

The 1990 Chevrolet Lumina offered a variety of engines, including a 2.2-liter straight-four, a 2.5-liter straight-four, a 3.1-liter LHO V-6, and a 3.4-liter twin dual-cam V-6. 

Chevrolet 2500 Silverado Fleetside: “Kill Bill: Vol. 1”

The 1997 Chevrolet 2500 Silverado appears in “Kill Bill: Vol. 1,” directed by Quentin Tarantino. This canary-yellow truck belongs to The Bride, played by Uma Thurman, and is her first mode of transportation as she sets out on her journey to exact revenge. The vehicle only appears in the first film, as the director decided to take it home. He drove it as his day-to-day vehicle to promote the second chapter of the movie. The truck also appeared in various music videos, including Missy Elliot’s “I’m Really Hot” and Lady Gaga’s “Telephone.”

Chevrolet Camaro: “Transformers”

The Chevrolet Camaro became popular among the younger generations due to its appearances in the series of “Transformers” science-fiction action films. In the original film, Bumblebee, an Autobot, starts out as a beat-up second-generation 1977 Chevrolet Camaro. It eventually evolves into a modern fifth-generation Chevy model. The movie “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” released in 2014, features a yellow and black 2014 Camaro model inspired by the 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS. 

The Transformers franchise has done a lot to boost the popularity of the Camaro, bumping it up to become one of the top-selling sports cars on the market. Chevy eventually capitalized on this and released a Special Transformer Edition with black rally stripes and an Autobot badge. 

In 2019, all four “Bumblebee” cars used in the Transformers series sold at auction to Rick Hendrick, a NASCAR team owner, for a whopping $500,000. Chevrolet donated the proceeds from the sale to Operation Homefront, an organization that provides military families with housing and other services.

Get a Chevy for Your Own Starring Role at Monument Chevrolet

Since the beginning of cinema, Chevy vehicles and movies have gone together like milk and cookies. Did we miss any of your favorite Chevrolet-featuring movies? Drop us a line or call us at (713) 581-8123 so we can add it to our list. And if you need an iconic Chevy to star in your own unique American story, come see us at Monument Chevrolet or check out our vast selection of new and used Chevy vehicles today. You can also use our online tool  to quickly find the Chevy that suits your lifestyle and budget. 

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