Edmunds CarPool

I realize that focusing on or even just noticing this aspect of shows and movies may help to certify me as a car geek (I prefer enthusiast :-)) but I'm with you Karl. When I watch a show or movie I'm most interested in realism and believability and a constant barrage of the same brand of car is neither, and sometimes borders on irritating - an endless commercial. As good as "24" is....all the official vehicles are Fords and the bad guys all drive Toyotas - even the ones that are commandeered with the "I'm a federal agent" line are all magically Toyotas (there was a cameo by one Maserati this season). But, as you noted, it has been going on forever and probably isn't going to go away. One current show that comes to mind that doesn't seem to follow this pattern is "Prison Break" - a wide and varied selection of cars and trucks – new and old. Hmmm.......ironically it's a show that seems fairly believable and I really enjoy watching. Although, among a few other things, the brother's hair never seems to grow despite all that time on the run - and I don't see them toting around a pair of clippers :-).
  
You can imagine my wife probably really enjoys watching the tube with me as I feel compelled to verbalize all these random thoughts and observations. I hope you enjoy the movie/time with your son anyway.

Ever since I was little, I've had a hard time waking up early, but on Saturday mornings I'd be up early enough to bother my parents because Transformers was on. Had a few toys (which I remember being much more solid than the new ones).
 
But the movie doesn't remind me of the show at all; I don't think I care enough to go watch it. It's a big excuse to put a Mustang vs. Camaro battle on-screen and making Bumblebee the Camaro just makes it look even more forced.
 
On the other hand, it's a good move by GM to make the Camaro seem nice and friendly; I think it died last time because it had such a limited audience compared to the Mustang.

"You can imagine my wife probably really enjoys watching the tube with me as I feel compelled to verbalize all these random thoughts and observations."
 
Right there with you Rick. The wife has become an expert on cars in general, and TV/movie cars in particular -- and she's not very happy about it!

That’s funny Karl…..I’ll add another parallel item that comes to mind which often isn’t met with “as much” patience from my wife - the long standing habit of mine to lower one or both car windows when the opportunity arises to take in the melodious exhaust note of any number of cars that meet the proper criteria. Her level of patience seems to be tied directly to the mercury level – north of 90 or south of 30 seem to be especially problematic.
 
At least you make your living in the auto industry!
 
BTW - I enjoyed your piece about the Hot Wheels Sizzlers – I have fond and vivid memories of playing with mine (just a few years ago).

Just a minor clarification/nit: Live and Let Die was an AMC-fest. However, I think Ford has the longest history with Bond starting with the Mustangs in Goldfinger, Thunderball and Diamonds are Forever.
 
And yes, I'm a geek :-)

"Live and Let Die was an AMC-fest."
 
Yeah remember the jumping hornet (pathetic) or even worse the flying Javelin.

Live and Let Die…..simultaneous historical high and low points…..High for AMC, Low for Bond - pathetic is right.

As Edmunds' resident James Bond expert, I must jump in and correct these egregious errors. First, "The Man With the Golden Gun" featured AMC vehicles, not "Live and Let Die." In 1974's "Golden Gun" Bond steals an AMC Hornet from a dealership in Thailand to pursue the villain who was driving a gold AMC Matador (not a Javelin). That's the car that escapes by flying away.
 
There was a reason for AMC's presence in "Golden Gun," though. The barrel-roll stunt brett8210 mentioned was performed by a stunt driver who had been doing this stunt in shows across the country using an AMC Hornet. To properly and safely recreate the stunt, he needed the same car.
 
7 Driver was correct about Mustangs being in those films. Ford vehicles also appeared in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (Tracy Bond's Mercury Cougar), "A View to a Kill" (an unfortunate Ford LTD), "Die Another Day" (Thunderbird, AM Vanquish, Jag XKR) and "Casino Royale" (AM DBS, Ford Mondeo, Jag XJ and a whole parking lot). These were cars Bond drove or were prominantly featured, not necessarily the "Bond Car." Bond Cars included Lotus cars in two films, BMWs in three and Aston Martins (pre and post Ford) in 8.

I sit corrected - well done jriz!

I hardly think "Live and Let Die" was a lowpoint in the Bond franchise. That was Roger Moore's debut and one of the better Bond movies he made.
 
I love car product placement in movies, it makes them more interesting. 24 is famous for auto placement. It used to be Ford but now its Ford and Toyota. Something seems strange about seeing anyone using a Toyota in a chase scene, it's just unnatural.
 
Bond movies probably started the whole car in movie as advertisement/part of action idea.

D'oh! I am deeply embarassed for crossing Live and Let Die with Golden Gun.
 
On the other hand, thanks for nothing for reminding us that the traitorious Bond drove Bimmers for a while, issued by Q, no less!
 
And while we're on the subject, why is the Mustang seems to get all the hero spots (Bullitt, Gone in Sixty Secs, Starman) while the Charger seems to always be the bad boy's ride (Bullitt, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, Fast and the Furious), the flying orange one notwithstanding.

Thanks for the correction on the Bond thing. I guess I thought since it was a two door it had to be a Javelin. I forgot the Matador even came in a two door, because the four door looked so much different.
 
The first two seasons of 24 were dominated by Jack's Suburban (GMC). It wasn't until the third season that they went to Ford. When they did the commercial free episode.

As another aside. Do you guys watch the show "Numbers?"
 
They do a good job mixing in different cars. The main guy usually drives a Tahoe, but his friends drive Commander, a Charger, an Old Ford Model A, a Prius (his brother).
 
One of the investigators drove a TL. The bad guys drive all kinds as well.
 
But what I HATE THE MOST is when a character starts a movie or TV show driving something and then switches midway without an explanation.
 
The MOST BLATENT example of this is in Mr. and Mrs. Smith. In the beginning Brad Pitt is driving a CTS and then halfway into the movie he is driving a Town Car.

I started watching the 2nd season, but I forgot Jack was using GM vehicles to save the world. Its really interesting how Ford and Toyota are splitting vehicular duties on the show.
 
Desperate Housewives actually uses a lot of brands, but rarely GM. I've seen a 300, Maxima, Titan, Volvo wagon, lacrosse, Aston Martin, S-type, Mustang and other cars on the show.
 
People who dont know much about cars (most people) definitely do not notice intentional car placements.

I last Bond movie all cars were Fords. But Matrix scene looked really wierd as if all cars in the movie were rentals!

There are many things I don’t understand that the movie industry does but I do have an uneducated theory on this subject. Seeing as how there are so many Americans that would not even notice if every car in a movie was the same model, much less the same brand, I contribute brand saturation to convenience. I’m sure it is much easier to convince one company to provide vehicles for your movie than going through the hassle of convincing several. I don’t know who’s job it is in a movie production to contact car manufactures for use of there products but it would be interesting to talk to one of them and find out how the process works.

Bill Buchanan used the Toyota Tundra to save Jack Bauer last night. In effect, war with the Russians was averted and Jack saved his grandson.
 
In Internet-speak - "Toyota Tundra FTW!" (for the win)

I noticed the same thing last night Suby.....second loaded up Tundra in just a couple episodes. Jack was driving one a couple of weeks ago. I of course pointed this out to my wife - she said I was deranged and only I would notice this. I'll be happy to let her know (once again) that I'm not alone.

My wife gets visually disturbed everytime I pause the Tivo because of something like this.
 
One time I stopped the movie and started "informing" her that what we were seeing was impossible, because the movie was set in 1957 and the protanganist was driving a 1960 Impala. She looked at me with a look of half confusion, and half disbelief that I would know this, and that anyone would care.
 
To me it just made the chick flick tolerable to watch.

LOL....we're in the same boat Brett!

So anyway, back to the Transformers...
As much as I wanted to believe something like this couldn't repeat couldn't happen, it has. Cases in point:
Bumblebee- VW Beetle (at least a GTI or R32)
Ironhide - big random van, now a GMC Topkick
there are several more that go without saying, but the one that irks me the most just happens to be what Karl had as a picture for this blog entry: Jazz as a POS Pontiac Solstice. Jazz was, and always should be a Porsche 911. The end.
Transformers was never beyond product placement, the robots turn into cars for crying out loud, but at least get the right cars in there.
If the producers wanted a new Camaro (can't blam them, it looks to be a nutjob of a fast piece) here's an idea. The character's name is Hotrod. Judd Nelson in the 1987 animated movie.
Sorry everyone, I just got nerdcore.

Great additional input rkoe. I don't know enough about The Transformers to call out the specifics you mention (though even I know Bumblebee is a VW Beetle, not a Camaro), but your examples further illustrate the point.
 
The producers' attitude should have been, "Okay, here are the models we need to make this movie, and of course we're going to use them. Now, AFTER we've confirmed the models we need, go ahead and call the appropriate automakers and see if they want to provide vehicles and/or pay for the placement. And if they don't, well, we're STILL using the right vehicles."
 
Obviously too much to hope for. Never forget the second word in the term, "Show Business"

TRANSFORMERS has been around awhile, first as a cheapo Korean syndicated cartoon produced from 1984 through 1987, which proved amazingly successful, followed in 1988 by Transformers: Super-God Masterforce, and in 1990 by Transformers: The Headmasters. This then mutated into Beast Wars, and mutated again in to Beast Machines:Transformers, and yet again in 2002 Transformers: Armada. and then....
ohhh, I give up.
 
Why not pay a visit to winkpedia.org
 
Look for Transformers_series
 
and you can see all the details of the transformers history, including info on the upcoming new animated series (helmed and designed by the crew behind WB Batman, Teen Titans) this Fall !!

Car & Driver's July 2007 issue has a neat article on some show cars. It's amazing how slow some of them really are (e.g., DeLorean).

What a waste of a perfectly good opportunity to resurect a legendary title. I hope it bombs.