Debuting in 2001, the original The Fast and the Furious was a relatively low profile affair that helped establish the heart and soul of the franchise. What was in that secret, hypnotic formula? Well, built on a satisfying cocktail of women, action and cars, the franchise developed the perfect balance for the action/car genre, a balance that taps into the inner gear head spirit and always gives the audience what it wants.
Check out what world-renowned critic Todd McCarthy had to say about the original flick when it was first dropped; “Unlike last year’s arch, phony and sentimental “Gone in Sixty Seconds” remake, “Fast” gets down in an honest and direct manner and gives the feel of being rooted in a certain subculture’s genuine obsession for hot wheels, a preoccupation that defines the characters’ way of life.”
He adds that it’s also, “A gritty and gratifying thrill; Rob Cohen’s high-octane hot-car meller is a true rarity these days, a really good exploitationer, the sort of thing that would rule at drive-ins if they still existed.”
That’s high praise at its finest. Amazingly, to this day, all of those sentiments still hold true for a $2.3 billion franchise that has– through a tight rope balance of re-invention and sticking true to its roots– lived long past expectations.
And it’s a franchise that’s still far from dead. In fact, as you may already know, the 7th installment has already been amped up and is now ready to debut on April 3rd of this year. In the film, we will once again be given a smorgasbord of today’s best action stars… Paul Walker (RIP), Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Kurt Russell, Tyrese Gibson, and Iggy Azalea (weird, but interesting).
Even more importantly, though, we will once again be given an earth rattling lineup of premier automobiles. So, with us being 4wheelonline and everything, we will take you through and give you the close-up view of what to expect from this amazing lineup…
The first vehicle included in the film that we’ll talk about is the Bugatti 16.4 Veyron. This mid-engined supercar hits a mind melting top speed of 252.97 miles per hour and was named the Car of the Decade (2000-2009) by Top Gear.
In a perfect-rated review of the vehicle, Car and Driver says, “Perhaps the greatest supercar ever, the Veyron 16.4 was for those with all the money in the world and a desire to go blisteringly fast.”
In the official trailer of the new film, we see Tyrese stepping out from this bad boy.
The next vehicle that is set to be featured in the 7th film is the Ferrari 458 Italia. Featuring a 562-hp V8 with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, this ride is a sports car God-send. But too bad you’d have to sell your soul to afford it; it’s priced at a bank-breaking $243,000.
Still, that doesn’t take away from it’s performance capabilities. Car and Driver says of the car, “As instruments of pure speed, few cars can touch the 458 Italia and its convertible counterpart, the 458 Spider… [It’s] as pure a sports car as anything on the road.”
Based on the trailer, it looks like Ludacris will be handling this monster.
As to be expected, Vin Diesel will be returning in his classic Plymouth Barracuda. As always, the ride is sure to feature some sick mods, and we can’t wait to see it return to the screen!!
With a slew of ultimate supercars, the Dodge Viper SRT-10 is actually a sleeper in this flick. However, that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t get wild behind the wheel of this 500 horsepower V10.
Car and Driver says of the car, “The Viper is both all-American and a true exotic, with lots of curves and bulges to let you know it means business. The long nose, bodacious body, and predatory stare give the Viper menacing looks.” That’s for sure!!
That’s a quick overview of some of the biggest name cars in the upcoming film, but to see some more behind the scenes footage of the film’s cars, check out the sick video below…
4Wheel Online Blog - Automotive News 