Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Based on Ian Fleming's book, and with a script written by Roald Dahl, how could this film possibly fail? Probably the most endearing caricature of a car, ever (although see Herbie, below...). Who hasn't dreamt of owning a flying car? The film hero was based on the aero-engined racing Chitty Bang Bang, built and raced by Count Zborowski at Brooklands in 1921. At the time, it had a Mercedes chassis and a 23-litre, six-cylinder Maybach engine. It reached a speed of 100.75mph in its debut appearance in the Brooklands Short Handicap.