The Italian Job Voted Best Film by Classic Car Fans

As a fan of both classic cars and Italian architecture, I couldn't agree more with the results of a recent online poll which invited classic car fans to vote for their favourites in six categories: classic motoring movie; classic car in the movies; classic motorcycle; car chase, favourite classic in television; and the classic they would most like to see featured.


The 1969 film The Italian Job was voted the best classic motoring film of all time.

The film, in which Michael Caine's gang pulls off an audacious bullion robbery in Turin with the help of patriotically liveried Minis, beat the 1968 favourite Bullitt, starring Steve McQueen and a Ford Mustang, into second place.

The Aston Martin DB5 in Goldfinger and the Mini in The Italian Job were voted favourite classic cars in the movies, with the Triumph in The Great Escape and the Harley-Davidson in Easy Rider voted favourite motorbikes.

In the car chase category, it was once again the Italian Job Minis followed by McQueen's Ford Mustang in Bullitt.

The Jaguar Mk2 in Inspector Morse and the Audi Quattro in Ashes to Ashes were the favourite classic vehicles on television, while the E-type Jaguar and Mini Cooper were the most popular requests for classics to star on screen.

The poll forms part of the Classic Film Festival run by insurer Footman James at the Classic Motor Show, which takes place at the NEC Birmingham from November 16-18.

A selection of the top films in each category will be shown at Birmingham's Electric Cinema, the oldest working cinema in the UK, ahead of the show, in addition to being screened at Footman James' Vintage Cinema during the show.

source: telegraph.co.uk