Films and cars have have experienced quite the love affair throughout cinema history. Car chase scenes, popularized by actors like Sean Connery and Steve McQueen, became a staple of the New Hollywood epoch in the 1960’s. Countless beloved movies, from Back to the Future to Ferris Bueller to Mad Max: Fury Road, are synonymous with the iconic cars associated with them.

This cinematic romance with automobiles has only grown stronger over the years, with Ford v Ferrari earning a Best Picture nomination in 2020 and Fast and the Furious releasing its tenth mainline edition this summer, with an eleventh (and two additional spin-offs) in the pipeline. The racing video game franchise Gran Turismo even transitioned to the big screen recently.

However, a lot of our understanding about automobiles, gleaned from these cinematic portrayals, is more fiction than fact. Let’s attempt to separate movie magic from reality, especially when it comes to the following myths.

Landing a Jump Means the Car is Totally Fine

Cinema would have us believe that cars can make perfect jumps from ridiculous heights and continue on their journey unscathed. (See the 2004 version of Starsky and Hutch for one of the most egregious examples). The laws of physics denounce this concept resolutely.

Even minor jumps or unorthodox terrains can lead to a slew of car problems including tire damage, suspension failure, and engine issues. Even if there don’t appear to be issues on the surface, your vehicle could be suffering from internal damage.

Nitrous Oxide Activates Warp Speed

The nitrous oxide button, made famous in movies like Fast and the Furious and Mad Max 2, is often portrayed as a deus ex machina, a magic button capable of thrusting cars into a hyper-accelerated state. When all is looking bleak for the protagonist, a boost of N.O. is a cure-all solution.

Nitrous oxide actually is a practical resource, capable of optimizing engine power for a brief period. That doesn’t mean it causes cars to defy the laws of physics. At most, nitrous oxide increases engine power by 10-15%.

“Drifting” is a Logical Racing Maneuver

The concept of “drifting”, made most famous by the third Fast and the Furious entry, Tokyo Drift, is a curious one. While drifting, drivers engage in a controlled sideways skid meant to propel them forward at a boosted acceleration.

In reality, skidding during a race is counterproductive. Maintaining speed requires rolling in corners, not skidding. The next time you watch a Formula One race, take note of the lack of skid marks on the racetrack. It’s almost as if the greatest drivers in the world are aware of how counterintuitive drifting actually is.

Cars Are Impervious to Mother Nature

In the sunny Hollywood, dramatic weather is less an act of nature and more a tool for creating tension in the plot. Unless the director has a fascination for chasing tempests in their free time, the extreme rain and snow you witness are often the fruit of meticulous set design or CGI. Similarly, the vehicles in these scenarios behave in ways that stretch the imagination.

For every film like I’m Thinking of Ending Things, where Jesse Plemons makes a case for the practicality of snow chains, there exists a scene like the one in Fate of the Furious, where vehicles race and skid across a frozen tundra as though it’s an empty parking lot. Before you consider pushing your vehicle to perform against the harshness of a blizzard, bear in mind that even dropping temperature typical of Autumn can lead to increased risk of battery failure.

A Lone Bullet Hitting the Gas Tank Causes an Explosion

Villains in movies always aim for the gas flap, because a perfectly aimed shot equals an instant explosion, right? In reality, a bullet striking a fuel tank would merely create a hole. For an explosion to occur, a blend of fuel and oxygen is necessary, and fuel tanks do not contain the required amount of oxygen for such an event.

Also be aware that using your car as a shield is not truly safe. Most cars in the real world are not, we repeat not, bullet proof.

Now that we’ve established the difference between fiction and reality, continue to enjoy your movie nights! Just because we don’t live in a world of Matrix physics doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate the ludicrous highway scene from The Matrix: Reloaded. 

While you’re scrolling through your streaming service, deciding what to watch tonight, take a moment to check out our virtual showroom. If and when you like what you see, schedule a test drive today at Charge-A-Car LLC!