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The Ten Greatest Movie Cars

 


Value of a real Ferrari 250 GT California is about
$25,000,000
 
280 bhp, 2,953 cc single overhead camshaft V-12
engine, three Weber carburettors, four-speed gearbox,
independent front suspension via A-arms, coil springs
and telescopic shock absorbers, live rear axle with
semi-elliptical springs and telescopic shock absorbers,
four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes.
Wheelbase: 2,400 mm (94.5 in.)

One of the Modena Spyder copies from the movie
sold atauction  for $128,472 in April 2010
1961 Ferrari 250 GT California "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
It is a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California. It belongs to the father of Cameron Frye, Ferris Bueller's best friend. And, as he explains, fewer than 100 were ever made. It is his father's pride and joy. So, naturally, Ferris steals it and drives it to Chicago with it. But it's what happens when the car comes back that makes it stand out ... namely Cameron, in a 'fuck you' to his dad that's been a long time coming, flies into a rage and kicks the crap out of it. "You killed the car," says Ferris. Sure, but because of it, he might just have got a monkey off his back that would have lasted a lifetime.

 "The insert shots of the Ferrari were of the real 250 GT California", Hughes explains in the DVD commentary. "The cars we used in the wide shots were obviously reproductions. There were only 100 of these cars, so it was way too expensive to destroy. We had a number of replicas made. They were pretty good, but for the tight shots I needed a real one, so we brought one in to the stage and shot the inserts with it.
Prior to filming, Hughes learned about Modena Design and Development who produced the Modena Spyder California, a replica of the Ferrari 250 GT.  Hughes saw a mention of the company in a car magazine and decided to research them.

The "replicar" was "universally hated by the crew", said Ruck. "It didn't work right." The scene in which Ferris turns off the car to leave it with the garage attendant had to be shot a dozen times because it would not start. The car was built with a real wheel base, but used a Ford V8 engine instead of a V12.  At the time of filming, the original 250 GT California model was worth $350,000. Since the release of the film, it has become one of the most expensive cars ever sold, going at auction in 2008 for $10,976,000.