As you read this, action movie aficionados and petrolheads alike will be packing cinemas to catch Hollywood’s latest mindless summer blockbuster offering Speed Racer.

The Wachowski Brothers helmed film will be based on the ‘60s animated series of the same name. And judging by early trailers, it looks like the siblings responsible for the Matrix have tried to inject all the true elements of the Saturday morning cartoon into their latest project, right down to the migraine-inducing bright neon colours.

While not wanting to automatically put the movie in the bargain basement DVD bin next to Gigli and Batman & Robin, Speed Racer is unlikely to win any awards (MTV Movie Awards and Razzies don’t count) but it has one saving grace. The star of the show: the Mach 5.

Okay, so the car doesn’t really exist but that didn’t stop the filmmakers from creating several scale models of the Mach 5 which will find life as film props, stunt mobiles and promo fodder to exploit during junkets and screenings. Non-existent or not, there is no denying the Mach 5 looks good up on the big screen, so much so that some of us wouldn’t even mind (reluctantly) trading our MYVI’s in for one. Yeah, right. Who are we kidding? We’d swap in an instant.

But would we swap this amazing vehicle for some of the other iconic silver screenstar cars that have made the leap from the highway into our hearts?

Herbie
In real life, the Volkswagen beetle was nothing more than a rear engine air-cooled cheap runabout, which had a lengthy run as Mexico’s taxi of choice. The Disney classic Herbie changed all that though as it breathed life into good old ‘No.53’ making it one of film’s most loved characters. It even withstood the test of time across four films and was enjoyably manhandled by Lindsay Lohan in 2005’s Herbie: Fully Loaded.

Bumblebee
In a move of sheer marketing ingenuity, General Motors found a perfect platform to promote its new range of cars in last year’s summer smash Transformers. Basically an entertaining two-hour ad for GM, the centrepiece of the Michael Bay movie relied on the chemistry of Shia Lebeuf and a bright yellow Chevrolet Camaro. A blatant and shallow effort on the part of the filmmakers to tug at the heart strings of potential buyers of the yet-to-be-released model. But looking at the sales...it worked.

Eleanor
When Gone in 60 Seconds hit screens, the Shelby GT500 Mustang was already a classic. The film however gave the car a name. ‘Eleanor’, as the ‘67 Shelby would be known, was restored by the renowned Chip Foose. The movie wasn’t a hit at the box office but Foose created a winner in Eleanor as numerous Shelby Mustangs have received a renaissance of sorts, with restoration works suddenly popular, almost all in the mould of the star of Gone in 60 Seconds.

Aston Martin DB6
Ever since Goldfinger, the DB6 has been and will be forever immortalised as the chosen vehicle of James Bond. Throughout his many appearances on screen, 007 has fought off baddies in other Astons, an underwater Lotus and heaven forbid, even a BMW, but the DB6 has always remained synonymous with the fictional British agent. He even won one in a poker game in 2006’s Casino Royale.

Ford Grand Torino
70s TV cop drama Starsky & Hutch proved to be a perfect vehicle (pun intended) to boost the appeal of the 1974 Ford Gran Torino. Every week, viewers were treated to the dynamic duo chasing villains in a tomato red, white striped Torino. The plotlines of the series were laughably weak at times but the Torino became an icon and still managed to look good after 30 years in the movie version starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson.

Batmobile
Despite being a superhero with no powers, Batman had two saving graces, his utility belt and the Batmobile he used to roam the streets of Gotham City. The Dark Knight’s vehicle of choice has seen many incarnations on both the TV and big screen, but the favourites amongst fans where unquestionably Adam West’s camp 60s TV version and Tim Burton’s sleek machine in Batman.

The Mini
English cinema at its finest, Michael Caine at his loudest, and silver screen cars at their most iconic. It is movie legend that the Mini was not the first choice to appear in The Italian Job, but you couldn’t now imagine the movie with any other vehicle. Michael Caine’s gang undertake a thrilling heist on the Bank of Rome escaping in the tiny cars over, under and through the city before transferring to a coach that leaves them and the loot dangling precariously over the Alps. Should have stuck to the Mini’s lads.