Auto Countdown: Best Cars Featured in Transformers

The Transformers franchise has featured some of the best cars ever to hit the road as disguises for the robots. This is a list of the top 15 cars used in the Transformers franchise.
(Disclaimers: One car per brand. Earth cars only. No service or military vehicles.)



15. Toyota Hilux (Transformers G1: Autobot Hoist and Autobot Trailbreaker)

This truck is indestructible. Top Gear dropped it off an exploding building, yet the Hilux still was drivable. Top Gear drove a Hilux to the Magnetic North Pole. James May drove one up a volcano. However, I favor sports cars over trucks, so the Hilux starts the list at #15.


14. Lotus Esprit (Transformers G1: Decepticon Runabout)

The Lotus Esprit was a highly stylish sports car. It was fast and quick for sports car standards of the 1970s and 1980s. Lotus is known for having the best handling cars, and the Esprit was praised for its handling. However, the cars ahead of the Esprit outperform the Esprit.


13. Pontiac Trans-Am Firebird (Transformers G1: Decepticon Runamuck)

The Pontiac Trans-Am Firebird is Pontiac's entry into the Pony Car Wars. The Firebird came with a range of eight cylinder engines and options. The Trans-Am was popular in pop-culture. It was the car used in the Smokey and the Bandit franchise in addition to the Transformers G1 cartoon. The Firebird had a successful racing career, winning multiple pro stock and funny car championships. Unfortunately, GM ended the Pontiac brand in 2010.

12. Lancia Stratos (Transformers G1: Autobot Wheeljack)

The Lancia Stratos is one of the most successful rally cars. It has won the World Rally Championship in 1974, 1975, and 1976. It was powered by a 2.4L Dino V6 engine that produced 192 hp and had a 0-60 mph time under 5 seconds with a top speed of 144 mph. The Stratos is coming back in limited quiatity, with only 25 new Stratos planned to be produced. It is not the quickest or the fastest car used in the Transformers franchise and finds its way at the 12 spot on the list.

11. Saleen S281 Mustang (Transformers Live Films: Decepticon Barricade)

Nothing says Americana like the Ford Mustang. Saleen has tuned this pony to 485 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. The s281 is the most powerful of the Saleen tuned cars. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds and reaches a top speed of 154 mph. It is low on this list because there are faster, quicker, and better cars used in the Transformers franchise than the Saleen S281.


10. Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG (Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Decepticon Soundwave)

The SLS AMG is not one of my favorite cars to wear the Mercedes-Benz badge. The SLR McLaren is a much better car and the SLS AMG will never catch the spirit of the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing. But the SLS is a good car and one of the better cars used in the Transformers Film. To see my thoughts on the SLS AMG, click here.


9. Dodge Viper (Transformers Robots in Disguise: Autobot Sideburn)

The Dodge Viper is the fastest car made by the Chrysler. The Viper is a pure driver's car since there are no electronic driving aides on the Viper. It is one of only a few American cars to use a V10 engine. To see my thoughts on the Viper, click here. Since the Viper is faster than the SLS AMG, it sits at the 9 spot.

8. Chrysler ME Four-Twelve (Transformers Cybertron: Autobot Hot Shot)

I am not a fan of Chrysler, but the ME Four-Twelve was an incredible concept car revealed by Chrysler in 2004. It was going to be powered by a quad-turbocharged 6.0L V12 engine that produced 850 hp. Its projected performance was 0-60 time in 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 248 mph. It is a shame that this car was not put into production, even on a limited production run. This would have been the first car made by a big American car company that was faster than the legendary McLaren F1. Because it was not put into production, it sits at the 8 spot.


7. Aston Martin DBS (Transformers Prime: Decepticon Knockout)

Not many car companies can match the styling of an Aston Martin. I love the styling of the DBS. It is one of the most stylish cars used in the Transformers franchise. The Cars at 1 through 6 have great styling and outperform the DBS. To see my full thoughts on the Aston Martin, click here.


6. Audi R8 (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Decepticon Sideways)

I love this car. It is a high-performing, incredibly stylish supercar. Whether the R8 in the film was real or computer generated, Michael Bay should never have destroyed this beauty. To see my full thoughts on the Audi R8, click here.


5. Ferrari 458 Italia (Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Autobot Dino)

I love Ferraris. The 458 Italia is just another car in a long tradition of fast, stunning, highly stylish Ferraris. This car could outrun an Audi R8. The 458 Italia does not have the impact on the Automotive industry like the top four cars on this list, so it sits at the 4 spot. To see my full thoughts on the Ferrari 458 Italia, click here.


4. Chevrolet Corvette (Transformers G1: Autobot Freeway, Transformers G1: Autobot Tracks, and Transformers Live Films: Autobot Sideswipe)

The Corvette is one of the most iconic cars to come from America. It has been around since the 1950s. The Corvette is one of the longest running production cars. The C6 Corvette ZR1 can compete with modern Lamborghinis and Ferraris. The Corvette is atop the GM food chain (Sorry Chevrolet Camaro). Corvette engines have been used in Moslers, the SSC Ultimate Aero TT, and the Hennessey Venom GT. The cars ahead of the Corvette on this list pushed the limits for what a car can be and what a car can do.


3. Lamborghini Countach (Transformers G1: Decepticon Breakdown, Autobot Sunstreaker, and Autobot Red Alert)

The Lamborghini Countach was the fastest car when it came out. It is a work of art. The Countach is the ancestor to the Diablo and Murcielago. The Countach is known for its reverse method. There is no way to see out of the rear window. The driver would roll down the window, sit on the door, look out the back, and put the car in reverse. To see my thoughts on the Countach, click here.


2. Porsche 959 (Transformers Robot in Disguise: Autobot Hot Shot)

The Porsche 959 is one of the most important supercars ever made. It was the fastest car on the road when it first hit the road, with a top speed exceeding 195 mph. It was dethrowned by the Ferrari F40. The 959 is filled with the latest automotive technology of the 1980s. It was the first car to have tire pressure sensors. It had adjustable suspension, all-wheel drive and Porsche's first ever six-speed transmission. The Porsche 959 was very expensive when it came out. It sits at the 2 spot because the car at the top of the list is the new standard for what a car can do.


1. Bugatti Veyron (Transformers Cybertron: Autobot Crosswise)

This is the obvious choice as the best car used in Transformers. There is nothing like it on the road. The Veyron is full of technology with adjustable ride height and a wing that adjusts to breaking and high speeds. This is the standards by which all modern cars are measured by. Its 253 mph top speed was the highest for production cars from 2005 to 2007 when the American SSC Ultimate Aero TT hit 257 mph. The Veyron is fast, quick, luxurious, stylish. It is the ultimate road car. To see my thoughts on the Veryon, click here.