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The greatest cars from Stan Lee’s cinematic legacy

We look at the automotive stars of the Marvel movies

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Lexus LC (Black Panther)

Lexus LC with T'Challa on the roof in Black Panther
Don’t try this at home, kids (PA)

There aren’t many cars in the fictional nation of Wakanda, so any motoring-related product placement had to occur away from the film’s homeland.

Sure enough, a chase scene in Busan, South Korea, provided a useful opportunity to include a Lexus LC 500, which has its roof ridden by T’Challa in full Black Panther mode after a firefight in a casino.

By all accounts, T’Challa wasn’t doing badly at the table before everything started going awry, so who took the chips won by the African king? None other than Stan Lee.

The car in Black Panther, which was painted in Structural Blue, inspired a special-edition Lexus LC 500.

Stark Formula One car (Iron Man 2)

Iron Man 2 Monaco Historic GP
Spot the Ferrari 312T2 and Classic Team Lotus in among the movie-prop cars (PA)

In Iron Man 2, Tony Stark is seen competing at the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique in a custom Stark Formula One car, replacing his team’s driver while quipping: ‘What’s the point of owning a race car if you can’t drive it?’

Unfortunately for the man most effective in red and gold armour, villain Ivan Vanko gains entry to the circuit by posing as a marshal and ends his race early.

For viewers who enjoy motor racing, the cameo from the Monaco circuit and legendary F1 cars from Wolf, Ferrari and Lotus among the movie-prop machines is a welcome surprise.

Of course, the film doesn’t resemble 1970s motorsport flick Rush for long, and the carnage caused at Monaco is quickly forgotten.

Chevrolet Corvette C7 (Captain America: The Winter Soldier)

Corvette C7 from Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Captain America gets to drive a Corvette C7 with Scarlett Johansson on board, so his life’s not too bad… (PA)

Captain America pre-dated Stan Lee’s Marvel work, debuting in 1941 as an early rival to DC/Action Comic’s Superman as a popular piece of World War II Americana. Unsurprisingly, his popularity waned in the 1950s as Americans moved onwards and upwards after the war.

Stan Lee and illustrator Jack Kirby were responsible for much of Marvel’s ’60s comic book successes, and Captain America certainly benefited from their work. Lee revived Cap as a successful Marvel character in the early 1960s, and the character hasn’t looked back.

The superhero movie boom has once again propelled the character into the limelight, and in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the Chevrolet Corvette C7 was the vehicle of choice for Black Widow and the patriotic hero himself.

Acura NSX Roadster concept (Avengers Assemble)

Acura NSX roadster concept from Avengers Assemble
Robert Downey Jr arrives at an Avengers Assemble premiere in his Acura NSX roadster concept car (PA)

Somehow, Tony Stark seems to be able to buy cars before they reach production – and even cars that never get produced at all. If we had to guess, being a billionaire might help his case.

Stark also seems to prefer driving Acura models when hanging out with his Avengers buddies, rather than the Audi R8s he drives in the Iron Man movies.

Interestingly, the Acura NSX Roadster concept car seen above in 2012’s Avengers Assemble is actually a 1992 Honda NSX with new bodywork, and had covered 250,000 far less glamorous miles in its pre-Hollywood life.

Allegedly, its new cloak would shake if it went above 20mph – maybe Stark really is a cheapskate after all!

The latest from The Car Expert

Stuart Masson
Stuart Massonhttps://www.thecarexpert.co.uk/
Stuart is the Editorial Director of our suite of sites: The Car Expert, The Van Expert and The Truck Expert. Originally from Australia, Stuart has had a passion for cars and the automotive industry for over thirty years. He spent a decade in automotive retail, and now works tirelessly to help car buyers by providing independent and impartial advice.