In the annals of geekdom, certain questions arise again and again: Who’s the better captain, Kirk or Picard? Who’d win in a fight, Muad’Dib or Luke Skywalker? And can Magneto use his mutant control over magnetism to lift Thor’s hammer? I’m going to explore the apex of such impenetrable mysteries: what kind of car would Earth’s mightiest heroes actually drive? Below, I’m going to do my best to answer this question for some of my favorite Marvel characters, and I’ll explain my reasons – feel free to sound off loudly on why you disagree. Excelsior!
Iron Man – 2015 Equus Bass 770
I suppose I should say the Audi R8 since one of these models was featured in every Iron Man movie and became so synonymous with the character, and Tony Stark, that a lot of people started calling it the “Iron Man car.” That seems a bit predictable, however, and Stark is typically shown with a collection of vehicles, so why settle for the obvious; we all know he loves speed, so he’d absolutely drive a sports car, but it’d have to be something special. All things being equal, I think Tony would rock the hand-crafted Equus Bass 770, a high-powered luxury muscle car with a starting price of half a million bucks – and he’d have one from the first model year, of course.
Thor – Tesla Cybertruck
First of all, look at Thor: he’s got truck written all over him, and he’s not about to cram his Asgardian frame into a compact car or something similar. As the god of Thunder, I have no doubt he’s going electric, and I think the strange look of the Cybertruck would catch his eye. It might not be as sleek as a craft that would come from his homeworld, but it would stand out enough for him – plus, he wouldn’t have any ties to traditional aesthetics.
Black Panther – 2021 Corvette Stingray Convertible 3LT
Although it might pale in comparison to Wakandan technology, the mid-engine Corvette has the kind of power and handling that I think Black Panther would be drawn to. I assume he’d go for a Black exterior with the available Carbon Flash/Midnight Silver stinger stripe, and it would be a convertible model so he could leap out of it if the situation called for action. Of course, his sister would probably trick it out with some sweet aftermarket vibranium upgrades and perhaps some purple ambient interior and underbody lighting to really bring it home.
Captain America – 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor
C’mon, the symbol of American grit and hope isn’t about to drive an import – he’s going to go domestic, and I think he’ll drive the best selling truck in the US for the last 40 years. He’s a practical guy, however, so I think he’d go for the Raptor trim and its off-road functionality to be able to use his truck for missions and other purposes. I could also see Cap in an SUV, but something tells me he’s a truck guy.
Spider-Man – 2009 Toyota Yaris (Heavily-Used)
I love Spidey as much as the next guy, but let’s face it: he’s not the picture of cool, especially as Peter Parker. Realistically, he’s a freelance photographer living in New York City, so he needs something cheap – that’s where the 2009 Yaris comes into play. It’s still big enough that he can get around town and visit Aunt May, maybe take her to the store or bank, while being small enough to maneuver through the city’s narrow streets.
The Hulk – 2019 Nissan LEAF
The Hulk’s probably not about to do too much driving, so really this is a question of what Bruce Banner is going to drive. I see him going for an EV model, but he doesn’t have the money for something like a Tesla, so the Nissan Leaf seems like the right choice. I think he’d pick the Jade Forest Metallic exterior color (because green), and he’d have a 2019 model because he’d go for the second generation, skipping the first model year to let them work out any bugs, but he wouldn’t need the latest and greatest.
Black Widow – 2006 Pontiac GTO
I know what you’re probably thinking, “Black Widow should be in something fancy and cool like a Mustang or Ferrari!” At first, I thought the same, but she’s a spy and practiced in espionage, infiltration, and deceit – so she’s going to drive something that supports that. The Pontiac GTO, when it returned in the mid-2000s, perfectly fits this bill as a pretty unassuming model from the exterior, and the 2006 version featured a 6.0L V8 engine that would let Natasha spring into action and take care of business! I assume she’d have it in black with red detailing, however, because she’s still a comic book superhero.
Luke Cage – 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392
To me, Luke Cage is all about muscle and power (he was called “Power Man” after all), so he wants something big, bold, and practical. I like him in the Jeep Wrangler, especially the latest Rubicon 392 model that features a HEMI V8 engine. That’s going to let him get around Hell’s Kitchen and get work done – with the ability to head out from the city to go wherever danger calls, even upstate New York or a similar area. The exterior “Hella Yella” color would be the perfect callback to his original costume, so I think he’d go with that.
Ghost Rider – 1990 Kawasaki EX500 (Ninja)
First of all, we’re talking about Danny Ketch here – not Johnny Blaze or Robbie Reyes – so we’re looking at 1990s Ghost Rider. While the actual bike is of mystical origin, and that flaming motorcycle is certainly a “custom” job – I see Danny riding a Kawasaki Ninja. He’s a kid from Brooklyn, so he’s not going to have some bleeding-edge, high-end model, which makes this the perfect choice for what he’d ride.
Blade – 1973 Dodge Charger
My first instinct for the half-vampire was to put him on a motorcycle too, but then I remembered that he drives a ‘68 Dodge Charger in the movies, and there was no going back. The movies had it pretty much right – though I see him in a ’73 model, with plenty of room for his weapons and the other gear he needs to take with him while hunting vampires. It would be black, of course, and probably equipped with some aftermarket UV headlamps that could be used as a weapon against the undead.
Wolverine – Harley-Davidson WLC
I know that Wolvie fought in WWI, but he also fought with Captain American in WWII, and I think in the years that followed, he would’ve been drawn to a WWII Harley Davidson WLC. This was a motorcycle made by Harley-Davidson as part of the W family of vehicles, with a 25hp engine, and the “C” in the name refers to those that were made for the Canadian Army. I see it in Army Green with a Canadian insignia painted on it somewhere, plus a small toolkit and bag strapped to it so the Ol’ Canucklehead can hit the road whenever he wants.
Storm – 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E
First of all, Storm can fly, so she really doesn’t need a car – but Spidey can web-swing all over the place, while Iron Man can fly too, so whatever. Whether she’s taking students from Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters out on a field trip, handling missions as a leader of the X-Men, or just doing her own thing, I think Storm would rock a Ford Mustang Mach-E. For one thing, the SUV design would give her the interior space she needs for these different purposes, and of course, she’s going to drive an EV model (the F-150 Lightning felt too obvious, and I think a small SUV is more her style over a pickup). I’d love a black and gold model, but the Space White Metallic exterior color would be a solid throwback to her 1990s outfit, so I can see her going with that choice.
