Which movie automobile is your favorite? Do you favor production cars like the 1968 Ford Mustang used by Steve McQueen in “Bullit” or do you prefer Batmobiles? What about a modest Mopar like the white 1970 Dodge Challenger that appeared in “Vanishing Point?”
Even though it isn’t quite as well-known as “Bullit,” “Vanishing Point” is one of the best action movies for automobile chases. The movie follows former police officer and racing car driver Kowalski as he transports a muscle vehicle across the country to California while being pursued by the authorities. Kowalski, who is portrayed by Barry Newman, travels in a white 1970 Dodge Challenger.
The studio borrowed five vehicles from Chrysler. Four Challengers had the big 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) RB under the hood, while the fifth car used a 383-cubic-inch (6.3-liter) big-block. Despite Kowalski talking about the delivery car being supercharged, all vehicles were stock save for suspension upgrades.
“Vanishing Point” gained critical acclaim in the UK and Europe despite receiving negative reviews at its initial debut in January 1971. Because of this, 20th Century Fox decided to rerelease it in the US alongside “The French Connection.”
Midway through the 1970s, “Vanishing Point” started to gain a cult following, and later became the model for movies like Edgar Wright’s “Baby Driver” and Quentin Tarantino’s “Death Proof.”
In 1997, Fox released a remake of the film. It starred Viggo Mortensen as Kowalski and has a slightly different plot. Now a Gulf War veteran and former stock car racer, Kowalski is an automobile restorer and delivers high-performance cars to pay his wife’s medical bills.
But while the story differs, Kowalski still drives a white 1970 Dodge Challenger. Moreover, Fox went with a HEMI version this time around. The rig you see here is Unit 1, the primary camera car and the vehicle that appears in most close-up shots and high-speed scenes. And yes, it’s an authentic HEMI Challenger.
At the end of filming, it was battered and worn like most movie cars are, but it was completely restored and utilized as a promotional vehicle. After over 25 years, the HEMI Challenger has earned the status of a museum-quality classic. And it’s also rather uncommon.
What causes it to be rare? The 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI engine, essentially. Only 356 of the over 77,000 Challengers that Dodge sold in 1970 were equipped with the top-of-the-line engine. This R/T hardtop was one of only 287 cars sold that year, with the run consisting of nine convertible and sixty R/T SE models. The fact that it is a four-speed manual automobile further limits it to one of the 137 produced.
The HEMI Challenger was recently spotted at Holley MoParty in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and you can take a closer look at its perfect body and super-clean engine bay through the video below.