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Cars of the National Film Registry Class of 2015

The Library of Congress recognizes 25 more “culturally, historically, or aesthetically important” films. We recognize the cars.

byMax Goldberg|
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Cars of the National Film Registry Class of 2015
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Max Goldberg
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Each year, the Library of Congress welcomes 25 movies into U.S. National Film Registry. It’s a permanent collection, housing those cinematic masterpieces deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically important” by experts. If we disappeared tomorrow, these are the movies that would explain us, our lives and ideas and visions. Some 675 titles are already in the Registry, and this year’s selections have just been announced. Here, we tip our hat to reaching the realm immortality: Meet the cars of the National Film Registry’s Class of 2015.

Top Gun (1986) – Porsche 356A & Kawasaki Ninja GPz900R

Of course Maverick had a crush on Charlie: She drove a Porsche 356 A. In typical badass fashion, he decided the best means of chasing her down was a Kawasaki Ninja GPz900R. The greatest motorized on-screen couple ever?, Paramount Pictures

Shawshank Redemption (1994) – 1937 Ford V8 2-Ton Coach

Intimidating and just barely operational, this Ford bus screams “life in prison”—even if you’re falsely convicted. Spoiler alert: He escapes., Columbia Pictures

Imitation of Life (1959) – 1958 Chrysler 300 D

By shoehorning a 380-horsepower V8 into its full-sized car, Chrysler created the world’s first muscle car., Universal-International

Ghostbusters (1984) – 1959 Cadillac Professional

The gang had to get creative with the Ecto-1, and a custom old Caddy ambulance did the trick., Columbia Pictures

L.A. Confidential (1997) – 1953 Studebaker Commander Starlight coupe

The handsome Loewy is a hidden star of this pulpish modern classic., Warner Bros.

Seconds (1966) – 1965 Ford Country Squire Wagon

In the opening scene of the John Frankenheimer’s sci-fi classic, our protagonist gets picked up by a wood-paneled Ford estate. The rest, thanks to the U.S. National Film Registry, is history., Paramount Pictures