THE Mini chase in the Italian Job has been voted the best movie car scene of all time.
A study of 2,000 film fans saw the memorable six-minute-long car chase, with the three iconic Mini models being pursued by police, rolling down stairs and even scaling buildings, top the poll.
Harry Potter and Ron Weasley dashing after the Hogwarts Express in a flying Ford Anglia in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is also considered to be one of the most memorable and exciting car scenes in movie history.
This was closely followed by the T-Birds and John Travolta singing Greased Lightning while dancing on top of the Ford De Luxe in Grease.
Sneaking in at number four was the epic moment where the DMC DeLorean time machine leaves streams of fire as it travels ‘Back to the Future’.
And fifth place went to the notable scene in Thelma and Louise where the friends drive over the edge of a cliff together.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang taking off for the first time, the T-rex attacking the jeeps in Jurassic Park and Letrell singing ‘A Thousand Miles’ in White Chicks also featured in the top 20.
Alex Brown, from Jardine Motors Group, which commissioned the research, said: “There are so many memorable moments featured in classic films where cars are the true stars – although not forgetting the stunt drivers who sat behind the wheel.
“It’s these scenes which have made certain movies so unforgettable.
“Even those who haven’t seen the films in question, tend to have some recollection or knowledge of these extraordinary screen moments.”
The study also found 28 per cent of adults are more likely to enjoy films featuring cars in whatever form.
More than half revel in films with cars because they’re a fan of the incredible driving skills, with another one in five an admirer of the ‘movie magic’ used in car scenes.
1. The Mini chase in The Italian Job
2. Harry and Ron chasing after the Hogwarts Express in a flying car in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
3. The T-Birds singing Greased Lightning and dancing around the car in Grease
4. The moment the DeLorean leaves streams of fire as it travels in time in Back to the Future
5. Thelma and Louise driving over the edge of the cliff in Thelma and Louise
6. The final bus-on-the-mountain scene from The Italian Job
7. Bruce Wayne driving through Gotham in a Lamborghini Murcielago looking for a murder target in The Dark Knight
8. The moment Chitty Chitty Bang Bang flies for the first time in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
9. The T-Rex attack on the jeeps in Jurassic Park
10. The Bohemian Rhapsody singalong in Wayne’s World
And just over a quarter are as much of a fan of the actors in car-themed films as the vehicles themselves.
In fact, Steve McQueen – aka ‘The King of Cool’ – was named the greatest icon from these types of films, followed by Daniel Craig and Vin Diesel.
More than two-thirds agreed motor vehicles are an integral part of cinema history, while 68 per cent said cars feature in some of their fondest memories of movies.
Movies enthusiasts even believe one in five of the movies they watch feature cars in a primary role.
It also emerged that James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 was voted the most iconic movie car of all time.
This was followed by Doc Brown’s DeLorean from Back to the Future and the customised Paragon Panther featured in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
More than six in 10 even said they would like to see a movie car in real life and 39 per cent have even fantasised about driving a car from a movie they loved as a child.
For more than a third, car chases and driving scenes can be the best thing about movies, with film fans believing they should last up to five minutes.
Although nearly one in 10 of those polled, via OnePoll, said the perfect movie car chase should be at least 10 minutes.
Alex Brown, from Jardine Motors Group, added: “As fans of all things automotive, it’s great to see that some of the timeless classics from cinema history are still as popular as ever.
“This is the perfect time of year to get together with friends and family to enjoy a film, and we hope that some of these iconic scenes make your list.”
