The Five Best Driving Films

Hollywood and driving have held a lengthy relationship since the advent of both the film camera and the motor car.

For generations, cinema folk have lusted over roaring V8 muscle, sublime luxury and rather heroic driving. Whether street racing or running from the law, the involvement of cars in movies will remain as long as the sea has the tide.

Quite the collective of driving films over the years have gained inspirational fame amongst petrol heads and regular film fanatics alike. Should you be new to the genre though, the good people at LKPerformance have constructed a beginners' list of the "best" driving films for motoring fanatics. Grab some popcorn, sit back and relax. Lights, camera, action!

5 - Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000).

Starring Nicholas Cage, Angelina Jolie, Giovanni Ribisi and T.J. Cross, this movie is a definite must see for petrol heads. Cage stars as, Memphis Raines, a retired car thief who vowed to never return to his sticky fingered ways. His retirement was forced to take a back seat after his brother Kip (Ribisi) incurred a large debt with a master car criminal. The price, to boost 50 cars in an extremely limited amount of time. Back in the game, the movie features German luxury, American muscle and worldwide exotics. A definite dream dip into criminality by most motoring fanatics.

4 - The Transporter (2002).

Jason Statham is a retired marine living his dream retirement in the South of France. Despite a tranquil lifestyle in the Mediterranean, Statham's discontentment with a life of relaxation is fairly obvious. Suited up and piloting a Mafia style BMW 7 Series (Audi A8 in sequels), the British movie star plays a character who runs a transportation service, without any questions asked. Though, one delivery urges the man who never breaks his rules to cave into curiosity, with action packed consequences.

3 - The Fast and the Furious (Saga from 2000-2015).

Romanticised street racing, featuring modified cars from across the globe. Starring the late Paul Walker as the protagonist Brian O'Connor, along side co-stars Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, and a host of other stars, the saga is certainly entertaining for anyone vaguely interested in motoring. If dramatic storylines about brotherhood and friendships, screeching tyres and highly modified Skylines is your forte, then this series will prove fascinating. The next installment, Fast and Furious 7, is due next April, delayed as a tribute to the unfortunate demise of Paul Walker.

2 - Speed (1994).

Featuring a young Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, alongside Dennis Hopper, Speed is definitely a must see. Howard Payne (Hopper) plays a retired ex-bomb squad specialist, turned insane psychopathic terrorist, who plans to take vengeance on the people of Los Angeles. Planting a bomb on a bus, an innocent Annie Porter (Bullock) is caught amidst this explosive crisis. Set to detonate if the bus dips below 50mph, Officer Jack Traven makes a valiant and action-packed to prevent the deaths of the passengers on board. Speed will make you never want to take the bus again! Just don't see the sequel... 

1 - The Italian Job (1969). 

By far the eldest movie in this list, however arguably the best. If early Mini Coopers, Jaguar E-Types, Aston Martins, elaborate heists and various Italian classics float your boat, be sure to check out this iconic release. Sir Michael Caine's character leads a gang into Turin, Italy, to steal a vast amount of gold. Comically for a city which never has moving traffic, the crew conspire to form a chaotic traffic jam to bring the city to a standstill. In the process, riding away with the gold in tow. With obstacles from the Mafia, the heroic and jingoistic adventure proves fascinating, and is certainly left on a cliff hanger.