While the Marvel Universe might not have the Batmobile, it has still done an excellent job introducing some of the most incredible vehicles found in comic books. From vans that carry an excessive amount of weapons to flying bathtubs, here are some of the best rides found in Marvel.
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1. SR-71 Blackbird
“That’s, like, the third blackbird we’ve lost in the last month.” – Glob Herman
When the Stratojet was destroyed during a fight with Count Nefaria, the X-Men were left without a mode of transportation until Professor X received a Blackbird aircraft from S.H.I.E.L.D. Over the years, the aircraft has been upgraded to better suit the X-Men’s needs. Nightcrawler was responsible for getting his hands on one of their SR-71 Blackbirds when Lockheed Aviation still owned it.
The Blackbirds used by the X-Men were upgraded with Shi’ar technology, and each had Cerebro installed in them (though after Cerebro became sentient, Beast added Cerebra to the planes).
In the X-Men films, the Blackbird is often referred to as the X-Jet and was built by Hank McCoy.
While the jet has been equipped with some weaponry, including automatic laser batteries and concussion missiles, the SR-71 Blackbird was designed to be a spy plane and traded weaponry for surveillance equipment. Luckily the plane usually has a group of super-powered teenagers on board (depending on continuity), so when it comes to offensive capabilities, it’s not something the X-Men need to worry about.
As with most superhero vehicles and buildings, the Blackbird has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. The Shi’ar technology installed by Forge gave the plane cloaking abilities that made it almost invisible, a high-tech weapons systems and an engine capable of hypersonic speeds.
There are currently three Blackbirds, which have been designed for each main X-Men team. However, the upgrades given to the plane by the X-Men team have made it one of the cooler vehicles seen in the Marvel Universe.
2. The Quinjet
Much like the X-Men’s X-Jet, the Quinjet was the Avengers’ primary form of transportation and one of the coolest vehicles used in the Marvel universe. Several versions of the ship have been introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but each functions similarly.
In the comics, the ships were initially designed by the Wakandans. Still, in the MCU, S.H.I.E.L.D. was responsible for building the ships, and Tony Stark upgraded them to better accommodate the Avengers and their missions.
The ships were modelled after the Quadjet, created during Project PEGASUS. It lost some of the weaponry Stark had added to the models seen in The Winter Soldier. Still, it now had highly advanced stealth technology able to hide from S.H.I.E.L.D., JARVIS (Tony’s beloved A.I. running systems when the rest of the Avengers were otherwise occupied and a spacious, personalised interior with compartments for each of the Avengers.
A stealth version of the ship was named the Dagger, and the Midnight Angels usually used it.
Like many other vehicles before and after, the Quinjet has been destroyed and rebuilt several times.
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3. S.H.E.I.L.D. Helicarrier
“The eggheads call it a ‘Helicarrier.’ I always been too embarrassed to ask ‘em what that means.” – Colonel Nick Fury.
This aircraft carrier was designed to perform the standard functions of a typical aircraft carrier while also being capable of flight. It was initially designed by Tony Stark, Reed Richards and Forge (a former member of the X-Men.
The Helicarrier functions as a base of operations for SHIELD, acting as a station for many fighters and different aircraft and boasts a wide variety of weapons, including an intercontinental ballistic missile. It is one of the most advanced vehicles in the Marvel universe and has been dismantled and rebuilt by several characters throughout the comics.
In the MCU, the Helicarrier can camouflage itself and seemingly disappear using refractive panels on the ship’s underbelly. Even when one of its four massive fans was damaged, the Helicarrier could fly. Its defensive/offensive systems were mainly limited to the fighter planes that it had on board.
In The Winter Soldier, a second-generation series of Helicarriers were introduced. They were significantly larger than the original and built for combat. In addition to the smaller aircraft on board, the ships had ventral gun batteries (which had a vast range) and side-mounted cannons. The three Helicarriers operated in harmony thanks to a Network targeting system.
Tony Stark had a hand in upgrading the new Helicarriers, specifically regarding the repulsor engines, which replaced the giant fans. These addressed and fixed the vulnerabilities of the fans and allowed the Helicarriers to fly higher than their predecessor.
4. Silver Surfer’s Surfboard
The Silver Surfer’s surfboard is, hands down, the most remarkable vehicle in the Marvel Universe. Created by Galactus as a mode of transportation for the surfer, it was made out of the same material as his skin and responded to his thoughts. He could ride it or pilot it remotely, depending on his needs.
The surfboard has been destroyed a couple of times, but the Surfer was able to restore it at will. The board itself is slightly sentient in that it finds being reconstructed unpleasant.
The Surfer can use the board to travel faster than the speed of light and can manipulate its shape into various weapons.
Doctor Strange once came in possession of the board and used it to escape Earth-616.
The board always finds its way back to the Surfer, even when it gets stolen by characters like Doctor Doom.
5. The Starjammer
This ship acted as the headquarters for the band of space pirates of the same name and was a fearless-class Shi’ar Dreadnought. Throughout the years, it has been slowly upgraded by the pirates that stole it. They later replaced it with Starjammer Mark 2.
It was once used by Warskrulls, who briefly replaced the Starjammers and was used to commit all sorts of atrocities across the Shi’ar Galaxy. Fortunately, they were stopped by the X-Men.
The Starjammer has several capabilities that make it one of the coolest vehicles in the Marvel Universe. It can teleport (within a limited range), fly at insanely high speeds and has a force field that can repair itself through robot technicians and nanotechnology.
This ship also has several offensive weapons, including dorsal (2) and ventral (1) turrets with particle beam cannons and forward-facing high-joule particle beam cannons (10).
It also has a Krakoan Gateway, which leads directly to the island of Krakoa, a neural interface and a sentient computer. Unfortunately, the computer is no longer operational after it was severely damaged.
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6. Fantasti-car
After the Fantastic Four, when public as a team, Reed Richards created the Fantasti-car, which was often affectionately referred to as the Flying Bathtub. They used it for missions and everyday life, and it was once taken by Shanna the She-Devil, who used it for travel between New York City and the Savage Land. Deadpool has also managed to get his hands on it once or twice.
The ship could break up into four compartments for each member of the Fantastic Four and was designed to withstand the weight of Ben Grimm.
While it might not be considered one of the coolest vehicles in the Marvel Universe because the Fantastic Four mainly used it for inner-city transportation, it’s one of their most iconic vehicles. It was later replaced by the Fantasi-car MK II but kept around for sentimental reasons.
The new version of the ship could fly at higher speeds and heights but mainly had the same functions as the previous ship.
7. Ghost Rider’s Hell Cycle
Mephisto created the Hell Cycle for his Spirits of Vengeance, the Ghost Riders. It is powered by Hellfire and not limited by the laws of physics, meaning that it can move at insane speeds, drive up vertical surfaces, across bodies of water and even fly. All this, combined with its epic design and the fact that it leaves trails of fire wherever it goes, make it one of the coolest vehicles in the Marvel universe.
The Hell Cycle follows the command of the Ghost Rider, even when he’s not riding it, and will follow his every move. It also can’t be affected by conventional munitions and can self-repair, ram with incredible power and ghost through matter.
John Blaze’s (the main Ghost Rider) power levels have fluctuated over the years; sometimes, he cannot summon the Hell Cycle. When this happens, he uses the Skull Cycle, a customised bike with no special abilities.
The design of the bike has changed from Ghost Rider to Ghost Rider. Dan Ketch’s was solid black with the Medallion of Power on the gap cap, which he had to touch to become Ghost Rider. When Noble Kale possessed him, his costume and bike were created from pure Hellfire.
This is not a bike you ever want to see driving at you.
8. Ghost Rider’s Fiery Hell Charger
When Eli Morrow’s 1969 Dodge Charger was infused with the powers of the Ghost Rider, it became the Hell Charger. It was an unstoppable monster of a machine and functioned the same way as the Hell Cycle. It can also be used as the healing unit for the Ghost Rider if necessary.
The Hell Charger was able to store all sorts of Hell-blazing weapons and became a central hub for Shadow porting.
Much like the Hell Cycle, the Hell Charger’s epic design, paired with everything it can do, make it one of the coolest vehicles in the Marvel universe.
9. Punisher’s Battle Van
This is not a vehicle that has been designed for style but rather for efficiency. There have been many models of the Battle Van, each an improvement of the last and containing various weapons to help the Punisher and his war against crime.
Its onboard weaponry includes a four-barrel mini-gun, a grenade launcher, four compressed air-driven machine guns, a robotic arm, a bi-modal delivery system which can expel tear gas and white fog, and a ton of ammo.
It also has an onboard computer that can detect intruders, access maps, and an audio listening device and sonar. The body paint can be peeled off, and the licence plates changed for an easy escape, and the transmission, brakes and steering are controlled electronically.
It’s the perfect weapon for the punisher and one of the most remarkable vehicles in the Marvel Universe.
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Notable Cars Seen in the Marvel Films
Throughout the Marvel movies, fans’ eyes were blessed with several iconic vehicles.
1. 2019 Hyundai Veloster
This bright purple speedster is one of the many cars that Hank Pym shrunk down to the size of a Hot Wheels car and kept in a case for emergencies. The vehicle could grow and shrink at the driver’s will and was used by Hope Van Dyne to lose the bad guys chasing her in Ant-Man and the Wasp.
The funky flame vinyl stands out against the purple body of the car, making it one of the most memorable-looking vehicles in the Marvel universe.
2. Audi R 8
Since the first Iron Man movie, Audi has become synonymous with Tony Stark. An iconic car for one of the most iconic Marvel characters. Tony Stark drives one in almost every movie, except for a concept car seen at the end of The Avengers which he drives away in alongside Bruce Banner. The Audi R8 did an excellent job of making itself the automotive alter-ego of Tony Stark.
This vehicle is a great addition to his fantastic collection of cars just sitting in his garage, waiting for a rogue piece of armour or an invention gone wrong to destroy and brilliantly establishes Tony’s wealth in the Marvel universe.
3. Lamborghini Huracan
Driven by Dr Stephen Strange before he gets into a life-changing accident, this is a car that we barely got to appreciate before it, along with Stephen’s hands, was utterly destroyed.
It was sad to see the car go, but its destruction led to the creation of one of the greatest sorcerers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and was a great way to show just how drastically the former surgeon’s life would change.
4. Lexus LC 500 Coupe
The Lexus LC made an appearance in Black Panther and assisted prince T’Challa in his pursuit of Ulysses Klaue. Briefly driven by Shuri through her tech, it is quickly destroyed by Klaue’s arm cannon. But, of course, any car destroyed to help the late king of the afro-futurist nation of Wakanda complete his mission is a memorable car.
5. 2021 Audi E-Tron GT
Like his Iron Man suits, Tony’s cars receive an upgrade in every film and Avengers: Endgame was no different. After dealing with the loss of Peter Parker for five years and inventing time travel, he came rolling up to the Avengers compound in this beauty of a car to finally make amends with Steve Rogers and bring back the people they had lost.
It’s the last car we ever see Tony drive in and is the perfect car for one of the best characters to end in. Some of us wonder if it survived Thanos’s first attack the same way the Avengers did.
6. 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C 7
Ridden by Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) at the beginning of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, this all-black beau is the perfect vehicle for the Black Widow to drive in her off time.
Though we only got to see this awesome car for a couple of minutes, it made a point of staying in fans’ minds long after the film. This was mainly because the car was freshly designed when the movie first came out, so seeing it in the film was the first time many people saw it.
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7. 1978 Ford Mustang II King Cobra
While this car is unique, it also has one of the worst mechanical designs ever done by Ford. Nevertheless, this visual stunner was the perfect car to introduce a villain in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2, even if we didn’t realise he was a villain just yet.
Like Ego, the car was seemingly good on the outside, promising Peter a chance to have a dad, but he soon revealed his evil insides and willingness to kill the woman he loved to ensure the success of his life-long mission.
8. 1941 Cadillac Series 62
This vehicle is already a beauty all on its own, but Howard Stark decided to try and take it further by asking the question: what if it was a flying car? Of course, this didn’t go too well for him, but it was still an imaginative way to bring a brilliant car onto the screen.
While the design was an early prototype and Howard never gets it to work, Tony eventually uses the technology to design his Iron Man suit. While it was a great moment to show Tony improving on his dad’s design, it’s unfortunate for those inside the Marvel universe who were probably expecting to see flying cars by now (It’s a wonder more people don’t ask him about the flying cars).
9. Nick Fury’s 2007 Chevy Tahoe
Not only is this car one of the best introduced in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but it also provides one of the funniest scenes in the movie. When Hydra’s brainwashed assassin attacked Nick Fury, the car protected him, even when shot with hundreds of bullets at close range.
The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. was frustrated with the car because all systems were down when it got attacked. When he asks what’s damaged to figure out what he can do to get himself out of the situation, the car informs him that its “air conditioning is fully operational”.
Nick Fury made excellent use of the weapon hidden in the centre armrest. The A.I. acted as a personal bodyguard until he cut himself out of the car, escaping the Winter Soldier.
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Which of the vehicles from the Marvel universe is your favourite?
The 9 Best Vehicles in the Marvel Universe (& The MCU) Written by Hannah Lieberum for Fortress of Solitude
