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A gangster's car is as important as the crease in his slacks and the pistol under his arm. His whip distinguishes him from the other hoods, elevating his criminal and financial status. Women, violence, drugs, and cars--that's the life of a "G." From the movies to rap, we're obsessed with gangster culture. And every good gangster flick has at least one memorable car, from getaway wheels to luxury whips. Gangster films and fine automobiles are synonymous with one another. Complex revisits some classic movies for our list of the most notorious cars driven by our favorite gangsters.
Click To See A Gallery Of 30 Notorious Cars From The Greatest Gangster Movies.
RELATED: 50 Cool Cars Seen in Movies
Little Caeser
Make: 1929 Studebaker President FB
Movie: Little Caeser (1931)
Complex Says: Caesar "Rico" Bandello climbs the ranks of the Chicago underworld on his own terms, but he ultimately dies poor and alone. This is a must-see classic gangster flick, and it marks one of the first times the 1929 Studebaker President FB appeares on the big screen.
Belly
Make: 1995 Mercedes-Benz S 420
Movie: Belly (1998)
Complex Says: "I give a fuck about a montherfucking red light? Faggot cops can't touch me. I'm out here smoking weed, speeding, all that, dawg. Fuck that. That's me. Untouchable." There was something special about Hype Williams' opening scene from Belly, the lighting mixed with the smooth sounds of Soul II Soul and that black S-Class speeding away from the Tunnel nightclub that had you hooked for the rest of the film.
Mean Streets
Make: 1972 Imperial LeBaron
Movie: Mean Streets (1973)
Complex Says: Harvey Keitel, Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, and John Cassavetes make for one hell of a gangster flick. Mean Streets was one of Scorsese's first films and was shot in Manhattan's Little Italy. It's a story about a young neighborhood guy (Keitel) who is looking to move up in the local mafia. He's held up by a friendship with the hot-tempered (De Niro). This 1972 Imperial LeBaron can be seen throughout the film.
The Godfather
Make: 1940 Lincoln coupe
Movie: The Godfather (1972)
Complex Says: When Sonny Corleone got ambushed by the Barzini crew, you knew Michael was coming back from Italy to settle the score. Sonny was one of our favorite characters from Puzo's classic trilogy, and he went out in his 1940 Lincoln coupe like a "G."
King of New York
Make: 1990 Lincoln Mark VII
Movie: King of New York (1990)
Complex Says: King of New York is the story of a New York drug kingpin who returns to the big city with political ambitions and a laundry list of enemies to take care of. Frank White controlled NYC through violence and respect, and would put his gun on anyone who went against him. This 1990 Lincoln Mark VII was the car Laurence Fishburn rolled up in during one of our favorite scenes.
Pulp Fiction
Make: 1992 Acura NSX
Movie: Pulp Fiction (1994)
Complex Says: In Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, Harvey Keitel plays The Wolf, a cleaner who comes to the aid of Vincent Vega (Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson). Keitel can be seen cruising off in this dope 1992 Acura NSX after the situation is resolved.
Public Enemies
Make: 1936 Chevrolet Standard
Model: Public Enemies (2009)
Complex Says: Various old-school Fords and Chevys are seen throughout this film. But the 1936 Chevrolet Standard was the stand-out vehicle, shown here in one of John Dillinger's car chase scenes.
Get Rich Or Die Trying
Make: 1992 Mercedes-Benz 400 SE
Movie: Get Rich Or Die Trying (2005)
Complex Says: Get Rich Or Die Trying is the semi-biographical portrayal of the rise of rapper 50 Cent. Not your conventional gangster movie, but 50 did go out and buy himself this white Benz with a backpack full of cash.
Scarface
Make: 1963 Cadillac Series 62 convertible
Movie: Scarface (1983)
Complex Says: Scarface is a story about making it in America and then blowing it all. Literally. Tony Montana and his boy Manolo whipped around in this yellow 1963 Cadillac Series 62 convertible before he became Miami's drug kingpin.
The Untouchables
Make: 1931 Buick Series 50 sedan
Movie: The Untouchables (1987)
Complex Says: In Brian De Palma's classic, Elliot Ness (Kevin Costner) tries to take down Al Capone (Robert De Niro) during the Prohibition era. Capone rolled around in this tight 1931 Buick sedan.
Layer Cake
Make: 2003 Audi RS6
Movie: Layer Cake (2004)
Complex Says: Before he was James Bond, Daniel Craig was a drug-dealing Englishman in this film. Guns, drugs, and Sienna Miller's titties made this one of our favorite British gangster films. Craig was all about going under the radar, driving around in this 2003 Audi.
Reservoir Dogs
Make: 1966 Cadillac Coupe DeVille
Movie: Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Complex Says: Mr. Blonde was a bad bitch who would kill you in a heartbeat. His 1966 Cadillac Coupe DeVille can be seen after he cuts off a police officer's ear in one of the tightest scenes in the film.
Paid In Full
Make: 1986 BMW 315 convertible
Movie: Paid In Full (2002)
Complex Says: This BMW 315 convertible can be spotted in the film's opening and ending sequences. Everyone's jaw dropped when they saw this tight, white Beemer roll across the screen.
Donnie Brasco
Make: 1979 Cadillac Coupe DeVille
Movie: Donnie Brasco (1997)
Complex Says: Johnny Depp's character may have given Lefty (Al Pacino) his Cadillac, but he was still a disloyal piece of shit in the end. This 1979 Cadillac embodies everything about the Mafia during that time. The color on this thing alone. Sorry, Lefty.
The Road To Predition
Make: 1929 Buick
Movie: The Road To Perdition (2002)
Complex Says: In this Mafia period piece, Tom Hanks plays a hard-as-nails Irish gangster. Hanks and his son drive cross-country in their 1929 Buick, seeking revenge on the mobster who murdered their family.
New Jack City
Make: 1991 Jeep Wrangler
Movie: New Jack City (1991)
Complex Says: Nino Brown ran The Carter and started the Jeep Wrangler trend of the early '90s. At one point, every rapper who thought they were bad was driving around in one of these. The Wrangler was a sign of success and the fact that you were making that money. Pumping crack and rolling deep, in Nino's case.
Mesrine
Make: 1968 Cadillac DeVille convertible
Movie: Mesrine (2008)
Complex Says: Vinent Cassel plays France's most infamous bank robber and kidnapper, Jacques Mesrine. It's a two-part story based on the autobiographical book written by Mesrine, detailing his criminal career. Mesrine whipped this '68 Cadillac while committing some of France's most heinous crimes.
Running Scared
Make: 1967 Ford Mustang
Movie: Running Scared (2006)
Complex Says: Running Scared doesn't exactly have a star-studded cast, but Paul Walker is pretty bad-ass in this film. A 1967 Ford Mustang is his companion throughout the story. The opening sequence shows Paul's character speeding in his Mustang with a young boy covering his gunshot wound.
True Romance
Make: 1974 Cadillac Fleetwood Eldorado
Movie: True Romance (1993)
Complex Stage: This is a gangster movie and a love story all in one. Christian Slater, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Chris Penn, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Rapaport, Brad Pitt, and Christopher Walken--that's gangster. Slater's character drives from Detroit to L.A. in this Cadillac Fleetwood Eldorado.
The Business
Make: 1980 Mercedes-Benz SL
Movie: The Business (2005)
Complex Says: This is a great British gangster flick set in the south of Spain. Cash, cars, guns, and this classic, gold Benz all make for an enjoyable watch.
Paid In Full II
Make: 1987 Saab 900 Cabrio
Movie: Paid In Full (2002)
Complex Says: Money Making Mitch with the gold BBS rims, damn. This was the first whip that had Ace thinking about leaving the cleaners and following in the steps of his man. Saab was a symbol you had it like that, and Mitch didn't get his nickname for being broke. Neither did Sonny or Alpo.
Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Make: 1974 Rover 3500
Movie: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
Complex Says: Two things we learned from watching this: Guy Ritchie made really good movies before he married Madonna, and never fuck with Big Chris or his son. The 1974 Rover 3500 was the enforcer's whip of choice. He mangled another character by bashing his head with the driver's side door.
Menace II Society
Make: 1991 Mustang GT convertible
Movie: Menace II Society (1993)
Complex Says: This film marked the Hughes brothers' directorial debut, a classic story of drugs and violence in the hood. Caine and O-Dog were hustlers without too many options. Caine wanted a better life, but his '91 GT was so hood rich.
Casino
Make: 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow I
Movie: Casino (1995)
Complex Says: Sam Rothstein (Robert De Niro) ran the Tangiers casino for the Chicago mob during the '60s and '70s. This classic gangster flick has everything that's great from the genre. A star-studded cast and a slew of dope whips, like Sam's 1974 Rolls-Royce.
Boyz n The Hood
Make: 1963 Chevrolet Impala convertible
Movie: Boyz n The Hood (1991)
Complex Says: This movie is a seminal coming-of-age story about a group of friends in L.A. This '63 Impala was the car Doughboy's (Ice Cube) character drove through the all of the dangers.
Paid In Full III
Make: 1987 BMW 325i Cabrio
Movie: Paid In Full (2002)
Complex Says: This cherry-red BMW was Mitch's welcome-home gift from Ace. The two looked out for each other throughout the film, and this car symbolized their loyalty. There were a handful of beautiful cars in Paid In Full, but this '87 Cabrio...wow.
A Bronx Tale
Make: 1968 Cadillac DeVille convertible
Movie: A Bronx Tale (1993)
Complex Says: "Listen to me, kid. If she doesn't reach over and lift up that button so that you can get in, that means she's a selfish broad and all you're seeing is the tip of the iceberg. You dump her and you dump her fast." Ain't that the truth.
American Gangster
Make: 1966 Shelby GT 350 H
Movie: American Gangster (2007)
Complex Says: Frank Lucas had a ton of dope whips. But this 1966 Shelby GT driven by Josh Brolin's character was a thing of beauty. Until he fucked around with Frank and got it blown up.
Goodfellas
Make: 1979 Cadillac Coupe DeVille
Movie: Goodfellas (1990)
Complex Says: This is an all-time classic for a number of reasons. It has the best cast of any film on our list, and it is the premier gangster movie to which all others are. After the Lufthansa heist, Robert De Niro's character warns everyone to lay low. Most of them don't. This classic pink Cadillac is featured in one of the film's iconic scenes.
Training Day
Make: 1979 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Movie: Training Day (2001)
Complex Says: Why Denzel had to be crooked before he took it? Denzel played a corrupt narcotics officer in this commanding Oscar-winning performance. His 1979 Chevrolet Monte Carlo was blacked-out and bad as hell. Washington drove his Chevy around L.A. throughout the entire movie.
