15 Vehicles We Need for the Zombie Apocalypse

If there’s anything we’ve learned from TV and movies about the impending zombie apocalypse, it’s that having the right vehicle means everything. But what’s the right vehicle for the job? There are so many variables to consider. Are these slow-moving zombies, or fast ones? How many people will you be taking with you? You definitely want something with an engine that isn't going to blow up on you after only a few miles.

In a zombie-induced crisis, we know we may not have the luxury of choice. But assuming we do, here are the 15 Vehicles We Need for the Zombie Apocalypse.

RELATED: The 25 Best Zombie Movies

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Source: Versus (2000)

Why We Need It: You say you're battling zombies in Japan? That's not an area where lightweight materials designed to reduce drag and aid in aerodynamic efficiency will help you. What you need is an old-school German classic that's built for power and great structural strength. This W126 easily meets those needs.

Source: Let Sleeping Corpses Lie (1974)

Why We Need It: We'd really rather have the JPS Special Norton that Peter Williams rode to win the 1973 Isle of Man 750 TT. But in a pinch, we'd take this. Slow zombies wouldn't be able to keep up.

Source: Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)

Why We Need It: To be fair, we mostly want it because Otto the bus driver in Resident Evil: Extinction was using it to sling food to the rest of the convoy. With food scarcity becoming a definite issue, we can't imagine having a truck full of canned food along would be a bad thing. Especially if the guy driving it can identify what food is in each can merely by sound.

Source: Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Why We Need It: In the original black and white release of the film, the audience was left to imagine what color this LeMans was in real life. Three subsequent colorized versions each imagine the car in three different colors: red, yellow, and blue. If chameleon paint actually worked that way, we'd find that a very useful feature for hiding from zombies -- to get a little sleep so we could keep moving, if nothing else.

Source: 28 Weeks Later (2007)

Why We Need It: Three words: steel passenger cage. If those words don't scream "zombie rammer," we don't know what does. Soon you'll have that oblivious Volvo-driver look on your face, too.

Source: Zombieland (2009)

Why We Need It: Nothing like a tricked-out Escalade to while away your zombie-slaying cares. Well, as long as you can find fuel for it.

Source: Planet Terror (2007)

Why We Need It: We'd want to reinforce all the glass, of course. But cars were built like tanks back in the day. This one even has teeth. We're down.

Source: Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Why We Need It: It may not be the prettiest or most powerful prowling big cat that Jaguar ever put on the road, but it's definitely not bad. What's even more impressive is that it somehow managed to hit quite a few people in the film without taking any damage. That kind of build quality would definitely come in handy for plowing through zombies.

Source: The Walking Dead (2010-present)

Why We Need It: Daryl rides Merle's chopper because it reminds him of his brother, and of where he came from. It may not be the most practical vehicle in terms of parts availability (or even reliability -- unless Merle got all the kinks worked out before the zombie apocalypse on the show happened), but it definitely has some advantages. Its small size means it can go places other bigger vehicles can't. In at least one S2 episode, there were visible knobby tires slapped on this thing. It also would use less fuel than a lot of larger vehicles -- even if that little peanut tank doesn't hold much. But mostly, what we like about it is its defiance. By riding it, Daryl is holding on to the last vestiges of his humanity, of what makes him who he is. To us, that looks an awful lot like hope for a zombie-free future. We can get behind that.

Source: Supernatural (2005-2013)

Why We Need It: That 427 V8 producing 385 HP is one reason. Its good looks are another. Yes, it's an apocalypse, but if you have the choice to outrun and mow down zombies in style, wouldn't it be the choice you'd make? We vote yes.

Source: I Am Legend (2007)

Why We Need It: We like the protective grilles around the lights. We like that this is an SUV that actually looks pretty useful, not just like a grocery-getter. This is a good vehicle for getting your friends away from the zombie apocalypse. Or your family.

Source: Army of Darkness (1992)

Why We Need It: Who would pass up the opportunity to fight hordes of the undead (or Deadites) in director Sam Raimi's car? We're not sure we want to know you if you say you would.

Source: Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Why We Need It: This truck really is "built Ford Tough". And it proves it in the film. Sold!

Source: The Walking Dead (2010-present)

Why We Need It: This is the most practical, purpose-built vehicle to come out of The Walking Dead phenomenon. WD comic book creator Robert Kirkman drafted designs for this thing, which was then custom-built in cooperation with Hyundai and unveiled to the public at the 2012 San Diego Comic Con. Although Kirkman describes himself as "not really a car guy," what's clear is that he IS a zombie guy. Ingenuity is what's going to get us through the zombie apocalypse, y'all. See a video on the build of this car here.

Source: Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)

Why We Need It: Whether it's old-school (read: slow) zombies or new-school (read: speedy as fuck) zombies, this truck doesn't care. Except if you slow down enough to let one climb into the cab and bite you. But that's your fault, not the truck's fault.