The Fame Game
Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the most famous of them all?
Dr Who. No, the Tardis isn't a van, but the van is!
It’s Friday again! This means time for a bit more fun in the Vansdirect newsroom. We’ve already brought you famous vans from stage, screen and football - but this got the Top Trump players amongst us asking…. what is the most famous van out there? Which has the housewife (or husband) seen more of than any other? Is there an automatic choice when making a movie or tv show? It doesn’t really matter, but at least you’ll be able to cite the answer when you’re next at the pub.
How do you discover the fame level of any given van? We had no idea. Untill we stumbled blindly on to the Internet Movie Cars Database. Now we don’t know if such a thing is needed, but it certainly helped answer the question. So, which van ranked top? Which van do directors call out for or at least have by default?
The Bedford in all its guises only made the database a misely 27 times! A van full of character and charm ignored by producers and directors alike. Or maybe its nostalgic position doesn’t fit in with the pyrotechnics of a Bond movie?
Amazingly, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter failed to show at all in the van-fame list! The Vito however makes 87 appearances. The expense account obviously doesn’t stretch to the Merc!
Fiat, a cheap van by comparison puts up a spirited fight. The Doblo and Doblo Cargo accumulating 19 appearances between them. Their big sister, the Fiat Ducato however makes 92 appearances according to the IMCDB! The Italian giants must be happy with that.
A Berlingo in the Bourne Ultimatum (2007) - Yes, people do post these things on the internet!
The French are a mixed bag. The Citroen Berlingo in all its different shapes has only 44 sightings yet the Renault Trafic stand out as a potential winner with 146 recorded sightings!
The van in front could be a Toyota. Indeed, the Hiace van can boast a staggering 188 appearances in conjunction with 158 for the Hilux. Jeremy Clarkson’s “Toybota” certainly helping the sighting statistics!
Move Over Bond. A Toyota in Licence to Kill (1989)
But, the van in the lead? The most famous van of them all? The van that makes all other vans tremble with fear and awe? The Ford Transit! What else. That’s right, the Ford Transit Mrk 1 to Mrk 7 has clocked up an incredible 755 tv and movie appearances, and that’s if you ignore the ambulance van derivaties etc!
Let’s look at some of its star appearances, and of course contemplate on who collects these images - and where they find the time!
Father Ted!
Rush Hour 2!
But I'm a Lady! Little Britain
Hitchcock's Frenzy (1972)
Guy "Madonna's Ex" Ritchie's Snatch (2000)
TV Series, Hustle
November 14th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
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November 14th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
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