TV and film detectives' iconic cars - in pictures

Starsky and Hutch – 1975 Ford Gran Torino: The TV series ran from 1975 to 1979, and the 'striped tomato' was as much a part of the show as Starsky's cardigan. In the spring of 1976, such was the popularity of the car that Ford built 1,300 branded Starsky and Hutch Gran Torinos Photograph: ABC

Bullitt – 1968 Ford Mustang 390 GT 2+2 Fastback: Steve McQueen, who played San Francisco police lieutenant Frank Bullitt in the 1968 movie, was an accomplished driver, and drove in the closeup scenes of the famous car chase, shown here Photograph: Photos 12/Alamy

Knight Rider – K.I.T.T: David Hasselhoff played ex-cop-turned-crime-fighter Michael Knight in the hit TV show that ran from 1982 to 1986. K.I.T.T was a heavily modified Pontiac Firebird Trans Am with added artificial intelligence Photograph: NBC/NBC via Getty Images

Inspector Morse – 1960 Mark II Jaguar: In the TV cop show The Sweeney it was the villains that drove the Mark IIs chased by John Thaw's Regan. Thaw moved up to one himself as Inspector Morse in the show that ran from 1987 to 2000. The car was a perfect fit for the real-ale-drinking, opera-loving, cantankerous Oxford copper Photograph: Rex Features

Hong Kong Phooey – Phooeymobile: The 1974 Hanna-Barbera TV show featured mild mannered janitor Penry eavesdropping at the police station where he works, transforming in a filing cabinet into the kung fu-powered hero and tackling crime with his sidekick Spot in his Pagodamorph car Photograph: Allstar

Mad Max 1 & 2 – Ford XB Falcon Coupe: Australian main force patrol officer Max Rockatansky, played by Mel Gibson, chases down deranged bikers in his Pursuit Special. In Mad Max 2 it was called 'the last of the V8 Interceptors' Photograph: Sportsphoto/Allstar

Bergerac – 1947 Triumph Roadster: In the BBC show, DS Jim Bergerac, played by John Nettles, cruised around the island of Jersey for a decade from 1981, trying to navigate winding streets and keep under the 40mph speed limit in his noisy maverick indicator Photograph: Rex Features

Miami Vice – 1972 Ferrari Daytona Spyder 365 GTS/4: Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas played Crockett and Tubbs in the show that ran from 1984 to 1989. They loved speedboats and cars. As well as the Spyder, they favoured a Ferrari Testarossa and a Cadillac Coupe de Ville convertible Photograph: Alamy

Goldfinger – Aston Martin DB5: Not the clearest shot of the DB5, but you know it anyway. Sean Connery, as James Bond, unleashed the tyre slashers and ejector seat in the 1964 movie Photograph: Everett /Rex Features

Nash Bridges – 1971 Plymouth Baracuda: Don Johnson continued his muscle car love affair when he played the eponymous San Francisco police inspector, in the TV show that ran from 1996 to 2001 Photograph: CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images

Columbo – 1959 Peugeot 403 convertible: A Columbo fan site states: 'Columbo's car, somewhat like his dog, is both a co-star and a sort of alter ego: battered and unbeautiful, eccentric and woeful looking, but still a classic. The car is also one of Columbo's many devices of deception: murderers take one look at the car, and assume that only a fool would own such a relic. As always, they are wrong' Photograph: NBC/NBC via Getty Images

The Saint – 1962 Volvo P1800: Roger Moore played Simon Templar, detective/secret agent/thief, in the ITV show from 1962 to 1969. This picture is taken on set at Elstree studios. The Morris Oxford looks good too Photograph: Alamy

Scooby-Doo – Mystery Machine: Q. What's wrong with this photo? A. No lighthouse keeper and/or school caretaker. Whatever. You can always rely on the Mystery Machine to deliver those pesky, meddling, teenage crimefighters to the spookiest of destinations Photograph: Sportsphoto Ltd./Allstar

The Rockford Files – 1974 Pontiac Firebird Esprit: James Garner starred as private investigator Jim Rockford in the TV show that ran from 1974 to 1980. It is alleged that he made the reverse spin famous Photograph: NBC/Getty Images

The Spy Who Loved Me – Lotus Esprit S1 turbo: Roger Moore played James Bond in the 1977 film, and drove a Lotus that transformed into a submarine and fired surface-to-air missiles
Photograph: Photos 12/Alamy

Magnum, P.I. – Ferrarri 308GTS: Tom Selleck played the role for almost the whole of the 1980s. Outlandish moustache? Check. Hairy chest? Check. Loud Hawaiian shirt? Check. Ferrari? Check. Good to go Photograph: Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

The Bridge – 977 US-spec Porsche 911S:: Sofia Helin, who plays Swedish homicide detective Saga Noren in the hit Scandi noir TV drama, said: 'It’s horrible, I hate that car … I don’t hate it. I love-hate it. The thing is, it’s so hard to drive. The gears are very sensitive' Photograph: PR