The John Wick series of films has not only become synonymous with high-octane action and intense fight sequences but has also given us a glimpse of some truly awe-inspiring muscle cars. In these films, John Wick, portrayed by the charismatic Keanu Reeves, gets behind the wheels of a few classic American muscle cars, each included as a vehicle for director Derek Kolstad to express his love for muscle and as a literal vehicle for John Wick to use in his quests for justice and revenge. By taking a look at each of these cars, we hope to put some all-time greats in the spotlight and see what features John Wick prefers in a car by examining his choices.

1968 Mustang Mach 1

In John Wick (2014), the titular assassin starts off strong by driving the legendary 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1. The Mach 1 is an emblem of the golden age of American muscle cars, renowned for its aggressive design, brawny engine options, and blistering performance. It represents Ford’s formal entry into the ongoing competition for supremacy in the American Muscle car industry. Chevrolet and Pontiac fired the first shots with their respective developments of the Camaro and the Firebird in 1967, and Ford decided to use the ensuing shift in popular interest to reinvent the philosophy behind their best-selling car: the Mustang.  

Hallmarks of this new model include the SportsRoof body (a redevelopment of the Fastback), its iconic scoop, and the 428 cu. in. Super Cobra Jet engine option that gave the model unbelievable power. Unfortunately for muscle-car-loving theater goers, there are two unfortunate aspects of the car's inclusion in the first film. One problem is its mislabeling--despite being a Mach 1 in every way, the car bears the decals of a Mustang Boss 429 as a result of creative choices. The second problem is its lack of screen time. After all, the entire conceit of this film is that John Wick is trying to retrieve his car from the Russian gangster who crossed him and stole it. But they didn’t have to wait long to see it in action; the entire opening sequence of 2017’s John Wick: Chapter 2 shows John Wick dealing out that revenge behind the wheel of the Mach 1. Its inclusion in the film serves as a homage to the golden era of muscle cars and demonstrates that they continue to leave their mark all these years later.

*Update from (9/27/23)*

Since the original publication of this article, the companion television series to the John Wick franchise, The Continental: From the World of John Wick has begun streaming on Peacock. This series centers around a young Winston Scott, the man who goes on to manage the New York branch of The Continental Hotel in the films. In this series, Winston drives the exact same 1969 Mustang Mach 1 as John does. The paint job, body work, and license plate is identical, implying that the car is gifted to John by Winston sometime between the series (which takes place in the 1970s) and the films. Its inclusion demonstrates that the showrunners are conscious of the series' commitment to highlighting classic muscle and are committed to establishing narrative (and car-centric) connective tissue between the past and future generations of the John Wick cast.

2011 Dodge Charger SXT

During the climax of the first film, John Wick takes a departure from his customary classic muscle and uses a 2011 Dodge Charger SXT gifted to him by the leader of the assassin syndicate operating out of the Continental Hotel. The Charger obviously shares the same deep muscle roots as the aforementioned cars–it was initially released in 1964 and began to take on a much more power-oriented identity in the late 60s and early 70s. But why include it when John Wick has a very clear preference? 

Since no definitive answer to this question has yet been released, we can only rely on speculation. Some claim that the switch from the Mach 1 to the Charger was supposed to open the door to more opportunities for stunts. The additional rear doors and seats would have made it easier to mount and house cameras, and SXTs were far more available (and therefore more expendable) than the other classic cars in Wick’s normal retinue. Others posit that its incorporation is a reference to the 1968 film Bullitt, whose legendary car chase scene shows Steve McQueen’s Bullitt pursued through the streets of San Francisco by two hitmen in a similarly unmarked black Dodge Charger. Even if we don’t know the reason behind its inclusion, the next-level destruction that John Wick causes behind its wheel more than justifies its appearance in an otherwise classic-dominated franchise.

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS

After his spectacular Mach 1-fueled rampage at the beginning of Chapter 2, John Wick realizes that he has done a terminal amount of damage to his beloved car in the process. Fortunately for him, his villains have good taste in classic muscle as well, as demonstrated by the 1970 Chevelle SS in their garage that Wick quickly repurposes. This is another golden-age muscle car with a distinguished pedigree. The Chevelle was originally released in 1964 and was an umbrella term for a number of similar body styles and engine packages that could cater to multiple audiences. 

One of these packages, the SS, began as a higher-performance, speedier option designed to sell the cars to the younger crowd. By the end of the model’s run in 1977, the other body types were discontinued, and only the base sport and SS versions of the car remained. Every musclehead has their favorite Chevelle, but John Wick definitely chose well with the 1970. This year marked the beginning of arguably the most famous Chevelle “look,” introducing the trademark flared front end with “SS” stamped in chrome in the center. It also sports one of the Chevelle line’s most beloved engines: the 350 bhp 396 V8. Its inclusion in this car–and, ultimately, the car’s inclusion in the film–is a demonstration of the director’s knowledge of American classics as well as the film’s commitment to showing these classics in action after a modern-car-led first film.

1971 Plymouth Barracuda

The plot of John Wick: Chapter 4 (don’t worry, no spoilers here) sees the besuited assassin chased through the streets of New York City by a variety of foes from his past and present. Film four in the franchise sees the already-brutal Wick elevate his game beyond what we’ve seen from him before, and his muscle car in this film reflects that evolution, albeit quite literally. The majority of this pursuit takes place with Wick behind the wheel of a 1971 Plymouth Barrauda, which is another model year forward from the Chevelle that was two forward from the Mustang. Even though a ‘Cuda doesn’t have the same muscle car pedigree as the other cars on this list, it’s by no means a slouch; the performance data from this film’s car has not yet surfaced, but Wick’s engine options from this year include the 330 hp 383 V8, the 375 hp 440 cu. In. Super Commando, and the monstrous 425 hp 426 cu. in. Hemi. Clearly John Wick is spoiled for choice here, and so are the viewers. After all, this franchise continues to showcase the muscle cars that started the movement in the first place, and we’re lucky to see those cars pushed to their limits like back in the good old days.

If you’ve never watched a John Wick film, there’s a lot to love when talking about the action, the characters, and the effects alone. Adding muscle cars into that mix is not what makes or breaks these movies’ success or significance, but it does add an extra layer of flavor to the character of John Wick as well as an extra reason for muscle enthusiasts to see the films. Talks about the future of the franchise post-Chapter 4 are still in the air at the time of writing, so we’re not quite sure if Wick’s escapades are over. But if they do continue, we’re sure that another icon from muscle history will be there to help him out again.

References:



Ford Mustang Mach 1 - Wikipedia

John Wick - Wikipedia

John Wick's Cars: The Muscle Cars That Stole the Show (musclecarsillustrated.com)

A Closer Look At John Wick's Cars | CarBuzz

The Ultimate Guide To What Muscle Cars John Wick Drives In Every Movie (hotcars.com)

Dodge Charger - Wikipedia

Chevrolet Chevelle - Wikipedia

Plymouth Barracuda - Wikipedia