Ford Mustang

Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 Eleanor

Some names light up the memory on their own, and every film lover knows this one. This 1968 Mustang wears the look of Eleanor: muscular stance, taut lines and the kind of presence that stops conversations outside any café.

Under the bonnet sits a 5.0-litre V8 with a manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive, the classic American recipe of torque, deep exhaust note and involving driving. It is a car to be felt with the window down and a determined right foot.

Eleanor was the code name of the Mustang in the 1974 film Gone in 60 Seconds. In the 2000 remake she became a Pepper Grey 1967 Shelby GT500 fastback, with a body kit designed by Steve Stanford and built by Chip Foose. The original GT500 arrived in 1967 with a 428 V8.