The Car From Smokey And The Bandit Sold For More Than You Think
An obsession with road movies took hold of American culture throughout the 1970s. Films like "The Sugarland Express" and "The Getaway" captured the zeitgeist. The road symbolized that old-fashioned American spirit that you could go anywhere in this great country. Sure, the 21st century has its share of road films like "The Mitchells vs. the Machines" and "Cop Car," but the seventies treated the genre differently. Of course, you can't talk about road movies from that era without bringing up the Burt Reynolds classic "Smokey and the Bandit."
It's a legendary road movie about two bootleggers attempting to transport 400 cases of beer across state lines. With expertly filmed action sequences and the lovable charisma of Reynolds' Bandit, it's no wonder the movie has remained a cultural touchstone. However, if you ask most people about their thoughts on the story, they'll likely talk about the gorgeous Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Reynolds got to drive throughout the film.
The classic car comes in handy during Bandit's attempts to distract law enforcement, so the cops don't get wise to the beer located in Smokey's (Jackie Gleason) truck. If you've ever wanted to get your hands on the same type of car used in "Smokey and the Bandit," then get ready to spend a pretty penny. A special-edition 1977 Trans Am owned by Reynolds sold at auction for more than what some houses are worth.
Someone paid $172,000 USD for Reynolds' Trans Am
It may not be the exact car featured in "Smokey and the Bandit," but the 1977 special-edition Pontiac Firebird Trans Am that sold at auction on Bring a Trailer still has enough features to make it worth a small fortune. For starters, Burt Reynolds commissioned the vehicle and two others like it to look and function just like the car featured in the movie (via Ferraris Online).
Naturally, the actor added some of his signature flair, including his signature on the hood of the car as well as the word "Bandit" painted on the side door. Reynolds sold the vehicle back in 2015, and out of over 100 people who bid on it, one lucky fan got to purchase it for the low, low price of $172,000 USD in May 2020.
Granted, that price tag did come with a few bonuses. In addition to the car itself, the auction also involved a signed hat and jacket from Reynolds himself. That's on top of official paperwork proving the vehicle belonged to Reynolds at one point in time, and while this vehicle is several decades old, it still packs plenty of power in case the new owner ever feels like taking it for a spin. The Trans Am comes with a 6.6-liter V8 engine capable of producing 200 horsepower, according to Bring a Trailer (and Old Cars Weekly).
Bandit's car is one of the most famous vehicles in movie history, right up there with the Batmobile and James Bond's Aston Martin. And as long as there are people out there collecting the replicas, the film's legacy will continue to live on.