Fast, furious and ready to avenge: the cars of Avengers: Age of Ultron and Furious 7

If you had a suit of armor that enabled you to fly, fire off energy beams and hold your own against an Asgardian god, would you still need a car? Of course—and it has to be the coolest one around. Technology attracts technology, so it’s no surprise that the mechanical superhero, Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, loves Audi. Aside from encapsulating technology through its motto, technology serves to differentiate Audi automobiles. From the aluminum space frame construction of its A8 luxury sedan and R8 sports car, to the hybrid engine of its World Endurance R18 race car, to the turbocharged gasoline and diesel engines of its road cars, Audi doesn’t hesitate to load its cars with the latest tech. Genius/billionaire/playboy/philanthropist Tony Stark has favored Audi from the first Iron man film, enjoying a brisk drive to the airport in an R8 as chauffeur Happy Hogan struggled to keep up in a Rolls Royce Phantom. He had a brief fling with a Honda/Acura NSX as the Avengers changed sponsors, but couldn’t resist going back to the German brand when the R8 e-tron came along.

 

In Avengers: Age of Ultron, Tony Stark once again takes the wheel of Audi, the all-new R8 V10 Plus sports car. “This is a strategic partnership. The cinema is a perfect stage for Audi, for rapid high-tech cars play a large role in many films, “says Loren Angelo, director of marketing, Audi of America.

 

“Tony Stark embodies a modern mix of entrepreneurs, engineers and especially technology trendsetter,” says Giovanni Perosino, Director Marketing Communications at AUDI AG. “The Audi R8 is thus exactly the right car for him.”

 

Audi has also sent the Audi TTS Coupe, used in a memorable scene with Steve Rogers aka Captain America, and the A3 Cabriolet to co-star in the blockbuster movie.

 

Captain America: the Winter Soldier was sponsored by Chevrolet, so in that movie we got to see the Black Widow (Scarlett Johanssen) driving a C7 Corvette, Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson) in a Suburban, and Steve Rogers escape in a Silverado pickup. Captain America favors two wheels though, so in Avengers: Age of Ultron, true to his Stars and Stripes affiliation, he has at the ready a Harley-Davidson LiveWire motorcycle. The LiveWire is an electric Harley-Davidson, built as a showcase project, and meant to test consumer feedback to a decidedly different kind of Harley. Fellow avenger Black Widow gets to wring out the LiveWire this time. Rogers previously rode a Harley-Davidson Street 750 in The Winter Solider.

 

Avengers: Age of Ultron’s main rival for box office supremacy this summer is “Fast and Furious 7.” Beginning as a sleeper hit, each Fast and Furious movie revved up the action to its current megabudget level. Furious 7 has stretched beyond its gearhead audience to the mainstream, particularly with the tragic death of series co-star Paul Walker last year.

 

Naturally, the Furious 7 garage busts with powerful vehicles from the very first frame. The opening sees Michelle Rodriguez try out her classic Plymouth Barracuda against an Audi R8. A scene in the Abu Dhabi desert sees Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and gang rev the engines off a Bugatti Veyron, Ferrari 458 Italia, Dodge Viper, and McLaren MP4-12C.

 

Jason Statham, playing villain Deckard Shaw, has favored Audis in the past, too, in the first Transporter film, and he sticks with European machinery in Furious 7. He faces off against the heroes in a Maserati Ghibli and an Aston Martin DB9. He also does some damage to Han’s RX-7 (a replica of which was displayed at the recent MIAS) using the tank-like Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

 

Then there’s the cinematic shorthand for fatherhood and the end of motoring days, the minivan. Furious 7 pulls out this cliché, too, with Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) learning to enjoy life with an MPV (and a family).

 

Two memorable setpieces punctuate Furious 7. A perilous rescue mission in the mountains of Azerbaijan see the crew pilot a fleet of customized vehicles. Paul Walker pilots an old favorite, the Subaru Impreza WRX STI hatchback. Also seen here are a 1970 Dodge Charger, and Jeep Wrangler. They face off against the villains’ Mercedes G-Class SUVs. Michelle Rodriguez’ character does justice to her green 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT-8.

 

The dynamic duo of Diesel and Walker does a bit of flying with the W Motors Lykan Hypersport. Fittingly for the scene set in Abu Dhabi, the Hypersport is the first supercar to be produced in the Middle East. With only seven units set to be produced, the car is rare and very expensive, with a $3.4 million price tag. The Hypersport has diamond-equipped headlights, in part accounting for its stupendous price. It’s powered by a Porsche-based flat-six engine.

 

Perhaps the scene that will be the most memorable in the Fast and Furious series, even if the sequels stretch to 100, will be the one of Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) going for one last drive with Dom. Brian is in a white Toyota Supra, recalling the Supra he used way back in the first movie. We challenge you not to tear up at this one. When the scene plays, go ahead—just bawl.