By Dean Larson

Conjure up a list of your favorite “bad guy” cars from the movies. For me, a choice few include a plain-Jane black 1968 Charger R/T from Bullitt (1968), the black ’70 Nova bearing the angry duck hood ornament from Tarantino’s Death Proof (2007), and Bob Falfa’s (Harrison Ford) 1955 Chevy two-door sedan from American Graffiti (1973). Other than their status as iconic American hot rods and muscle cars, these movie villains were all understated, and shot in plain black paint to underscore the mysterious nature of their occupants. While it’s difficult to vilify the curvaceous body of the Shelby Cobra, this Superformance MkIII Roadster on eBay hits the mark, and is worthy of a refined, black-glove-wearing antagonist on the big screen.

There are several reasons why this Shelby Cobra is suited for a movie villain beyond its blacked-out paint scheme. For one, the car is aggressive, yet understated. There’s no hood scoop or roll bar to hint at its performance, just bulging fenders for the observant to note. For this reason, the “bad guy” Cobra couldn’t be a racer, it would have to be the more practical street Cobra. The side pipes, and other race car features are great for the track, but not fitting for a sophisticated movie criminal. While a convertible has a few disadvantages for the big-screen villain, it resonates a larger-than-life personality fitting for an early James Bond character.

But most of all, a villain car has to be fast. For that reason, it has to be a bulging, big-block roadster, over the slimmer 289 Cobra design. Remember the thumping glasspack-type note all the old movie cars once had? Surly a big-block 390 ci FE blaring through two skinny, full-length pipes would do the trick. The seller assures this mill makes 450 hp and 525 lb-ft of torque, definitely sufficient for making a getaway. The TREMEC TKO600 transmission won’t require that quintessential double-clutch noise you remember from Bullitt, but surly McQueen would have welcomed an extra gear in the latter portion of the film’s chase seen.

What’s it take to get behind the wheel of this prime getaway machine? Just about $90,000, which would make you more of a high profile Bond villain than an everyday street racer or Tarantino’s “Stuntman Mike.” Whatever your foe forte may be, this Superformance MkIII is sure get attention from fans and the fuzz, so play it cool.

Check out this Superformance Roadster here on eBay.