List of ground vehicles: Difference between revisions
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=== ''Caprica'' (2010) === | === ''Caprica'' (2010) === | ||
To create a unique "Caprican" identity, the production team for ''[[Caprica]]'' deliberately populated its streets with cars that would be unfamiliar to most North American viewers. This included a mix of classic European models, modern high-end cars, and, most notably, rare vehicles from the [[w:Japanese_domestic_market|Japanese Domestic Market]] (JDM).<ref> | To create a unique "Caprican" identity, the production team for ''[[Caprica]]'' deliberately populated its streets with cars that would be unfamiliar to most North American viewers. This included a mix of classic European models, modern high-end cars, and, most notably, rare vehicles from the [[w:Japanese_domestic_market|Japanese Domestic Market]] (JDM). This decision stemmed from a desire to ground the world in a recognizable reality while avoiding futuristic "air cars" or other common science fiction tropes. The mandate was to make the cars "interesting" and "exotic" to American eyes, contributing to the show's overall aesthetic.<ref>[[Podcast:Caprica pilot|Podcast for ''Caprica'' pilot]], timestamp 00:09:22</ref> | ||
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| Civilian SUV | | Civilian SUV | ||
| "[[Resistance]]" | | "[[Resistance]]" | ||
| Pre-Fall Caprica (Starbuck's vehicle) | | Pre-Fall Caprica (Starbuck's vehicle) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1987 | | 1987 | ||
Latest revision as of 04:01, 23 July 2025
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The use of ground vehicles in Battlestar Galactica serves as a key indicator of each series' production philosophy and narrative focus. The Original Series primarily featured bespoke, futuristic military hardware, while its sequel, Galactica 1980, relied exclusively on contemporary Earth automobiles. The Re-imagined Series and its prequel, Caprica, adopted a "curated naturalism," using specific real-world but often obscure vehicles to create a unique cultural aesthetic for the Twelve Colonies.
Original Series (1978)
edit sourceThe ground vehicles of the Original Series were designed to be rugged, functional, and non-terrestrial, reinforcing the Colonial military's role as a mobile force.
Terra and its colonies also made use of ground vehicles.
| Vehicle | Type | Episode(s) of Appearance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landram | Military Transport | "Saga of a Star World" | Tracked, all-terrain armored transport vehicle. |
| Snowram | Military Transport | "The Gun on Ice Planet Zero" | Specialized variant of the Landram for arctic conditions. |
| Power Sled | Military Transport | "The Lost Warrior" | A smaller, unarmed tracked vehicle for personnel and equipment. |
| 1974 Dino 308 GT4 | Civilian Car | "Experiment in Terra" | Anachronistic terrestrial sports car driven by Brenda Maxwell. [1] |
| FMC M501 | Military Utility | "Experiment in Terra" | Anachronistic tracked military utility vehicle, seen in reuse of missile footage as the Eastern Alliance prepares its decisive final strike against the Nationalists. [2] |
| Thiokol Snowcat | Civilian Utility | "Saga of a Star World" | The real-world chassis for the Landram and its variants. [3] |
Galactica 1980
edit sourceThe sequel series Galactica 1980 abandoned bespoke vehicle design with few exceptions, setting its story on contemporary Earth and using a vast array of stock automobiles from the 1960s and 1970s. This shift reflected the show's reduced budget and its "strangers in a strange land" narrative.[4]
| Year | Make | Model | Type | Episode(s) of Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | AMC | Hornet | Car | "The Night the Cylons Landed, Part I" |
| 1977 | Dodge | Monaco | Car | "Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I" |
| 1979 | Ford | Econoline | Van | "Galactica Discovers Earth, Part II" |
| N/A | Harley-Davidson | Custom Chopper | Motorcycle | "Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I" |
| 1979 | Mazda | RX-7 | Car | "Galactica Discovers Earth, Part I" |
| 1940 | Volkswagen | Kübelwagen | Military | "Galactica Discovers Earth, Part II" |
| 1978 | Chevrolet | Nova | Car | "The Super Scouts, Part I" |
| 1975 | Plymouth | Fury | Car | "The Night the Cylons Landed, Part II" |
Re-imagined Series (2003-2010)
edit sourceThe Re-imagined Series and its prequels adopted a sophisticated world-building philosophy for their vehicles, using real-world cars to create a sense of a familiar, yet alien, culture.
Caprica (2010)
edit sourceTo create a unique "Caprican" identity, the production team for Caprica deliberately populated its streets with cars that would be unfamiliar to most North American viewers. This included a mix of classic European models, modern high-end cars, and, most notably, rare vehicles from the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM). This decision stemmed from a desire to ground the world in a recognizable reality while avoiding futuristic "air cars" or other common science fiction tropes. The mandate was to make the cars "interesting" and "exotic" to American eyes, contributing to the show's overall aesthetic.[5]
| Year | Make | Model | Episode(s) of Appearance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Citroën | DS 20 | "Rebirth", "The Reins of a Waterfall" | An iconic retro-futuristic car seen throughout the series.[6] |
| 1960 | Cadillac | Fleetwood 75 | "The Imperfections of Memory" | Used by the Ha'la'tha crime syndicate.[6] |
| 1991 | Nissan | Figaro | "The Heavens Will Rise" | Rare, retro-styled JDM convertible.[6] |
| 1989 | Nissan | S-Cargo | "Rebirth" | Whimsical, snail-shaped JDM van.[6] |
| 1970 | Rolls-Royce | Silver Shadow I | "Ghosts in the Machine" | Driven by Tomas Vergis, signifying wealth and power.[6] |
Battlestar Galactica (2003-2009)
edit sourceThe main series continued the aesthetic established in Caprica for scenes set before the Fall, while shifting to utilitarian military vehicles for the New Caprica storyline.
| Year | Make/Model | Type | Episode(s) of Appearance | Context/Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Tatra 87 | Civilian Car | "Downloaded" | Pre-Fall Caprica (Parking Garage) [7] |
| N/A | Hummer | Civilian SUV | "Resistance" | Pre-Fall Caprica (Starbuck's vehicle) |
| 1987 | SAAB 900 | Civilian Car | The Plan | Pre-Fall Caprica (Tory Foster's car) [8] |
| 1984 | Avanti | Civilian Car | "Downloaded" | Pre-Fall Caprica (Parking Garage) [9] |
| 1985 | AM General HMMWV M998 | Military Truck | "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II", "Precipice" | New Caprica Resistance [10] |
| 1985 | Chevrolet CUCV M-1009 | Military Truck | "Exodus, Part I" | New Caprica Resistance [11] |
| N/A | AM General M-35 A2 | Military Truck | "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II" | New Caprica Settlers [12] |
References
edit source- ↑ 1974 Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 in "Battlestar Galactica" (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Internet Movie Cars Database. Retrieved on 2025-07-22.
- ↑ FMC M501 in "Battlestar Galactica" (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Internet Movie Cars Database. Retrieved on 2025-07-22.
- ↑ Vehicles of Battlestar Galactica (1978) (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Internet Movie Cars Database. Retrieved on 2025-07-22.
- ↑ Vehicles of Galactica 1980 (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Internet Movie Cars Database. Retrieved on 2025-07-22.
- ↑ Podcast for Caprica pilot, timestamp 00:09:22
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Vehicles of Caprica (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Internet Movie Cars Database. Retrieved on 2025-07-22.
- ↑ 1946 Tatra 87 in "Battlestar Galactica" (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Internet Movie Cars Database. Retrieved on 2025-07-22.
- ↑ 1987 Saab 900 in "Battlestar Galactica: The Plan" (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Internet Movie Cars Database. Retrieved on 2025-07-22.
- ↑ Vehicles of Battlestar Galactica (2004) (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Internet Movie Cars Database. Retrieved on 2025-07-22.
- ↑ Vehicles of Battlestar Galactica (2004) (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Internet Movie Cars Database. Retrieved on 2025-07-22.
- ↑ Vehicles of Battlestar Galactica (2004) (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Internet Movie Cars Database. Retrieved on 2025-07-22.
- ↑ Vehicles of Battlestar Galactica (2004) (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). Internet Movie Cars Database. Retrieved on 2025-07-22.