Get ready for an explosive special edition of AMC… celebrating the cars (and bikes) from the iconic Mad Max movie franchise. Created by the expert Australian MUSCLE CAR magazine team, The Cars of Mad Max is a 100-page one-off special edition exploring the legendary machines from the iconic Mad Max series of movies.
The MAD MAX movie franchise has become something of a motion picture institution over the 45 years since the release of the original movie, starring Mel Gibson AND his sinister-looking black, supercharged ‘V8 Interceptor’, which was based on a modified Ford Falcon Hardtop coupe. As a consequence of the box office success of the first Mad Max film – for 20 years it held the record in the Guinness Book of Records for the most profitable film ever made – the Aussie XB Falcon Hardtop is arguably the movie world’s most famous star car of the silver screen.
But of course, the Interceptor is not the only vehicle – and not even the only Australian vehicle – to feature in the Mad Max series of dystopian road movies. They’re all covered in the The Cars of Mad Max, which showcases the star cars – and bikes – from each of the five movies, from the classic 1979 original through to 2015’s reboot Mad Max: Fury Road and this year’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, which stars Australian Chris Hemsworth.
There is also a distinct Harley-Davidson flavour to Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and not just because of the presence of characters named Mr Harley and Mr Davidson. Harley-Davidson Australia supplied the film with no less than 12 bikes, including its famous Pan America S and Breakout 114. The iconic motorcycle brand also provided over $400,000 worth of Harley merch to dress the huge cast.
The motorcycles and gear underpinned the efforts of Dementus and his army of eccentric riders in traversing the wasteland. Appropriately, with customisation one of Harley’s key values, Dementus (played by Chris Hemsworth) ‘chose’ these renowned bikes as the starting point for adventures across the apocalypse.
The customisation was undertaken by the moviemaking team lead by Academy Award-winning production designer Colin Gibson. “[It was] Harley-Davidson’s brave decision to supply examples both new and old of their fine engineering, knowing full well the non-exclusivity of the apocalypse… Well, only the best survive to be well-armed and well-used on both bitumen and Badlands,” Gibson said.
“The barely-yet released Pan America, fitted with extended swing arm and camel-saddle stitched with hessian and human skin, adorned with the jawbone of an ass, features early on.
“Dementus’ dirty dozen sergeants well represented Harley; Fang on a chromed Chopper; the Octoboss takes to the air on an Ultra fitted with an airplane prop and held aloft on an octopus kite; and Smeg, riding the BareKnuckle, fitted with a rickshaw for those long weary days in the saddle and the sand. “A bevy of soft, hard and sometimes no tail models adapted to forgo morality for a meal and another moment of breath… Captain America chopper half-remembered and wholly recreated, a 1972 Servi 3-wheeler, a later model trike, and if you looked closely, had collaged to its fuel tank an exploded plan for the wiring of that particular Harley, treasured information on the Fury Road, salvation and sex appeal, freedom and fetish, fond, fond memories.”
Check out our spotters guide below to see if you can pick the various Harley’s used in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
The Cars of Mad Max, a special edition of Australian MUSCLE CAR magazine, is available to order online from MyMagazines or from all good newsagents from Thursday 20th June 2024.
You can explore the 2024 range of latest Harley-Davidson models at Harley-Davidson Australia
And don’t miss seeing Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga on the big screen while you can. It’s a hell of a ride! Check your local guides for viewing times.
