Iron Man and all associated characters are the property of Marvel Comics. This page copyright 2007, 2008, 2009 Tim Rassbach.
Cars from Iron Man
Stark had two stylin' rides in the flick: an Audi R8 and a '36 Ford Coupe.
Prior to the movie’s release, the Audi, with a "STARK 4" license plate was seen sitting in front of the Omni Hotel in San Diego, during the big Con. The film’s producers recently announced a partnership with Audi to promote Iron Man.
And what's a billionaire industrialist without a truly custom ride. Stark’s garage featured, among other rides, a 1936 Ford Coupe built by Tom Harper. Watch a short clip of Harper showing the car to legendary hot rod maker George Barris.
Automaker was attracted to the property because of the Stark character, a weapons manufacturer who opts to use his Stark Industries' technology to fight evil. Out of the office, he's a playboy accustomed to the finer things in life.
"With his ingenuity and passion for technology, Tony Stark personifies Audi's values," said Dirk Roder, Audi international film marketing, entertainment and gaming. "He's the kind of guy every girl wants to date and every guy wants to be." The sleek $108,000 car, which was launched this year, features an engine housing in the rear of the car that glows at night, mimicking the glowing chestplate Stark must wear to stay alive.
Design of the car's headlights also resemble the eye slits of Iron Man's helmet and light up in similar fashion.
"The R8 was the perfect car for Tony Stark," Favreau said. "It's wonderfully engineered. It's fast, it's safe and it's flashy."
To promote its tie-in, Audi will likely use the pic's technology theme to tout its own engineering superiority in its marketing messaging, rather than promote a single model, in part because only a limited number of R8s are being built.
Audi becomes the second major automaker to brand a super hero's car after Dodge landed a deal with Fox to plant its moniker and influence the design of the Fantasticar in this summer's "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer."
Audi is looking to up its presence in the U.S., and is relying on high-profile film placements and tie-ins to make its four-ringed logo stand out.
From Variety:
Marvel didn't have to do much to pique Audi's interest in the property. In fact, it was Audi that went to great lengths to put itself in front of the filmmakers.
Other carmakers auditioned their fleets, but Audi was so set on landing the placement that it flew in two R8s from Germany for Favreau and his production designer to consider.
"The car fit very well with the aesthetic the production designer was putting together," Feige said. The R8 hooked filmmakers in part because elements of the car's design closely resemble Iron Man's superhero garb.
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