12 greatest cartoon cars

The real star of the questionably drawn and inelegantly dubbed Japanese cartoon "Speed Racer" TV series, the Mach 5 features a number of enhancements to keep it competitive on the world's most dangerous racetracks. Those include an autojack to lift the vehicle when needed and spring-out saw blades, all accessible from a steering-wheel hub menu.

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Believe it or not, Scooby Doo and his pals didn't always travel around in a panel van painted with a floral pattern. Early in the mystery-solving business on this TV series, those pesky kids and their dog had to rely on transportation from Daphne's dad. There's no telling exactly why the gang wound up with a van dubbed "the Mystery Machine" as their preferred mode of transportation, although ample storage for Scooby snacks may have had something to do with it.

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Long before the Walt Disney Co. and Pixar Animation Studios got together to create the "Cars" movie universe, there was "Susie the Little Blue Coupe." Produced in 1952, the Disney animated short feature told the tale of Susie, a little blue coupe, from showroom floor to the scrap yard and beyond. Interestingly enough, Susie served as the inspiration for the look of most of the "Cars" characters.

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Susie's grandson, Lightning McQueen from the "Cars" movie, features design elements borrowed from far-flung corners of the automotive world, such as the Mazda Miata and Dodge Viper. As a NASCAR racer, he's built to take on the asphalt ovals of the world, but designers specifically focused on sports greats such as Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan for McQueen's on-screen demeanor.

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Lightning McQueen's best friend, Mater, is loosely based on a 1951 International Harvester boom truck with a perpetually missing hood. Aside from laying claim to the title of "world's best backwards driver," Mater spends his time tractor tipping and helping McQueen out of sticky situations.

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Cruella De Vil had the distinction of being named the 13th-wealthiest fictional character by Forbes in 2002, and her classy V8 coupe befits her status. Penned with design cues from long-nose classics of the 1930s, the fire-breathing machine of auto-influenced, satanically surnamed De Vil assists in attempts to track down her canine quarry in Disney's animated movie.

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The automotive hero of the movie "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," Benny the Cab was the poster child for autonomous driving before Google ever thought to let a car control itself. Even more surprising, Benny has a penchant for driving other cars. In fact, his only weakness seems to be the nasty Dip, a goo capable of neutralizing cartoon characters of any shape.

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While the "Wacky Races" TV franchise featured a whole cast of characters with suitably outrageous vehicles, Dick Dastardly took the crown for coolness. As the focal point of the "cheaters never win" lesson, Dastardly and his sidekick, Muttley, never won a race, but that was no fault of the Mean Machine. With multiple fins and rocket engines, the car was built for straight-line speed.

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Horsepower? Try manpower. Made of little more than a few forked logs, two stone rollers and some hide, the Flintstones' car dutifully hauled the modern Stone Age family around Bedrock for 166 episodes. That's a lot of legwork from Fred.

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It isn't just any 1960s Plymouth GTX featured on the TV series "Archer." Master spy Sterling Archer's chariot of choice has been extensively modified to suit his needs. With an ejector seat to launch the driver through the sunroof, hidden machine guns and a stocked bar, this GTX is unique. The "SPY GUY" vanity plate is just icing on the cake.

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No vehicle is more responsible for our burning desire for a flying car than George Jetson's family transport. With seating for the whole Jetsons clan, "away pods" for the kids and a convenient folding function for storage while not in use, the unnamed Jetsons car is the perfect way for George to get to Spacely Sprockets every day on this TV series.

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Brian Griffin of "Family Guy" isn't the animated world's only driving dog, but he is the only one that gets around town in a 2004 Toyota Prius. The poster vehicle for the educated elite is only fitting for a family pet that loves jazz and constantly works on his novel.

James Tate cut his teeth in the business as a race team crew member before moving to the editorial side as Senior Editor of Sport Compact Car, and his work has appeared in Popular Mechanics, Automobile, Motor Trend and European Car. When not writing, Tate is usually fantasizing about a vintage Porsche 911.