Pursuit Special
A modified Ford Falcon (XB) used by Max Rockatansky.
Tamsin Slater · via Wikipedia: Pursuit Special · CC BY-SA 2.0
The Pursuit Special is a fictional muscle car from the *Mad Max* series, most famously a Ford Falcon (XB) driven by the title character. It appears in *Mad Max*, *Mad Max 2*, *Mad Max: Fury Road*, and *Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga*, as well as a comic book prequel and both video games. The first vehicle to carry the name in the films is a 1972 Holden Monaro (HQ) V8 coupe, stolen by the escaped cop killer Nightrider, who dies when his chase with the Main Force Patrol destroys it.
In the first film, Max Rockatansky is offered a modified 1973 Ford Falcon (XB) GT Hardtop as a new Pursuit Special to keep him on the force, but he initially turns it down. He later uses it for revenge after his family is killed. The car began as a white 1973 Falcon with a 351 cubic inch V8. For the film, art director Jon Dowding designed it, and Melbourne customiser Graf-X International modified it. The work was done by Peter Arcadipane, Ray Beckerley, John Evans, and painter Rod Smythe. It was painted black, fitted with roof and boot spoilers, wheel arch flares, a front nose cone and air-dam, and eight side exhaust pipes (only two functional). A non-functional Weiand 6-71 supercharger protruded through the bonnet; in the first two films, it is switched on and off, which a real supercharger cannot do.
After filming, the producers could not pay all creditors, so the black Interceptor went to mechanic Murray Smith, who removed the blower and side pipes to make it roadworthy. He toured it locally to sell it. Warner Bros then bought it from him for *Mad Max 2*. For the sequel, Kennedy and Miller reacquired the car. The rear wheels and side pipes were changed, and a new supercharger replaced the lost original. This time, the supercharger was functional; the effect of engaging or disengaging it was achieved by placing the vehicle on a low loader and starting or stopping the engine while in motion. The car was cosmetically weathered for the post-apocalyptic setting, with large cylindrical fuel tanks in the rear, matte black paint scrubbed to look rusty, and the front air-dam removed. A duplicate car was built and destroyed in the film, leaving the original intact.
When production ended, the intact Pursuit Special was sold to a wrecking yard in Broken Hill, then to Hilliers Auto Salvage in South Australia.
- Vehicle type
- Ford Falcon (XB) GT Hardtop
- First appearance
- Mad Max (1979)
- Notable modifications
- Black paint, roof and boot spoilers, wheel arch flares, front nose cone, air-dam, eight side exhaust pipes, non-functional Weiand 6-71 supercharger
- Fate in films
- Destroyed in Mad Max 2 and Mad Max: Fury Road; restored for display
- Current location
- Dezer Car Museum, Miami, Florida (as of 2011)
Lore & Background
The Pursuit Special started out as a white 1973 Ford Falcon (XB) GT Hardtop with a 351 cu in (5.8 L) V8. In 1976, filmmakers Byron Kennedy and George Miller began preproduction on Mad Max. The film's art director Jon Dowding designed the Pursuit Special and commissioned Melbourne-based car customiser Graf-X International to modify the Falcon. Peter Arcadipane, Ray Beckerley, John Evans, and painter Rod Smythe transformed the car as specified for the film. It was painted in black, given roof and boot spoilers, wheel arch flares, front nose cone and air-dam. Eight individual side exhaust pipes were added, with only two being functional. It had a non-functional Weiand 6-71 supercharger protruding through the bonnet; in the first two Mad Max films the supercharger is switched on and off, which is impossible for a real supercharger to do.
Reader's Guide
The Pursuit Special is significant as the iconic vehicle of Max Rockatansky, appearing in multiple films and media of the Mad Max franchise. Its design, created by Jon Dowding and built by Graf-X International, established a visual template for post-apocalyptic vehicles. The car's modifications—black paint, spoilers, side pipes, and a non-functional supercharger—became instantly recognizable. After filming of the first movie, the car was given to mechanic Murray Smith, who removed the blower and side pipes for road use, then sold it to Warner Bros for Mad Max 2. For the sequel, the car was reacquired by Kennedy and Miller, given a functional supercharger (achieved by placing the vehicle on a low loader), and cosmetically weathered with matte black paint, rusty appearance, and large fuel tanks. A duplicate was destroyed in the film, leaving the original intact. After production, the car was sold to a wrecking yard, then rescued and restored by Bob Fursenko, who confirmed its authenticity with Kennedy Miller. It was displayed in Australia, then shipped to the Cars of the Stars Motor Museum in England, and later to the Dezer Car Museum in Miami. The vehicle returned in Mad Max: Fury Road, where it was captured, repaired, and ultimately crushed. It also appears briefly in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. The Pursuit Special's legacy endures as a symbol of the franchise's gritty, resourceful world.
Did You Know?
- The first vehicle called the Pursuit Special in the film is a 1972 Holden Monaro (HQ) V8 coupe, stolen by Nightrider and destroyed in a chase.
- The supercharger on the Pursuit Special was non-functional in the first film; in Mad Max 2, the effect of engaging it was created by placing the car on a low loader and starting or stopping the engine.
- The Pursuit Special was sold to a wrecking yard in Broken Hill after Mad Max 2, then rescued and restored by Bob Fursenko.
More in Characters & Heroes
Elsewhere in Mad Max
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