For those of you who complain that rental car kiosks no longer offer anything more interesting than soon-to-be salvage titled Corvettes, I present you with this flamethrowing 1967 Pontiac GTO, used in the upcoming film, XXX: Return of Xander Cage, offered by Turo.
While I’m not one to fawn over movies like some internet fanboy, I do enjoy the engineering and attention to detail that goes into movie prop cars. Not only are some cars (like the ones in Mad Max: Fury Road) made to such exacting standards that they actually perform all the outrageous functions that you’d see in the movie, but they’re built by engineering firms that are filled to the brim with car lovers.
This ‘67 GTO, at least on its face, seems to be no exception. The jury’s currently out on reviews of the movie, but I’d wager to guess it’s the same entertaining, schlocky, B-movie-plot-with-A-list talent we’re apt to see dominate the box office in late January.
Having said that, I’m glad to know that this Pontiac GTO was chosen as the movie’s lead car, as it was likely picked by a gang of writers then approved by a movie studio as the one that correlates its badass virtues best to a worldwide audience.
This particular car was built by Eddie Paul Customs and John Frazier Special Effects, and it was used during scenes where practical effects were used to depict a flamethrower shooting out of the car’s hood scoop. I’m willing to bet this option will be disabled for renters, however I fantasize that it isn’t.
The GTO is powered by a 335 horsepower, 400 cubic inch V8 engine, mated to a TH400 automatic with a B&M shifter, which is pretty standard fare as far as muscle cars go. The devil lies in the bodywork details, and there are indeed many to note.
Door handles are shaved, the roof was cut off and replaced with a lightweight fiberglass mold for the scenes where the roof is torn away (SPOILERS), and the interior is completely customized with hideaway panels in the rear seats, a nitrous oxide system, and a ton of gauges that seem to do fuck all, but look damn cool as they are.
As it stands, the car is ready to rent at a mere $999 per day, which may sound like a lot for what amounts a Xander Cage superfan’s wet dream, but it might just be one of the most unique looking and sounding cars you can rent today, and considering the frankly insane selection you get on Turo, that’s saying a lot.