History Main / BadassDriver

* Rider of ''Anime/TodaysMenuForEmiyaFamily'' proves just how badass her A+ Riding skill actually is during the ChristmasEpisode where Leysritt, a homunculus who is notoriously bad at driving, tries to drive the girls to Illya's castle but loses control of their van. Rider takes the wheel and not only gets the vehicle back on track effortlessly, but defies the laws of physics in the process of getting everyone to the castle.

If they're part of a gang, expect them to be the GetawayDriver.

* A number of the characters in ''Film/TheItalianJob1969'', where it is necessary for them to pull the elaborate 'Mini chase'.

** A.J. Foyt, one of the winningest drivers in UsefulNotes/IndyCar history. He won ''four'' Indy 500s (only two other drivers have accomplished that: Al Unser Sr. and Rick Mears, both badass drivers themselves), won 138 USAC races (the most of any driver), and in the 1964 Champ Car season, won 10 of the 14 races, a record that still holds to this day. He also managed to find success in NASCAR, including a win in the 1972 Daytona 500.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpP3F6E5h0w And]] ''Film/MissionImpossibleRogueNation''. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qexo0eI3eE4 He also did quite well for himself (as did Cameron Diaz)]] on Star In A Reasonably Priced Car on ''Series/TopGear'' back in 2010.

** Katy Chen, introduced in ''Film/ShangChiAndTheegendOfTheTenRings'', is also a pretty badass driver. Early in the movie, she discusses the challenges of valet parking, and soon proves that she does have genuine driving chops when she is forced to take over a bus after Shang-Chi's fight with Razor Fist ends up knocking out the driver (granted, she ends up [[DrivesLikeCrazy wrecking the bus and nearly every other car on the road]], but a lot of that's on Razor Fist). Later in the film, she [[spoiler:has to drive the heroes through a [[WhenTreesAttack hostile bamboo maze]], relying on directions from an [[TheUnintelligible unintelligible]] ''[[MinorlyMentionedMythsAndMonsters hundun]]'' being translated by a washed-up {{cloudcuckoolander}} actor - and she succeeds]].

* If there's anyone better than Harold "Happy" Hogan in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, they can [[Franchise/BackToTheFuture drive cars through time]]. His Monaco run must be seen to be believed; slaloming ''against the direction of the incoming race cars'' '''at top speed ''' - much of it '''''one-handed''''' because Pepper is desperately trying to get the Mark V uncuffed from his arm. With the key in his pocket.
** Just for the sake of squee, the top speed of a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Phantom_Coupé Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé]] is '''155 mph.''' The ''average'' speed of the [[http://www.vivaf1.com/monaco.php Monaco Grand Prix]] is '''158 mph.''' That means he was dodging cars coming at him at a combined speed of '''''OVER 300 MILES PER HOUR.''''' Creator/JonFavreau may have made himself something of a ButtMonkey in combat, but behind the wheel, he essentially made himself Chuck Yeager.
** More subtly, he also routinely keeps up during Tony Stark's driving adventures. Stark in a high dollar sports car, Hogan in a luxury sedan. From the dialog, it even sounds like Stark actively tries to lose him.

** Just [=FYI=]: the teacher of the course was an ex-stunt driver. And Shane was formerly a Harrier pilot.

* The main characters of ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard'': two [[HillbillyMoonshiner monshine-running]] GoodOlBoy brothers who drive a [[CoolCar customized 1969 Dodge Charger nicknamed (The) General Lee]].

** [[Creator/MattDamon Jason Bourne]], as shown in ''Film/TheBourneSeries'' movies.

* * Kim, a professional stunt driver, in ''Film/DeathProof''. She gets into a [[VehicularAssault murderous car duel]] with Stuntman Mike, another professional stunt driver (and SerialKiller).

* * Kim, a professional stunt driver, in ''Film/DeathProof''. She gets into a [[VehicularHomicide murderous car duel]] with Stuntman Mike, another professional stunt driver (and SerialKiller).

* In ''VideoGame/LiberalCrimeSquad'', any liberal with enough points in driving skill becomes this.

* ''VideoGame/EuroTruckSimulator'' features the player as an ordinary truck driver, who is encouraged to obey the rules of the road... but as they progress through the game's [[RPGElements skill system]], they unlock longer and more dangerous routes, until they eventually are hauling perishable, fragile and dangerous cargo across the whole of Europe on strict time limits and in foul weather, making them a MundaneMadeAwesome instance of the trope.
* ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' requires badass driving if you want to survive for long in a light vehicle like a Warthog or Mongoose in multiplayer mode. Preferably with a passenger able to shoot at your opponents, but [[CarFu for those moments they can't]]...
* ''VideoGame/KerbalSpaceProgram'' gives us Jebediah Kerman. He could be on board a craft that is falling apart around him and he'll keep on smiling. When Kerbals were given classes and stats to level up, Jeb was unsurprisingly put into the Pilot class.

* ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'': Grif. Yes, ''[[BrilliantButLazy that]]'' Grif. Don't believe me? Watch ''Revelation'' episode 3.
** In the S9 flashbacks, Agents Maine, York, and ultimately Tex give Grif a run for his money. It takes a whole Warthog full of balls to catch someone falling off a building in your car, about as much to ram a truck that your buddies are fighting on with said car, but what Tex can do on that motorcycle probably violates laws of physics.
* Wheelman from ''Literature/MetroCityChronicles''. He can drive across the country in a matter of hours and drive up the sides of buildings. His powers basically revolve around the ability to do impossible stunts with cars.
* The Driver from ''WebVideo/TheHire'', BMW's short film advertisement series. But then he's played by Clive Owen.

* Henry Chan from ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingChanAndTheChanClan''.

* Coop in ''WesternAnimation/MegasXLR'', who naturally kicks it up to CarFu when he gets a hold of hyperadvanced technology.
* And from the same people, ''WesternAnimation/MotorCity's'' main cast is full of them, but TheHero Mike stands out in particular.
* In ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats2011'' Panthro is this in his highly-customized [[TankGoodness Thundertank]]. He's even up for a game of chicken with the occasional giant war machine.
* Asami Sato from ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' qualifies. Demonstrating her amazing driving skills during a tense chase scene where she is ''blinded'' by smoke bombs. She not only manages to tail her quarries but manages to shock a couple into submission.
** She's not just badass on the roads. She does the same thing on motorboats and in the sky with biplanes.
* Lance in ''WesternAnimation/SymBionicTitan'', particularly in the "Roar of the White Dragon" episode. Notably when street racing Mike Chan (who could also be this trope) and when outrunning a Mutraddi, while ''still'' managing to pass his driver's test.

* ''Literature/ForestOfBolandLightRailway'' has two: Lobgob the inventor who designed, built and drives the train, and Shera Beg the goblin who steals it and uses it to infiltrate the gnomes' town.
* Murrough from [[Creator/TherinKnite Therin Knite's]] ''Literature/{{Echoes}}''. He (illegally) drives manually (as opposed to using the automatic AI driver installed in all cars) through a city where the average highway speeds are 200+ miles per hour.
* Believe it or not, Miss Havisham from ''Literature/GreatExpectations'' is one of these mixed with DrivesLikeCrazy in the ''Literature/ThursdayNext'' series. Her crazed driving scene is for the intent of getting bodice-ripper romances. No, really.
* The ''[[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} W40K]]'' universe has Gunner Jurgen, who is determined to make sure that Commissar Literature/CiaphasCain IS NEVER LATE! He will defy physics and all known road laws to ensure this. To add to that, he's gotten away with it, though this is most likely related to the fact the vehicle he's driving being a heavily armored war machine, and that his passenger can legally shoot just about anyone they meet.
* Shane Schofield from Creator/MatthewReilly's books took an offensive driving course to justify why he can bypass a blockade by sliding along a concrete guard rail.
** Just [=FYI=]: the teacher of the course was an ex-stunt driver. And Shane was formerly a Harrier pilot.

* In the Indian novel ''Literature/TheWhiteTiger'': Balram, duh. %% This comment was added automatically by FELH2. In case the wording doesn't make sense, rewrite it as you like and tell this troper.

* Phoebe Van Zant of ''Literature/{{Tracked}}'' is the daughter of a famous race driver, and a top street racer herself.

* In the 1980s ''Micro Adventure'' series (which mixed BASIC programming exercises with a second-person [[TeenSuperspy children's espionage]] story), the main character frequently has the help of Hot Wheels, a transportation specialist for the Adventure Connection Team. How good is he? In one adventure, H.W. manages to lose pursuit while driving a garbage truck.

* Stan Murch is the driver for the CaperCrew in the ''Literature/{{Dortmunder}}'' novels, and is generally acknowledged as being the best wheelman in the New York underworld. His mother, who is a new York cabbie, is possibly an even better driver than Stan.

* The main characters of ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard''.

* Creator/NathanFillion's character in ''Series/Drive2007''.

* Don't forget Jim Rockford from ''Series/TheRockfordFiles''. Of course, he is James Garner.
* Most of the Franchise/{{Kamen Rider}}s are {{Badass Biker}}s, but a few actually drive ''cars'' instead. Case in point, [[Series/KamenRiderBlackRX Black RX]], [[Series/KamenRiderDrive Drive]], and [[Film/SuperHeroTaisenGPKamenRider3 3]]. Being {{Henshin Hero}}es, they are usually pretty damn good at it.
* Dillon of ''Series/PowerRangersRPM'' establishes himself as this in the first episode, when he drives through [[BigBad Venjix's]] barricade in broad daylight using his beaten up, old car.
* In ''Series/{{Healer}}'', this was Moon-Shik's role during his pirate radio days.
* ''Series/AngieTribeca'' has David Hoffman, a '''dog.''' He ditches his partner just so he can do donuts in the parking lot.
* The various driving instructors of ''Series/CanadasWorstDriver'' all qualify as Badass Drivers to varying degrees. They certainly have to be, being their responsibility to educate others on proper technique. Though host Andrew Younghusband is supposed to represent the "average" driver when he demonstrates the various driving challenges on the show, it's obvious he's been improving over the last decade of this show. The show's contestants, on the other hand, [[DrivesLikeCrazy not so much]]. Special mention goes to season 3 contestant Thomas, who went from DrivesLikeCrazy to BadassDriver by graduating, going on to become a racing driver, and winning his first race. Bad. Ass.
* ''Series/Formula1DriveToSurvive'': The main focus of the series are UsefulNotes/FormulaOne drivers, who are extremely good at their job by design as they wouldn't be able to qualify for FIA Super Licences without proving themselves.
* Capheus from ''Series/Sense8'' is a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matatu Matatu]] driver from Nairobi who's learned how to pull of some ''serious'' CarFu. The rest of his [[PsychicLink Cluster]] soon learn to call on his skills when they're being chased. In one incident he managed to flip a Smart Car so it landed on its wheels and was able to keep driving for a while afterwards. There's also the time he pulled off a spin-kick ''with his bus''.

* Roleplay/DinoAttackRPG had several characters that fit this sort of character.

* The Speed Demon in TabletopGame/D20Modern Urban Arcana is a BadassDriver with supernatural enhancements to his ability to drive his or wreck vehicles other than his own.

* In ''Atomic Highway'', this is the job description of [[Film/MadMax Road Warriors]] (battlecars) and Haulers [[BigBadassRig (trucks)]], two of the five vehicle-focused Pursuits (the others being [[BadassBiker outriders]], autogyro pilots, and "raiders" who get whatever's available). Atomic Highway being the kind of game it is, there's an entire chapter dedicated to taking commonly available vehicles like family sedans or medium trucks and bolting on the requisite armour plates, guns and rams, just so the Road Warriors and Haulers get to ride the post-apocalyptic highway in style. And violence.

* ''TabletopGame/ApocalypseWorld'' has an entire playbook dedicated to this trope, appropriately named "The Driver". In addition to a bunch of ''Film/MadMax'' allusions, the Driver gets a [[CoolCar customized car]] (or four, with upgrades) that has its own stat block and can essentially be used as a weapon in high-speed combat.

* Players that mastered the beast named X2010 and its successor, X2011 from the ''VideoGame/GranTurismo'' series are this. 1500 HP, design to be exempt of every racing design rule, light as a F1 and turns like an piece of iron running towards a powerful magnet on its left. Cool car, but only properly driven by Badass Drivers.

** ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'' has the characters mercilessly mock your driving. At one point, they tell you to go to driver's ed. And then you do. Harsh. Admittedly, it's an ''advanced'' driving school, and those classes teach you how to be an even more badass driver (even in-game, as every 100% earned on a test increases your driving skill by an amount that would take about half an hour – as in ''real time'' half hour – of nonstop driving), so that softens the blow.
** Franklin in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'' has the special ability to slow down time and greatly improve his handling as a driver. He also starts out with the highest driving stat of the three protagonists.
** Taliana Martinez from the same game, picked up in a random encounter, is a BadassInDistress when you meet her. She's barely survived a car crash after a heist GoneHorriblyWrong and needs to get to a friend's house. Completing the random encounter will let you unlock her as a driver for the story's heists. Not only can she ace any of the heists you bring her on, she only charges 5% of the heist's cut, making her the best getaway driver in the game.

* Joker in ''Franchise/MassEffect'' can do ridiculously awesome things with a spaceship, in this case, the ''[[CoolStarship Normandy]]''. Joker is another NonActionGuy due to his brittle bones medical condition. He is also snarktacular. Anyone who doubts that he fits this trope obviously hasn't seen what he does at the beginning of the suicide mission in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2''.
** Throughout the series, it's shown that Shepard is actually highly skilled at either driving or piloting various forms of ground vehicles and aircraft. Unfortunately this fact is often overlooked since ''everyone else'' considers Shepard to be utterly ''[[DrivesLikeCrazy dangerous]]'' when they get behind the wheel.
* Mention the name [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xst9IFL8ivg 'Greger Huttu']] in sim-racing circles and expect an awed silence and people asking why the guy isn't in UsefulNotes/FormulaOne yet.
** Top Gear Magazine did [[http://www.virtualr.net/greger-huttu-goes-real-racing-article an article]] putting him in a Star Mazda open-wheeler. While the skill is certainly there (he was quickly setting some very quick times), the physical fitness required of actual racing wasn't.
* [[Creator/VinDiesel Milo]] of ''VideoGame/{{Wheelman}}'' and its film sequel.
* Starting in ''VideoGame/JakIIRenegade'', Jak became one of these, with [[SideKick Daxter]] showing at least potential. In ''VideoGame/JakXCombatRacing'', everyone who was playable became one of these by default, even [[PollyWantsAMicroPhone Pecker]].

* The hero of the ''Film/SmokeyAndTheBandit'' films, who pre-dated ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard'' with the "moonshiner on the run from the law" character type.
* Creator/BurtReynolds does it again as the eponymous ''Film/StrokerAce'' just a few years later. This time, he's a three-time [=NASCAR=] champion who is known for spectacular antics off the track as well, although we only see a few of these in the movie proper.
* Frank Martin (Creator/JasonStatham) of ''Film/TheTransporter'' series; a former Special Forces soldier who utilizes his skills as a private driver for hire.
** And, as a result, [[TypeCasting most characters played by Jason Statham in other films.]] ''Film/TheItalianJob2003, Film/DeathRace'', etc.
** The ''Film/DeathRace'' sequels also throw in Carl Lucas, a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute for Statham's character, a getaway driver so skilled that when he tears around Terminus Island in a junker he inspires the Death Race sport to begin with.
%%* Wesley, Fox, and Cross from ''Film/{{Wanted}}''.



* A number of the characters in ''Film/TheItalianJob1969''.

* Though he doesn't start the film this way, Max from ''Film/{{Collateral}}'' [[TookALevelInBadass evolves into this]] when he [[spoiler: stands up to Vincent and starts blowing through red lights, culminating in flipping the car intentionally in order to screw with the guy.]]
* Everyone in the ''Film/MadMax'' series. No, seriously, ''everyone''. Given that the films are set in a CrapsackWorld AfterTheEnd, it's a requirement to survive, so every character from the protagonists to the lowest-level {{Mook}}s are badasses behind the wheel of a car. The titular Mad Max himself is pretty damn good, managing to earn the title of "[[RedBaron The Road Warrior]]" thanks to his skill with CarFu and [[WalkingTheEarth his constant wandering]].
* Creator/JackieChan plays a version of this in ''Film/TheTuxedo'', in which he becomes a chauffeur for Film/JamesBond.
* Film/JamesBond.
* Creator/SamyNaceri as Daniel in the french ''Film/{{Taxi}}'' movies does incredible things with his car at ludicrous speeds.
* There are not few of these in ''Film/{{Ronin}}'', as evidenced by the against-traffic freeway car chase.
* Ryan O'Neal's [[NoNameGiven nameless]] character in ''Film/TheDriver''.

* [[Creator/DanAykroyd Elwood J. Blues]] in ''Film/TheBluesBrothers''. It takes a lot of gusto to turn a car around at the end of an unfinished bridge like Elwood did. He can even speed through the dark of the night and outrun dozens of police cars with his sunglasses on.
* Just about every character in ''Film/{{Torque}}''.

* [[Creator/MattDamon Jason Bourne]], as shown in ''Film/TheBourneSeries'' movies.
* Kim in ''Film/DeathProof''.

* Driver from ''Film/Drive2011''.
* The title character from ''Film/BabyDriver''. And he does it all while barely hearing, given he uses headphones to cover his tinnitus.
* Subverted in ''Film/{{Snatch}}'' with Tyrone. He's introduced as an experienced getaway driver, but doesn't really live up to his hype.
-->'''Sol:''' He's a natural. Ain't you, Tyrone?
-->'''Tyrone:''' 'Course I am. ''[backs the car into a parked van]''
-->'''Vincent:''' A natural fucking idiot!
* Italian race car driver Franco Bertolli is hired for his reputation as one in ''Film/TheGumballRally''.
* If there's anyone better than Harold "Happy" Hogan in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, they can [[Franchise/BackToTheFuture drive cars through time]]. His Monaco run must be seen to be believed; slaloming ''against the direction of the incoming race cars'' '''at top speed ''' - much of it '''''one-handed''''' because Pepper is desperately trying to get the Mark V uncuffed from his arm. With the key in his pocket.
** Just for the sake of squee, the top speed of a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Phantom_Coupé Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé]] is '''155 mph.''' The ''average'' speed of the [[http://www.vivaf1.com/monaco.php Monaco Grand Prix]] is '''158 mph.''' That means he was dodging cars coming at him at a combined speed of '''''OVER 300 MILES PER HOUR.''''' Creator/JonFavreau may have made himself something of a ButtMonkey in combat, but behind the wheel, he essentially made himself Chuck Yeager.
** More subtly, he also routinely keeps up during Tony Stark's driving adventures. Stark in a high dollar sports car, Hogan in a luxury sedan. From the dialog, it even sounds like Stark actively tries to lose him.
* ''Film/{{Godzilla 2014}}'' features a [[invoked]]OneSceneWonder bus driver who manages to drive his vehicle full of kids, including Sam Brody, through police and military barricades in the middle of an explosive skirmish between Franchise/{{Godzilla}} and the Navy, getting off the Golden Gate Bridge just before the massive {{Kaiju}} barges through it.

* Miško Krstić in ''Film/WhosSingingOverThere'' can drive a bus backwards, blindfolded, over an unpaved road for several minutes without any problems.
* One of Eggsy's skills before joining the agency in ''Film/KingsmanTheSecretService''. He hijacks a car and manages to elude the police by driving ''backwards'' effortlessly a few miles. He probably could've gone longer, too, had he not swerved out of the way to avoid hitting an animal. He first appears in [[Film/KingsmanTheGoldenCircle the sequel]] being forced to drive wildly.
* ''Film/{{Bullitt}}'', to the point his pursuit of a bad guy is [[TropeCodifier the quintessential car chase]].
* EvilPoacher Sunny in ''Film/FairGame'', who uses '[[CoolCar the Beast]]'' to systematically demolish Jessica's house while she is inside it.
* Mellie Logan in ''Film/LoganLucky''. TheCaper relies on her ability to drive at 30 miles over the speed limit, and know the shortest route between any two places at a given time of the day.
* Eddie Shannon in ''Film/DriveACrookedRoad''. An amateur race car driver, Steve and Harold recruit him specifically because they need someone who can handle a car at high speed on a bad road with dangerous corners.

* ''Film/SonOfAGun'': Chris the GetawayDriver shows his worth as his slues the unwieldy Toyota Land Cruiser through a series of dangerous stunts while escaping the police at the refinery, including swerving between a pair of giant dump trucks at the open cut mine.
* In ''Film/TheArtOfTheSteal'', Crunch used to be regarded as the best GetawayDriver in the biz. He shows his chops when he loses two motorcycle cops who are pursuing him by not only driving into the subway, but ''through a train''.

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* ''Anime/SpeedRacer'': He's a demon on wheels!
** His long lost brother, Rex, ain't too shabby either when he takes the wheel as Racer X.
* Anime/{{REDLINE}} features a whole [[WorldOfBadass roster]] but the biggest standouts have got to be Sonoshee [[RedBaron "Cherry Boy Hunter"]] Mclaren, who once dealt with an incoming missile by popping open her cockpit's hatch and ''shooting it out of the sky with a goddamned [[ViolationOfCommonSense pistol]]'', and "Sweet" JP, notable for [[HonorBeforeReason never carrying weapons]] on his sled, preferring to win or lose by pure unmitigated ''driving skill'', and sporting enough talent to drift circles around some of the other racers in the film to the point he can casually perform feats of racing that defy all laws of physics. Shame about his [[CaptainCrash luck]] though.
* This is surprisingly a skill of the geeky, NonActionGuy Martis in ''Anime/PumpkinScissors''. In one episode, when he is in danger, this role is filled by an even more unlikely character, the cute GenkiGirl Stecchin, who combines this with DrivesLikeCrazy.
* ''Manga/GunsmithCats'':
** Bean Bandit, including in the OVA ''Anime/RidingBean''.
** Also Riff-Raff the Speed Angel; while not on Bean's level, she is considered one of the best professional drivers in the area.
** Rally herself is no slouch behind the wheel either, though [[TheGunslinger her true talent is with guns.]]

* Fletch, Iono-sama's personal driver in ''Manga/IonoTheFanatics''.
* ''Franchise/LupinIII'' is often shown in chase scenes escaping from the police, expertly driving and pulling tricks while he does so. Although he's good, it's rather expected of a series that follows a thief as a VillainProtagonist. Why he's impressive is that he translates this skill into [[UniversalDriversLicense other vehicles as well]], ''and'' as a Formula One Race Car driver.
* This is the entire premise of the (rather stupid) manga ''D-Live''. The company the protagonist works for when not in school gives him vehicles and he bonds deeply with them and does impossible, incredible things. Even if he's never driven one of these before. Then they cite something that they didn't like, like he crashed whatever-it-was or got seen on the job, and screw him out of his pay. He never seems to catch on.
* Yui Narumi from ''Anime/LuckyStar'' DrivesLikeCrazy, but there's no denying she's horrendously good at it.

* Leigharch from ''Manga/BlackLagoon'' mixes this with TheStoner. {{Hilarity|Ensues}} and awesomeness ensue.

* Just about every single racer in ''Anime/FutureGPXCyberFormula'', but Bleed Kaga in particular. His field racing background explains it a lot, since he uses offensive skills with his car, but he avoids using them unless in extreme situations.
** Osamu in his Knight Shoemach persona isn't a slouch in the racing fields, either. He drives a very fast red and white car, is nicknamed "[[RedBaron The Supersonic Knight]]" and is regarded in-story to be the best driver of the series (up until the ''SAGA'' arc).
* Joe "The Condor" Asakura from ''Anime/ScienceNinjaTeamGatchaman'' in both his superhero ''and'' civilian forms.
* Togusa in ''Franchise/GhostInTheShell'' has this as his skill to lend to the Section 9 police squad. The rest of the team rely on him when they need to initiate a police chase. He's so good at vehicular maneuvering that he's the only one in Section 9 to [[spoiler:evade the governmental forces at the end.]]
* Miyuki from ''Manga/YoureUnderArrest''.
* [[AlternateUniverse Edo]]-Natsu from ''Manga/FairyTail''. But only as long as he is in the car, outside he is an extreme wimp. This is in contrast to the other Natsu, who is very badass normally, but suffers from extreme motion sickness.
* Eriko from ''LightNovel/DragonCrisis''.
* Yuu Himehagi from ''Manga/{{Geobreeders}}''. She can be a slacker that only smokes and sleeps, but when she has to drive, she does it ''extremely good''
-->''"A driver's job is to drive!"''
* Lolo "The Courier" Endive of ''Manga/MagicalRecordLyricalNanohaForce'', whose second scene involves her effortlessly driving a bulky transport van as a high-speed getaway car, even if it means having to occasionally balance it on two wheels due to taking turns without slowing down.
* Mako Reizei from ''Anime/GirlsUndPanzer'' is probably the PatronSaint of Anime badass ''[[TankGoodness tank]]'' [[BadassDriver drivers]]. [[ActionGirl She is able to drive anything, anywhere, at ridiculous levels of expertise]] [[InstantExpert just by reading the owners manual]]. She tops everything by ''drifting'' a 30-ton ''UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo tank'' in ways that would make [[Manga/InitialD Bunta Fujiwara]], above, gape with envy
** Karina Sakaguchi, driver for the Rabbit Team, deserves mention. Her skill at driving her team's tank in close quarters is instrumental in their defeating not one, but two much heavier and more powerful tanks. The first by circling around corners so fast they get behind their enemy. The second by driving in reverse to escape the enemy tank while simultaneously staying as close as possible to it to avoid being targeted by its gun and getting it to drive itself into a river drainage ditch.
** As expected from from a Finnish-inspired school, Jatkosota High is the most infamous among all of Sensha-do schools for both its excellent gunners and the insanely skilled drivers. Because their school is poor, the students compensate for their lack of firepower with skills (and some property stealing from other schools) that have been passed down for generations. Because of this, they excel on rough terrains like mountains or swamps. Former vice-commander of Jatkosota, Lili, dodges attacks from Kuromorimine by making her T-28 do a wheelie, something that is lampshaded as borderline miracle as the tank weights 28 tonnes. The current commander's driver, Mikko, makes full use of the BT-42's Christie suspension and already configured the tank for when the treads break. When the wheels on one side are shot, ''Mikko balances the tank on its one side and keeps driving until her gunner has a clear shot''.
%%* ''Anime/{{Canaan}}'': [[EnsembleDarkhorse Jin, the Taxi Driver,]] probably the most awesome taxi driver in existence.
* ''Manga/OnePiece'' gives us a nautical version in the form of new Straw Hat helmsman [[spoiler:Jimbei]]. He ''surfed with the whole ship'', hiding it in a tidal wave!

* Diego Zhao (a.k.a. 'Rush') from the ''Rush City'' mini-series in Franchise/TheDCU.
* Freeway, a member of the criminal organization the Network and sometimes foe of Franchise/{{Batman}}.

* Razorback, a little-known Marvel character, has the mutant power to, ahem, operate any vehicle at an expert level, just by getting at the controls.

* Robbie Reyes, a ComicBook/GhostRider, drives a '69 Charger, and he participated in illegal racing. He's able to keep up with the best of them.

* VideoGame/HalfLife2's Alyx Vance, according to ''FanFic/BetweenMinds''.

* Then there's Wyldstyle/[[spoiler:real name Lucy]] from ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie'', who not only drives cool vehicles, she ''rebuilds'' them along the way.
* Lightning [=McQueen=] from the ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'' franchise has a more literal example as he actually ''is'' a race car with mad skills.

* Wesley, Fox, and Cross from ''Film/{{Wanted}}''.
* Frank Martin (Creator/JasonStatham) of ''Film/TheTransporter'' series.
** And, as a result, [[TypeCasting most characters played by Jason Statham in other films.]] ''Film/TheItalianJob2003, Film/DeathRace'', etc.
** The ''Film/DeathRace'' sequels also throw in Carl Lucas, a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute for Statham's character, a getaway driver so skilled that when he tears around Terminus Island in a junker he inspires the Death Race sport to begin with.

** Burt Reynolds does it again as the eponymous ''Film/StrokerAce'' just a few years later. This time, he's a three-time [=NASCAR=] champion who is known for spectacular antics off the track as well, although we only see a few of these in the movie proper.

* The [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep unnamed Bus Driver]] from ''Manga/RosarioToVampire''.

* Driver from ''Film/{{Drive}}''.

* Creator/NathanFillion's character in ''Series/{{Drive}}''.

* [[UsefulNotes/Rallying Rally Racing]] drivers in general. Circuit racers run in engineered purposely-built and well-mantained tracks, but Rally drivers drive rally fast in narrow and curvy public roads, in multiple surfaces like gravel, mud, and snow, exposed to the elements, having to juggle attention of the hazardous roads with hearing the pace notes from their navigators at the same time.

* They didn't name Creator/ColinMcRae one of the greatest rally drivers of all time for nothing. Sure, he only won a single World Championship in the [[UsefulNotes/WorldRallyChampionship WRC]], but his penchant for flamboyant, pedal-to-the-metal driving and carrying on after a car-mangling accident earned him quite a following. It helps that the [[VideoGame/ColinMcRaeRally video game series]] he starred in gave him even further recognition especially in Europe where rallying is more popular.
* And then there's Estonian badass UsefulNotes/OttTanak, who is considered to have taken the throne previously sat by compatriot and former WRC driver Markko Martin. His rally wins in Argentina, Finland and Germany speaks volumes, especially when he led the rally by over 46 seconds despite a half-spin that would've cost him the rally.

Most people drive cars. Many are competent. A few are exceptionally skilled. And a minuscule fraction can do things behind the wheel that'd make your head spin faster than the driveshaft. These gods among wheelmen are a marvel to behold, with skill, timing, or luck so solid they can start and stop on farthings, drive through your coat closet without scuffing the drywall, pivot in place, or power-slide round entire municipalities. Such beings will often possess MachineEmpathy, detecting when something's wrong due to subtle changes in how their vehicle is acting.

[[folder:Film -- Animated]]

[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]

* In the 1980s ''Micro Adventure'' series (which mixed BASIC programming exercises with a second-person [[TeenSuperspies children's espionage]] story), the main character frequently has the help of Hot Wheels, a transportation specialist for the Adventure Connection Team. How good is he? In one adventure, H.W. manages to lose pursuit while driving a garbage truck.