History Main / MetallicarSyndrome

A subtrope of CoolCar and UnusuallyUninterestingSight. This trope is about how that kind of vehicle ''should'' be a liability precisely because it is so rare and/or unique, but somehow never is. A CoolCar ''can'' be cool and not fall under this trope (like {{Angel}}'s Plymouth, for example)--keep that in mind before adding an example.

* Mentioned in ''TheDarkKnight'' when Bruce goes out during the day Alfred asks if he'll be using the Batmobile and Bruce says no that it won't work driving it around in the day to which Alfred responds "The Lambroghini then, real inconspicuous."

* Subverted to the point of comedy in ''Drive''. The opening scene shows Ryan Gosling picking up a modified car for use in a heist. He and the mechanic walk past 5 or 6 flashy American muscle cars while the mechanic quips, "Here she is, plain-jane as can be, the most popular car in the state of California, the [modern day] Chevy Impala". Keep in mind that the Impala also used to be a flashy American muscle car back in the day.
* Mentioned in TheDarkKnight when Bruce goes out during the day Alfred asks if he'll be using the Batmobile and Bruce says no that it won't work driving it around in the day to which Alfred responds "The Lambroghini then, real inconspicuous."

* Pretty much every car in ''The Gumball Rally''.

Named for the incredibly rare 1967 Chevy Impala ([[FanNickname The Metallicar]]) that Sam and Dean Winchester drive on ''{{Supernatural}}''; somehow, the authorities never mention their car when they send out alerts to catch them, even though this would help increase the possibility of capture because there are so few makes of that model left.

* The {{Torchwood}} Institute, supposedly a secret organization, like to travel around in a black van that says "TORCHWOOD" on it.

* ''TheATeam'''s black van with custom red trim, though it [[LampshadeHanging got noticed]] as "The A-Team's Van" once or twice during the series. Not very often, though.
** Face [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] this once when Hannibal told him to keep tailing the episode's villain in his white-with-red-stripes Corvette:

* Despite being an internationally-wanted criminal, LupinIII often drives the very rare Mercedes-Benz SSK.

* Of course, we have TheGreenHornet and his car Black Beauty. Not just a CoolCar, but one specifically modified to be distinctive. The 2011 movie even gives the Hornet multiple identical cars in case one is destroyed. Near the end of the film it demonstrates color-shifting paint (from black to red), but it's still not the kind of car you see every day.

* The red 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am from ''Smokey And The Bandit''.

* Perhaps justified on BurnNotice. The team tends to use fancy cars for their high-speed chases and wealthy cover identities. But they also go through a ''lot'' of cars - stealing (and then returning) new ones for almost every job, and buying junkers when they are more appropriate. The exceptions include Michael's [[CoolCar Charger]], which really should have been recognized at some point. Of course, [[spoiler:he blew it up]], so that isn't going to happen.

--> In the hood they identify [[NWordPrivileges *******]] by they cars / So I switch up whips to stay off the radar

* {{Nash Bridges}}' Cuda (which there are like 7 in existence) He drives it everywhere even while undercover at times.

* Perhaps justified on BurnNotice. The team tends to use fancy cars for their high-speed chases and wealthy cover IDs. But they also go through a ''lot'' of cars - stealing (and then returning) new ones for almost every job. The exceptions include Michael's [[CoolCar Charger]], which really should have been recognized at some point. Of course, [[spoiler:he blew it up]], so that isn't going to happen.

* Perhaps justified on BurnNotice. The team tends to use fancy cars for their high-speed chases and wealthy cover IDs. But they also go through a ''lot'' of cars - stealing (and then returning) new ones for almost every job. The exceptions include Michael's [[CoolCar Charger]], which really should have been recognized at some point. Of course, [spoiler]he blew it up[/spoiler], so that isn't going to happen.

* Aversion: ''[[FiftyCent 50 Cent]] - "Gotta Make It to Heaven"

* [[{{Supernatural}} The Impala]], of course.
* ''TheATeam'''s black van with custom red trim, though it [[LampshadeHanging got noticed]] as "The A-Team's Van" once or twice during the series. Not very often, though.
** Face [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] this once when Hannibal told him to keep tailing the episode's villain in his white-with-red-stripes Corvette:
-->'''Face''': He's going to ''know'' I've been following him in the 'Vette.
* The {{Torchwood}} Institute, supposedly a secret organization, like to travel around in a black van that says "TORCHWOOD" on it.
* The red 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am from ''Smokey And The Bandit''.
* Black and white 1974 Dodge Monaco from ''TheBluesBrothers''.
* Pretty much every car in ''The Gumball Rally''.

* Fozzie's Studebaker on ''TheMuppetMovie'' is painted in psychedelic colors by the Electric Mayhem to help Kermit elude Doc Hopper. The paint job doesn't fool Hopper, but it does hide it surprisingly well when they stop in front of a similarly-painted billboard.
* Referenced on ''TheMuppetShow'' when Sam the Eagle complains that guest star EltonJohn "dresses like a stolen car."
* {{Nash Bridges}}' Cuda (which there are like 7 in existence) He drives it everywhere even while undercover at times.

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