'The O.C.' Had Elite Early-2000s Car Casting
Fox's 2003 hit teen drama's real stars were the cars the characters drove
If you spend any time on the side of the internet I'm on, you've probably seen a lot of content from Fox's 2003 hit teen-drama series "The O.C."One of the shows main actors, has a new project or something and everyone is talking about how great "The O.C." was. Well, this just happened to coincide with me watching the show for the first time ever (thanks to my girlfriend), and whit it is fantastic, there's one thing about it no one ever mentions: the cars are excellent.
I mean it. Throughout the show's four seasons and 92 episodes, we're treated to some of the best cars the early 2000s had to offer. It truly feels like a time capsule to what cars were cool when we were young. Because of that, I've decided to compile a list of some of my favorites.
We've got everything here from the best luxury cars of the day and super-rare sports cars to classics that were cool even back then and a few mundane cars that still tug on our nostalgia strings.
Anyway, that's enough from me. Start clicking to check out the best cars featured on "The O.C." Just a fair warning: there are some spoilers here, so if you don't like those, try not to read the captions.
Before you go, I've just got one thing to say. Welcome to the O.C., bitch.
2004 BMW 745i
The E66 7 Series is one of the icons of the show. It's Sandy's car in the first couple of seasons and absolutely personifies early-2000s luxury. I'll be honest... I've always liked this generation of 7.
2003 Land Rover Range Rover
This L322 Range Rover IS "The O.C." It's hard to think of an episode where this car isn't being driven by Ryan, Seth or someone else in the Cohen clan. It even gets into a horrible car crash and is miraculously back in the next episode. That's British engineering.
2002 Lexus SC430
After the first few seasons, Sandy trades his 7 Series for this SC430. History hasn't looked too kindly upon this car, but it's fabulous to me.
2006 Lexus RX400h
The producers must have had a deal with Lexus, because in season 4 Sandy gets with the times and buys a hybrid Lexus.
2002 BMW 330Ci
Summer's 330Ci convertible is the perfect SoCal rich teenager car. These things still look good after all these years.
1999 GMC Sierra Sportside Z71
Luke (the show's bastard in the early days) drives an absolutely sick, lifted Sierra Sportside. When this car appeared on screen in the first episode, I knew I was in for a treat.
2003 Aston Martin DB AR1
Caleb Nichol, Kiersten's father and Sandy's father-in-law has hands down the best car in the series: an ultra-rare Aston Marin DB AR1. It's fitting because he's canonically the richest guy on the show. Good taste, Caleb.
2003 Buick LeSabre
When he's not driving the DB AR 1, Caleb settles for the comfort of a Buick LeSabre, which is a weird choice. He has to be the only guy in the world to have both of those cars in his garage.
2003 Mercedes-Benz S500
Jimmy Cooper, the father of the year, drives a very period-correct S500. Classic rich guy car.
2003 Lexus LX470
His wife (and bastard woman) Julie Cooper is seen driving a Lexus Land Cruiser in the early days of the show. She eventually moves on to a Jaguar X-Type... which is a mistake.
1995 Land Rover Defender 90
God, these kids were so rich.
2001 Saleen S281 Speedmaster
You quickly forget there are two Saleens in this scene because about three seconds later, Luke finds out his dad is gay, and this sends 2003-accurate shockwaves through Orange County.
2003 Jeep Wrangler
Keeping with the LGBTQ theming, we've got Alex's Wrangler her. Played by a guest-starring Oliva Wilde, she becomes Marissa's very alt girlfriend. This was huge for the early 2000s.
A Whole Bunch Of Great Stuff
Caleb's funeral procession features a Range Rover, a Maybach 57 and an Aston Martin DB9. The man had style.
2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited
Marissa's first car on the show is this sick Grand Cherokee Limited. This car was such an icon of the early 2000s, just like Misha Barton's character was.
2005 Ford Mustang GT
A few seasons in, Marissa trades that Jeep for a very red Ford Mustang GT. That's a very solid upgrade if you ask me, and it makes me want an S197 Mustang very badly.
2005 Ford Mustang GT Convertible
Oh, television. A few episodes in, Marissa's Mustang GT mysteriously loses its top and becomes a convertible. This is never explained, and I assume no one was ever supposed to notice.
2004 BMW X3
Summer's other love interest, Zac, drives a brand new BMW X3 in the show I know this isn't a big deal now, but an X3 was news back then.
2005 Toyota Tundra SR5
Even the lawn care guys drive great cars on "The O.C." I mean, have you ever seen a landscaper's truck as nice as this one?
1976 Ford Bronco
Even the "poor" kids who went to public school in "The O.C." drove awesome cars.
1969 Pontiac Firebird 400
Tsk Tsk Ryan, you really shouldn't be stealing cars in Chino.
1987 Chrysler LeBaron Convertible
Theresa lives in Chino, and everyone in Chino is POOR! That's why she drives an old LeBaron. Thank god Ryan got out of there. I love how black and white some TV shows are.
Dishonorable Mention: 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo
Believe it or not, this car is used as a stand-in for that L322 Range Rover from the beginning of this story. I guess the producers didn't want to crash a Range Rover, so an old Jeep makes a good enough stand-in. To be fair, only real nerds like me would notice this.
Dishonorable Mention: 1995 BMW 7 Series
Similar to what producers did with that Grand Cherokee, they did with a much older BMW 7 Series thinking I wouldn't notice it. Well, folks, I did!
The Most Important Car: 1978 Chevy Camaro
Without this 1978 Camaro, nothing on "The O.C." could happen. If Ryan and his brother, Trey, didn't steal this car, then Ryan would have ended up in jail and eventually in the Cohen's pool house. It is one of the most important vehicles in history if you ask me.