The post-apocalyptic film genre has had many fine examples like The Last Chase, and Death Race 2000. Now there’s a new TV series about vehicular combat set in a not too distant dystopia. ‘Twisted Metal‘. is based on the Sony PlayStation series that originally came out in 1996.
In the video game, players could select from different cars and truck to do battle with in an automotive equivalent of the UFC octagon. At the time, Sony didn’t bother to get licenses or permission from automobile manufacturers to use renderings of their intellectual property in the games. So, everything looks a little off; like ‘Made In China’ knockoffs of iconic cars like the original Hummer, ’64 Chevy Impala and a New York City ‘Checker’ cab. New versions of the game, with even more cool cars, continued to be pumped out until the last one in 2012.
Was there ever an iconic 2003 ‘Bugeye‘ Subaru WRX in the game? No, but that’s the ‘hero car’ that actor Anthony Mackie is driving in the series. The show appears to take place in a Mad Max-esqe United States where democracy and civilization has collapsed (no mention of Trump in the series though). So, the original AWD sports sedan is totally a good choice; it’s tough enough to take off-road, yet quick enough to outmaneuver nastier war rigs. As far as modifications, there’s an STi wing from a 2006 model, carbon fiber hood, machine guns and an aftermarket CD player…oddly enough, a Sony.
The video game pitted contestants against each other in a gladiator-style enter automotive death match, held by an unseen, supernatural puppet-master who awarded the winner one wish of any value. The series revolves around Mackie’s character, John Doe, delivering a package of unknown contents across the wasteland for a reward.
There’s plenty of other cars in the series to pique viewers’ interest, like the post-apocalyptic Ice Cream Truck driven by a psychotic clown who bears strong resemblance to the antagonist in Mad Max. But really, at Demaras Racing, we’re illegally streaming the series on Peacock just to see the Subaru WRX.