Rare GM Cars Used in ‘Demolition Man’

Knight Rider: A Look Behind the 1993 Action Flic

Demolition Man 1993 RARE Behind the Scenes Footage! General Motors Concept Cars (Sylvester Stallone)

Do you reckon you are a specialist on all things Radwood? For the people that don’t know, this is an expression which alludes to vehicles created from 1980 to 1999 – the rad epoch, if you will. It was a time of wedge forms, round body lines, intense hues, and three-spoke rims. And this video from our buddies at Knight Rider Historians presents an uncommon glimpse at some remarkable concept autos of that era.

A must-see today is the behind-the-scenes footage from the iconic 1993 action flick, Demolition Man. Starring Sylvester Stallone, Sandra Bullock, and Wesley Snipes, this motion picture tells a riveting story of a future tranquil SoCal impacted by an antagonist (Snipes) and his heroic counterpart (Stallone). While there’s plenty more plot layers to uncover in this classic film, what truly captures the attention of viewers are the throwback Pontiac Banshee and other products of General Motors.

GM had a large role in the 1993 movie, sending its top-tier concepts to help the filmmakers create a vision of the world 40 years later. One of the most memorable designs is the Banshee, with its pointed nose, slanted windshield, and bright red color. Those familiar with the show Knight Rider will recognize the Banshee as the inspiration for the “new” KITT featured in the TV movie Knight Rider 2000, thus creating a connection between Knight Rider and Demolition Man.

However, there is something else that still needs to be considered. There is arguably a great deal more to it than meets the eye.

The GM Ultralite concept from 1992 was prominently featured in the movie, earning the most airtime of all the vehicles present. Yet, the 1989 Cadillac Solitaire wasn’t far behind in its on-screen appearance either; a keen eye could also notice the 1988 Cadillac Voyage and 1990 Cadillac Aurora. Making another notable gesture was the latter, a silver model with an extremely powerful V8 engine. In contrast to being watched on the screen, this video captures it from the other side – behind the scenes.

This hour-long video features some exquisite GM principle that are rarely seen in films. Going through this production, viewers can admire the luxurious shape of the GM HX-3 minivan. In addition to that, two sports vehicles were also presented: Corvette Stingray III and Pontiac Sunfire models. Furthermore, a sneak peek of the subsequent-generation Chevrolet Camaro was shown through the 1989 Camaro California IROC concept. Lastly, two iconic cars from the 1980s, the Buick Wildcat and Oldsmobile Aerotech II, were revealed.

It is hard to believe that the future initially depicted in Demolition Man is so far from our possible reality. Fast forwarding to 2032, it is surprising to find that there are no SUVs present in fictional San Angeles, California. This serves as a stark contrast to how these types of motor vehicles make up a lot of the roads here in the present day year of 2023. That being said, some car manufacturers continue to produce sedans. However, with the disappearance of esteemed marques like Pontiac and Oldsmobile in 2004 and 2010 respectively, wishing for one of their sporty red models or four-door family station wagons would be very unlikely in the near future.

Source: Knight Rider Historians via YouTube