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'''Cars''' or '''automobiles''' were a common means of transport for [[human]]s on [[Earth]], in the [[20th century|20th]] and [[21st century|21st]] centuries. By [[2009]], there were eight hundred million cars.
{{wikipediainfo}}
{{Infobox Object
|image  = Cars.jpg
|type  = Vehicle
|first  = An Unearthly Child (TV story)
|origin = [[Earth]]
}}
'''Cars''', also known as '''motorcars''' or '''automobiles''', were a common means of transport for [[human]]s on [[Earth]] in the [[20th century|20th]] and [[21st century|21st]] centuries. They could usually seat two to four passengers, including a [[driver]] who would operate the car manually.
 
By the end of the first decade of the 21st century, there were [[800000000 (number)|eight hundred million]] cars. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Sontaran Stratagem (TV story)}})
 
Cars also came in [[flight]]-capable configurations. These were known as either [[hovercar]]s or [[air car]]s.


== History ==
== History ==
=== [[20th century]] ===
=== 19th century ===
In [[1926]], [[Agatha Christie|Agatha Christie's]] car was left abandoned by a lake on the night her memory lapsed in the struggle against the [[Vespiform]]. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Unicorn and the Wasp]]'')
In the late [[19th century]], [[Vastra]] estimated that there were "no more than half a dozen [[petrol]]-driven automobiles in [[London]]". ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Cars That Ate London! (audio story)}})
 
=== 20th century ===
By the [[summer]] of [[1915]], motorcars were still somewhat novel. [[John Watson]] was still adjusting to them, and worried about the effects that they would have on what he described as his "fragile old [[Bone|bones]]". [[Carter (The Spirit Box)|Carter]], who worked for [[Mycroft Holmes]], owned such a motorcar, and used it to take Watson to [[Victoria Station]] to meet with [[Sherlock Holmes]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Spirit Box (novel)|name=Carter Spirit Box|chaptnum=1|page=11-15}})
 
In [[London]] in [[1924]], while on their way to the [[British Empire Exhibition]], the [[Ninth Doctor]] explained to [[Rose Tyler|Rose]] that black was the old silver for that time. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Clockwise Man (novel)}})
 
In [[1926]], [[Agatha Christie]]'s car was left abandoned by a lake on the night her memory lapsed in the struggle against the [[Vespiform]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Unicorn and the Wasp (TV story)}})
 
In [[1951]], [[Eddie Smith|Eddie]] and [[Barbara Smith]], the parents of [[Sarah Jane Smith]], died tragically in a [[car crash]], when Sarah was still a baby. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith (TV story)}})
[[File:Ian Chesterton's car.jpg|left|thumb|[[Ian Chesterton]] and [[Barbara Wright]] in [[Ian Chesterton's car|Ian's car]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|An Unearthly Child (TV story)|namedep=An Unearthly Child (1)}})]]
In [[1963]], [[Ian Chesterton]] drove himself and [[Barbara Wright]] in [[Ian Chesterton's car|his car]] to [[76 Totter's Lane]] to solve the mystery of [[Susan Foreman]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|An Unearthly Child (TV story)|namedep=An Unearthly Child (1)}})
 
[[Forester (Planet of Giants)|Forester]] drove a big [[American]] car, which caused P.C. [[Bert Rowse]] to swerve his [[bicycle]] straight into a muddy ditch. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Planet of Giants (novelisation)}})
 
[[UNIT]] had two black [[Jaguar (car)|Jaguars]] that followed the [[Second Doctor]] and [[Jamie McCrimmon]] after they emerged from [[International Electromatics]] following their meeting with [[Tobias Vaughn]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Invasion (TV story)}})
 
A black Jaguar with dark-tinted windows was used by a [[C19]] operative at one point to spy on [[James Stevens]] during his investigations into UNIT. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Who Killed Kennedy (novel)}})
 
During his [[Exile on Earth]], the [[Third Doctor]] drove a yellow roadster called "[[Bessie]]". ([[TV]]: {{cs|Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)}}) [[Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart|The Brigadier]] procured Bessie to persuade the Doctor to work with UNIT after the Doctor had expressed fondness for a similar vehicle he had "borrowed" shortly after arriving on Earth. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Spearhead from Space (TV story)}}) A time eddy snatched the Third Doctor, along with Bessie, out of 20th century Earth into the [[Death Zone]] on [[Gallifrey]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Five Doctors (TV story)}}) Bessie remained on Earth in UNIT's care when the Doctor regained his [[time travel]] knowledge. It was used by his [[Fourth Doctor|fourth]], [[Seventh Doctor|seventh]] and [[Eighth Doctor|eighth incarnations]] on subsequent visits to Earth. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Robot (TV story)}}, {{cs|Battlefield (TV story)}}, [[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Dying Days (novel)}}) The [[Eleventh Doctor]] later upgraded Bessie by hooking her up to the [[TARDIS matrix]]. ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|What He Wants... (comic story)}})
 
Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart occasionally travelled in a [[chauffeur]]-driven Ford Zodiac staff car. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Spearhead from Space (TV story)}} to [[TV]]: {{cs|The Dæmons (TV story)}}) He drove the car himself on one occasion, when he used it as a getaway vehicle to escape from the British Space Centre following its takeover by [[George Carrington|General Carrington]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Ambassadors of Death (TV story)}}) His own personal cars were a light blue Austin Maxi, ([[TV]]: {{cs|Terror of the Autons (TV story)}}) a white [[Mercedes]] convertible, ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Green Death (TV story)}}) and a 1929 Humber 16/50 open tourer, Imperial model. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Mawdryn Undead (TV story)}})
 
Two white Citroën 2CVs were used as transport by [[George Trenchard]] and his prison officers on [[Fortress Island]], the location of the high-security prison where {{Delgado}} was confined. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Sea Devils (TV story)}})
 
After the Master abandoned the [[hovercraft]] he had used to escape from the [[Third Doctor]] and the [[Royal Navy]], ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Sea Devils (TV story)}}) he hitched a lift in a Ford Cortina belonging to [[Jack Harris]], a travelling salesman. The Master killed Harris, who had proved immune to his [[hypnosis|hypnotic powers]], with his [[Tissue Compression Eliminator]] and, after hanging Harris's shrunken corpse on the driving mirror, used the car to travel to [[Devil's End]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Eight Doctors (novel)}})
 
[[File:Yates car.jpg|thumb|[[Mike Yates]]'s MG convertible. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Planet of the Spiders (TV story)}})]]
While [[Mike Yates]] was recuperating at a rural Buddhist meditation centre following the events of [[Operation Golden Age]], his own personal car was a red MG convertible. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Planet of the Spiders (TV story)}})
 
[[File:Whomobile flying.jpg|thumb|The Doctor's "space age" car flying. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Planet of the Spiders (TV story)}})|left]]
While still affiliated with UNIT "post-exile", the Third Doctor also briefly used a [[Whomobile|different car]] with a "space-age" look and hovering/flying capabilities. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Invasion of the Dinosaurs (TV story)}}, {{cs|Planet of the Spiders (TV story)}})
 
[[Sarah Jane Smith]] drove many small [[Sarah Jane's car|cars]] over time, while a companion of the Doctor ([[TV]]: {{cs|Robot (TV story)}}, {{cs|School Reunion (TV story)}}) and afterwards. ([[TV]]: {{cs|A Girl's Best Friend (TV story)}}, {{cs|Invasion of the Dinosaurs (TV story)}})
 
In [[1987]], [[Peter Tyler]] was killed in a hit-and-run incident. [[Rose Tyler]] saved his life, causing a massive [[paradox]] that made [[Reaper]]s appear. The car that had killed him repeatedly disappeared and reappeared across the same stretch of road. To heal the rip in time, Pete ran in front of the looping car, killing himself and returning the timeline to normal, and also getting rid of the Reapers. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Father's Day (TV story)}})
 
By [[August]] [[1994]], [[Liz Shaw]] owned and drove a silver car. However, on occasion she used [[taxi]]s and [[train]]s instead. ([[HOMEVID]]: {{cs|The Zero Imperative (home video)}}, {{cs|The Devil of Winterborne (home video)}})
 
[[Shou Yuing]] drove a light blue Citroën 2CV, which was commandeered by Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart to get to Vortigern's Lake, and later borrowed by Brigadier [[Winifred Bambera]] and [[Ancelyn]] to return to the [[Gore Crow Hotel]] — during which Bambera used the car to run through a road-block made up of [[Morgaine]]'s knights. It was prior to this particular incident that Ancelyn confirmed to Bambera that cars did not exist at all on [[Arthur's World]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Battlefield (TV story)}})
 
=== 21st century ===
During his [[Eighth Doctor|eighth incarnation]], the Doctor used a [[Volkswagen Beetle]] that he could drive into [[The Doctor's TARDIS|his TARDIS]]. He [[garage]]d it in its own alcove. The Doctor traded it for information from the [[Faction Paradox]] concerning [[Sam Jones]] whilst in [[San Francisco]] in [[2002]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Vampire Science (novel)}}, {{cs|Unnatural History (novel)}})
 
[[Mickey Smith]] used a car belonging to Sarah Jane Smith to break into [[Deffry Vale High School]] by driving straight through the building's glass doors. ([[TV]]: {{cs|School Reunion (TV story)}}) Mickey also drove a tow truck that [[Jackie Tyler]] borrowed from [[Rodrigo (The Parting of the Ways)|Rodrigo]] in order to open the [[Heart of the TARDIS]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Parting of the Ways (TV story)}})


In [[1951]], [[Eddie Smith|Eddie]] and [[Barbara Smith]] died in a car crash. ([[SJA]]: ''[[The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith]]'')
[[File:Car poster.jpg|thumb|A [[poster]] featuring a [[red]] car. ([[TV]]: {{cs|School Reunion (TV story)}})]]
A [[poster]] featuring a [[red]] car was featured in a Deffry Vale High School classroom by [[2007]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|School Reunion (TV story)}})


During his exile on [[Earth]], the [[Third Doctor]] drove a yellow roadster called "[[Bessie]]" ([[DW]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Silurians]]''). [[Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart|The Brigadier]] procured Bessie to persuade the Doctor to work with [[UNIT]], after the Doctor had expressed fondness for a similar vehicle he had "borrowed" shortly after arriving on Earth. ([[DW]]: ''[[Spearhead from Space]]'') A time eddy snatched the Third Doctor, along with Bessie, out of 20th century Earth into the [[Death Zone]] on [[Gallifrey]]. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Five Doctors]]'') Bessie remained (in UNIT's care) on Earth when the Doctor regained his [[time travel]] knowledge, and was used by his [[Fourth Doctor|fourth]], [[Seventh Doctor|seventh]] and [[Eighth Doctor|eighth incarnations]] on subsequent visits to Earth. ([[DW]]: ''[[Robot (TV story)|Robot]]'', ''[[Battlefield]]'', [[NA]]: ''[[The Dying Days]]'')
[[John Ellis]] used a car to commit [[suicide]] by [[carbon monoxide]] [[poison]]ing. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Out of Time (TV story)}})


While still affiliated with UNIT "post-exile", the Third Doctor also briefly used a [[Whomobile|different car]] with a "space-age" look and hovering/flying capabilities. ([[DW]]: ''[[Invasion of the Dinosaurs]]'', ''[[Planet of the Spiders]]'')
[[Donna Noble]] owned a dark blue Peugeot 307, though she and her mother took turns driving it. She had a pivotal moment while driving her car, where turning left brought about her first meeting with the [[Tenth Doctor]]. When elements of the [[Trickster's Brigade]] caused her to instead turn right, [[parallel world (Turn Left)|a parallel world]] was created in which she never met the Doctor, causing his death and dramatic changes to the history of Earth. She travelled in time to correct the error, once again turning left and restoring events to their original course. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Turn Left (TV story)}}) The car was among 400 million cars fitted with the ATMOS devices which eliminated carbon dioxide emissions; when the Sontarans activated the devices, Wilfred Mott was nearly choked to death by gas that was inside the car, but Sylvia saved him by breaking the windscreen with an axe. (TV: {{cs|The Sontaran Stratagem (TV story)}} / {{cs|The Poison Sky (TV story)}}) After having her memory wiped by the Doctor, she went [[Christmas shopping]] with her [[fiancé]] [[Shaun Temple]] and angrily warned a nearby [[traffic warden (The End of Time)|traffic warden]] "Don't you ''touch'' this car!". Somewhat intimidated, the traffic warden quickly left. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The End of Time (TV story)}})


[[Sarah Jane Smith]] drove many small cars over time, while a companion of the Doctor ([[DW]]: ''[[Robot (TV story)|Robot]]'', ''[[School Reunion]]'') and afterwards. ([[KAC]]: ''[[A Girl's Best Friend]]'', [[SJA]]: ''[[Invasion of the Bane]]'')
[[Brian Hopley]], [[Maggie Hopley]]'s husband, died in a [[car crash]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|A Day in the Death (TV story)}})


In [[1987]], [[Peter Tyler]] was killed in a hit and run incident. [[Rose Tyler]] saved his life, causing a massive [[paradox]] that made [[Reaper]]s appear. The car that had killed him disappeared and reappeared across the same stretch of road. In order to heal the rip in time, Pete was killed when he ran in front of the looping car, killing himself and returning the timeline to normal. ([[DW]]: ''[[Father's Day]]'')
[[Luke Rattigan]] created [[ATMOS]], a device which stopped cars from producing [[Carbon dioxide|CO2]]. In actuality, ATMOS would also release [[Caesofine gas|a gas]] that would suffocate humans but allow [[Sontaran]]s to grow clones. ATMOS was also used to control cars and drown those that opposed Rattigan. The Tenth Doctor narrowly escaped from one of these attempts on his life, but journalist Jo Nakashima was not so lucky. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Sontaran Stratagem (TV story)}} / {{cs|The Poison Sky (TV story)}})


=== [[21st century]] ===
When the population of Earth was [[warp shunt]]ed away by the [[Automaton (The Empty Planet)|Automatons]], the planet's cars were left in place, rather than being allowed to crash. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Empty Planet (TV story)}})
During his [[Eighth Doctor|eighth incarnation]], the Doctor used a [[Volkswagen Beetle]], that he could drive into [[The Doctor's TARDIS|his TARDIS]] (it resided within its own alcove). The Doctor traded it for information from the [[Faction Paradox]] concerning [[Samantha Jones]] whilst in [[San Francisco]] in [[2002]]. ([[EDA]]: ''[[Vampire Science]]'', ''[[Unnatural History]]'')


[[Mickey Smith]] used a car to break into [[Deffry Vale High School]] by driving straight through the building's glass doors. ([[DW]]: ''[[School Reunion]]'')
In [[2008]], when [[Prisoner Zero]] escaped, [[Rory Williams]] and [[Amy Pond]] used Rory's red Mini to get to the [[Royal Leadworth Hospital]], in order to meet the [[Eleventh Doctor]] there. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Eleventh Hour (TV story)}})


[[John Ellis]] used a car to commit [[suicide]] by [[carbon monoxide]] poisoning. ([[TW]]: ''[[Out of Time]]'')
[[Maxwell Edison]] was killed in a car accident near [[Stockbridge]] village in [[2009]]. This was later averted when the timeline was aborted. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Eternal Summer (audio story)}})


[[Donna Noble]] had a pivotal moment while driving her car, where turning left brought about her first meeting with the [[Tenth Doctor]]. When elements of the [[Trickster's Brigade]] caused her to instead turn right, [[Donna's World|an alternate world]] was created in which she never met the Doctor, causing his death and dramatic changes to the history of Earth. She travelled in time to correct the error, once again turning left and restoring events to their original course. ([[DW]]: ''[[Turn Left]]'')
A [[Blowfish]] driving a red [[sports car]] led the [[Torchwood Three|Torchwood team]] in a high speed chase in [[Cardiff]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (TV story)}})


[[Brian Hopley]], [[Maggie Hopley|Maggie Hopley's]] husband, died in a car crash. ([[TW]]: ''[[A Day in the Death]]'')
In [[2011]], [[Jack Harkness]], [[Gwen Cooper]], [[Esther Drummond]] and [[Rex Matheson]], who would eventually form [[Torchwood (team)|a revived Torchwood team]], escaped the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] in Esther's Mini Cooper. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Rendition (TV story)}}) Gwen was later forced to kidnap Jack by car, to take him to [[Olivia Colasanto]]'s people. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Immortal Sins (TV story)}})


[[Luke Rattigan]] created [[ATMOS]], a device which stopped cars from producing [[Carbon dioxide|CO2]]. In actuality, ATMOS would release a gas that would suffocate humans, but allow [[Sontaran]] clones to thrive on Earth. ATMOS was also used to control cars, and drown those that opposed Rattigan. The Tenth Doctor narrowly escaped from one of these attempts on his life. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Sontaran Stratagem]]''/''[[The Poison Sky]]'')
In 2011, the [[Eleventh Doctor]] drove a '59 [[Edsel]] wagon whilst in Utah. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Impossible Astronaut (TV story)}}) [[Amy Pond]] and [[Rory Williams]] later wrote a message in a field using their Mini to attract the Eleventh Doctor's attention. Shortly after [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] materialised in the field, [[Mels]] drove into the field with a [[Chevrolet Corvette]], being chased by the [[police]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Let's Kill Hitler (TV story)}}) When the Doctor dropped Amy and Rory off at home, he gave Rory the keys to his favourite car, a red [[Jaguar (car)|Jaguar]] E-Type convertible; Rory had once casually showed him a picture of such a car and mentioned it was his favourite. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The God Complex (TV story)}})


When the population of Earth was [[warp shunt]]ed away by the [[Automaton (The Empty Planet)|Automatons]], the planet's cars were left in place, rather than being allowed to crash. ([[SJA]]: ''[[The Empty Planet]]'')
In 2019, [[Lin (Resolution)|Lin]] was pulled over for speeding in a car while trying to reach the [[MDZ Research]] archive. She then killed two [[police]] officers and stole their car. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Resolution (TV story)}})


In [[2011]], [[Jack Harkness]], [[Gwen Cooper]], [[Esther Drummond]] and [[Rex Matheson]], who would eventually form [[Torchwood (team)|a revived Torchwood team]], escaped the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] in Esther's Mini Cooper. ([[TW]]: ''[[Rendition (TV story)|Rendition]]'') Gwen was later forced to kidnap Jack by car, to take him to [[Olivia Colasanto|Olivia Colasanto's]] people. ([[TW]]: ''[[Immortal Sins]]'')
In 2020 [[Gloucester]], [[Ruth Clayton]] owned a [[Volkswagen Beetle]] which she used to ferry herself and the [[Thirteenth Doctor]] to a [[lighthouse]] on the outskirts of the city. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Fugitive of the Judoon (TV story)}})


In 2011, the [[Eleventh Doctor]] drove a '59 Edsel wagon whilst in Utah. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Impossible Astronaut]]) ''[[Amy Pond]] and [[Rory Williams]] later wrote a message in a field using their Mini to attract the Eleventh Doctor's attention. ([[DW]]: ''[[Let's Kill Hitler]]'')
According to [[Joke book (Knock! Knock! Who's There?)|a joke book]] which the [[Thirteenth Doctor]] and [[Yasmin Khan|Yaz]] became trapped within, the best [[alien]] at steering a car was a [[Drahvin]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Knock! Knock! Who's There? (novel)}})


=== Far future ===
=== Far future ===
In the far future cars such as the [[New Earth Car]] could hover. ([[DW]]: ''[[New Earth (TV story)|New Earth]]'', ''[[Gridlock]]'')
In the far future, cars such as the [[New Earth car]] could hover. ([[TV]]: {{cs|New Earth (TV story)}}) During the time that [[New New York]] was under quarantine, the survivors trapped below lived for many years travelling in such cars. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Gridlock (TV story)}})
=== Alternative timelines ===
 
==== [[Donna's World]] ====
On [[Xirrinda]], human tourists used auto-piloted cars. [[Gellen Jenkins]] used one to escape from the [[Rain of Terror]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Rain of Terror (novel)}})
In an alternate timeline caused by the [[Time Beetle]], the poverty of [[Great Britain]] following the destruction of [[London]] by the starship ''[[Titanic (spaceship)|Titanic]]'' meant that the country had far fewer ATMOS installed cars. ([[DW]]: ''[[Turn Left]]'')
 
On [[Red Rocket Rising]], cars were [[solar power]]ed. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Blood of the Daleks (audio story)}})


==== [[River Song's World]] ====
=== Other realities ===
In the [[Alternate timeline]] created by [[River Song]]'s refusal to kill the [[Eleventh Doctor]], some cars were transported by large balloons. [[London]] had a large number of these cars. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Wedding of River Song]]'')
==== River Song's world ====
In the [[River Song's World|alternate timeline]] created by [[River Song]]'s refusal to kill the [[Eleventh Doctor]], some cars were transported by large balloons. [[London]] had a large number of these cars. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Wedding of River Song (TV story)}})
 
==== Parallel World (''Turn Left'') ====
In [[parallel world (Turn Left)|a parallel world]] created by the [[Time Beetle]], the poverty of [[Great Britain]] following the destruction of [[London (Turn Left)|London]] by the starship ''[[Titanic (Turn Left)|Titanic]]'' meant that the country had far fewer ATMOS installed cars. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Turn Left (TV story)}})
 
== Behind the scenes ==
=== Information from invalid sources ===
In [[Paul McGann (Father Time: "Set Visit")|Paul McGann]]'s first [[Doctor Who TV Movie (Father Time: "Set Visit")|''Doctor Who'' story]], there was a car chase, which fans weren't happy with. However, by [[2000]], car chases had become commonplace in ''[[Doctor Who (Father Time: "Set Visit")|Doctor Who]]'', with one being filmed outside of [[Buxton]], [[Derbyshire (Father Time: "Set Visit")|Derbyshire]] for the serial ''[[Father Time (Father Time: "Set Visit")|Father Time]]''. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Father Time: "Set Visit" (short story)}})


== External links ==
== External links ==
Line 48: Line 112:
* [http://www.imcdb.org/movie.php?id=485301 Internet Movie Car Database - Torchwood 2006-2011]
* [http://www.imcdb.org/movie.php?id=485301 Internet Movie Car Database - Torchwood 2006-2011]


{{wikipediainfo}}
[[Category:Cars and trucks]]
 
[[Category:Vehicles from the real world]]
[[Category:Vehicles]]
[[Category:Cars and trucks| *]]

Latest revision as of 17:58, 1 August 2024

Car

Cars, also known as motorcars or automobiles, were a common means of transport for humans on Earth in the 20th and 21st centuries. They could usually seat two to four passengers, including a driver who would operate the car manually.

By the end of the first decade of the 21st century, there were eight hundred million cars. (TV: The Sontaran Stratagem [+]Loading...["The Sontaran Stratagem (TV story)"])

Cars also came in flight-capable configurations. These were known as either hovercars or air cars.

History[[edit] | [edit source]]

19th century[[edit] | [edit source]]

In the late 19th century, Vastra estimated that there were "no more than half a dozen petrol-driven automobiles in London". (AUDIO: The Cars That Ate London! [+]Loading...["The Cars That Ate London! (audio story)"])

20th century[[edit] | [edit source]]

By the summer of 1915, motorcars were still somewhat novel. John Watson was still adjusting to them, and worried about the effects that they would have on what he described as his "fragile old bones". Carter, who worked for Mycroft Holmes, owned such a motorcar, and used it to take Watson to Victoria Station to meet with Sherlock Holmes. (PROSE: The Spirit Box [+]Loading...{"page":"11-15","name":"Carter Spirit Box","chaptnum":"1","1":"The Spirit Box (novel)"})

In London in 1924, while on their way to the British Empire Exhibition, the Ninth Doctor explained to Rose that black was the old silver for that time. (PROSE: The Clockwise Man [+]Loading...["The Clockwise Man (novel)"])

In 1926, Agatha Christie's car was left abandoned by a lake on the night her memory lapsed in the struggle against the Vespiform. (TV: The Unicorn and the Wasp [+]Loading...["The Unicorn and the Wasp (TV story)"])

In 1951, Eddie and Barbara Smith, the parents of Sarah Jane Smith, died tragically in a car crash, when Sarah was still a baby. (TV: The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith [+]Loading...["The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith (TV story)"])

Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright in Ian's car. (TV: "An Unearthly Child" [+]Part of An Unearthly Child, Loading...{"namedep":"An Unearthly Child (1)","1":"An Unearthly Child (TV story)"})

In 1963, Ian Chesterton drove himself and Barbara Wright in his car to 76 Totter's Lane to solve the mystery of Susan Foreman. (TV: "An Unearthly Child" [+]Part of An Unearthly Child, Loading...{"namedep":"An Unearthly Child (1)","1":"An Unearthly Child (TV story)"})

Forester drove a big American car, which caused P.C. Bert Rowse to swerve his bicycle straight into a muddy ditch. (PROSE: Planet of Giants [+]Loading...["Planet of Giants (novelisation)"])

UNIT had two black Jaguars that followed the Second Doctor and Jamie McCrimmon after they emerged from International Electromatics following their meeting with Tobias Vaughn. (TV: The Invasion [+]Loading...["The Invasion (TV story)"])

A black Jaguar with dark-tinted windows was used by a C19 operative at one point to spy on James Stevens during his investigations into UNIT. (PROSE: Who Killed Kennedy [+]Loading...["Who Killed Kennedy (novel)"])

During his Exile on Earth, the Third Doctor drove a yellow roadster called "Bessie". (TV: Doctor Who and the Silurians [+]Loading...["Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)"]) The Brigadier procured Bessie to persuade the Doctor to work with UNIT after the Doctor had expressed fondness for a similar vehicle he had "borrowed" shortly after arriving on Earth. (TV: Spearhead from Space [+]Loading...["Spearhead from Space (TV story)"]) A time eddy snatched the Third Doctor, along with Bessie, out of 20th century Earth into the Death Zone on Gallifrey. (TV: The Five Doctors [+]Loading...["The Five Doctors (TV story)"]) Bessie remained on Earth in UNIT's care when the Doctor regained his time travel knowledge. It was used by his fourth, seventh and eighth incarnations on subsequent visits to Earth. (TV: Robot [+]Loading...["Robot (TV story)"], Battlefield [+]Loading...["Battlefield (TV story)"], PROSE: The Dying Days [+]Loading...["The Dying Days (novel)"]) The Eleventh Doctor later upgraded Bessie by hooking her up to the TARDIS matrix. (COMIC: What He Wants... [+]Loading...["What He Wants... (comic story)"])

Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart occasionally travelled in a chauffeur-driven Ford Zodiac staff car. (TV: Spearhead from Space [+]Loading...["Spearhead from Space (TV story)"] to TV: The Dæmons [+]Loading...["The Dæmons (TV story)"]) He drove the car himself on one occasion, when he used it as a getaway vehicle to escape from the British Space Centre following its takeover by General Carrington. (TV: The Ambassadors of Death [+]Loading...["The Ambassadors of Death (TV story)"]) His own personal cars were a light blue Austin Maxi, (TV: Terror of the Autons [+]Loading...["Terror of the Autons (TV story)"]) a white Mercedes convertible, (TV: The Green Death [+]Loading...["The Green Death (TV story)"]) and a 1929 Humber 16/50 open tourer, Imperial model. (TV: Mawdryn Undead [+]Loading...["Mawdryn Undead (TV story)"])

Two white Citroën 2CVs were used as transport by George Trenchard and his prison officers on Fortress Island, the location of the high-security prison where the Master was confined. (TV: The Sea Devils [+]Loading...["The Sea Devils (TV story)"])

After the Master abandoned the hovercraft he had used to escape from the Third Doctor and the Royal Navy, (TV: The Sea Devils [+]Loading...["The Sea Devils (TV story)"]) he hitched a lift in a Ford Cortina belonging to Jack Harris, a travelling salesman. The Master killed Harris, who had proved immune to his hypnotic powers, with his Tissue Compression Eliminator and, after hanging Harris's shrunken corpse on the driving mirror, used the car to travel to Devil's End. (PROSE: The Eight Doctors [+]Loading...["The Eight Doctors (novel)"])

Mike Yates's MG convertible. (TV: Planet of the Spiders [+]Loading...["Planet of the Spiders (TV story)"])

While Mike Yates was recuperating at a rural Buddhist meditation centre following the events of Operation Golden Age, his own personal car was a red MG convertible. (TV: Planet of the Spiders [+]Loading...["Planet of the Spiders (TV story)"])

The Doctor's "space age" car flying. (TV: Planet of the Spiders [+]Loading...["Planet of the Spiders (TV story)"])

While still affiliated with UNIT "post-exile", the Third Doctor also briefly used a different car with a "space-age" look and hovering/flying capabilities. (TV: Invasion of the Dinosaurs [+]Loading...["Invasion of the Dinosaurs (TV story)"], Planet of the Spiders [+]Loading...["Planet of the Spiders (TV story)"])

Sarah Jane Smith drove many small cars over time, while a companion of the Doctor (TV: Robot [+]Loading...["Robot (TV story)"], School Reunion [+]Loading...["School Reunion (TV story)"]) and afterwards. (TV: A Girl's Best Friend [+]Loading...["A Girl's Best Friend (TV story)"], Invasion of the Dinosaurs [+]Loading...["Invasion of the Dinosaurs (TV story)"])

In 1987, Peter Tyler was killed in a hit-and-run incident. Rose Tyler saved his life, causing a massive paradox that made Reapers appear. The car that had killed him repeatedly disappeared and reappeared across the same stretch of road. To heal the rip in time, Pete ran in front of the looping car, killing himself and returning the timeline to normal, and also getting rid of the Reapers. (TV: Father's Day [+]Loading...["Father's Day (TV story)"])

By August 1994, Liz Shaw owned and drove a silver car. However, on occasion she used taxis and trains instead. (HOMEVID: The Zero Imperative [+]Loading...["The Zero Imperative (home video)"], The Devil of Winterborne [+]Loading...["The Devil of Winterborne (home video)"])

Shou Yuing drove a light blue Citroën 2CV, which was commandeered by Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart to get to Vortigern's Lake, and later borrowed by Brigadier Winifred Bambera and Ancelyn to return to the Gore Crow Hotel — during which Bambera used the car to run through a road-block made up of Morgaine's knights. It was prior to this particular incident that Ancelyn confirmed to Bambera that cars did not exist at all on Arthur's World. (TV: Battlefield [+]Loading...["Battlefield (TV story)"])

21st century[[edit] | [edit source]]

During his eighth incarnation, the Doctor used a Volkswagen Beetle that he could drive into his TARDIS. He garaged it in its own alcove. The Doctor traded it for information from the Faction Paradox concerning Sam Jones whilst in San Francisco in 2002. (PROSE: Vampire Science [+]Loading...["Vampire Science (novel)"], Unnatural History [+]Loading...["Unnatural History (novel)"])

Mickey Smith used a car belonging to Sarah Jane Smith to break into Deffry Vale High School by driving straight through the building's glass doors. (TV: School Reunion [+]Loading...["School Reunion (TV story)"]) Mickey also drove a tow truck that Jackie Tyler borrowed from Rodrigo in order to open the Heart of the TARDIS. (TV: The Parting of the Ways [+]Loading...["The Parting of the Ways (TV story)"])

A poster featuring a red car. (TV: School Reunion [+]Loading...["School Reunion (TV story)"])

A poster featuring a red car was featured in a Deffry Vale High School classroom by 2007. (TV: School Reunion [+]Loading...["School Reunion (TV story)"])

John Ellis used a car to commit suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. (TV: Out of Time [+]Loading...["Out of Time (TV story)"])

Donna Noble owned a dark blue Peugeot 307, though she and her mother took turns driving it. She had a pivotal moment while driving her car, where turning left brought about her first meeting with the Tenth Doctor. When elements of the Trickster's Brigade caused her to instead turn right, a parallel world was created in which she never met the Doctor, causing his death and dramatic changes to the history of Earth. She travelled in time to correct the error, once again turning left and restoring events to their original course. (TV: Turn Left [+]Loading...["Turn Left (TV story)"]) The car was among 400 million cars fitted with the ATMOS devices which eliminated carbon dioxide emissions; when the Sontarans activated the devices, Wilfred Mott was nearly choked to death by gas that was inside the car, but Sylvia saved him by breaking the windscreen with an axe. (TV: The Sontaran Stratagem [+]Loading...["The Sontaran Stratagem (TV story)"] / The Poison Sky [+]Loading...["The Poison Sky (TV story)"]) After having her memory wiped by the Doctor, she went Christmas shopping with her fiancé Shaun Temple and angrily warned a nearby traffic warden "Don't you touch this car!". Somewhat intimidated, the traffic warden quickly left. (TV: The End of Time [+]Loading...["The End of Time (TV story)"])

Brian Hopley, Maggie Hopley's husband, died in a car crash. (TV: A Day in the Death [+]Loading...["A Day in the Death (TV story)"])

Luke Rattigan created ATMOS, a device which stopped cars from producing CO2. In actuality, ATMOS would also release a gas that would suffocate humans but allow Sontarans to grow clones. ATMOS was also used to control cars and drown those that opposed Rattigan. The Tenth Doctor narrowly escaped from one of these attempts on his life, but journalist Jo Nakashima was not so lucky. (TV: The Sontaran Stratagem [+]Loading...["The Sontaran Stratagem (TV story)"] / The Poison Sky [+]Loading...["The Poison Sky (TV story)"])

When the population of Earth was warp shunted away by the Automatons, the planet's cars were left in place, rather than being allowed to crash. (TV: The Empty Planet [+]Loading...["The Empty Planet (TV story)"])

In 2008, when Prisoner Zero escaped, Rory Williams and Amy Pond used Rory's red Mini to get to the Royal Leadworth Hospital, in order to meet the Eleventh Doctor there. (TV: The Eleventh Hour [+]Loading...["The Eleventh Hour (TV story)"])

Maxwell Edison was killed in a car accident near Stockbridge village in 2009. This was later averted when the timeline was aborted. (AUDIO: The Eternal Summer [+]Loading...["The Eternal Summer (audio story)"])

A Blowfish driving a red sports car led the Torchwood team in a high speed chase in Cardiff. (TV: Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang [+]Loading...["Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (TV story)"])

In 2011, Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper, Esther Drummond and Rex Matheson, who would eventually form a revived Torchwood team, escaped the CIA in Esther's Mini Cooper. (TV: Rendition [+]Loading...["Rendition (TV story)"]) Gwen was later forced to kidnap Jack by car, to take him to Olivia Colasanto's people. (TV: Immortal Sins [+]Loading...["Immortal Sins (TV story)"])

In 2011, the Eleventh Doctor drove a '59 Edsel wagon whilst in Utah. (TV: The Impossible Astronaut [+]Loading...["The Impossible Astronaut (TV story)"]) Amy Pond and Rory Williams later wrote a message in a field using their Mini to attract the Eleventh Doctor's attention. Shortly after the TARDIS materialised in the field, Mels drove into the field with a Chevrolet Corvette, being chased by the police. (TV: Let's Kill Hitler [+]Loading...["Let's Kill Hitler (TV story)"]) When the Doctor dropped Amy and Rory off at home, he gave Rory the keys to his favourite car, a red Jaguar E-Type convertible; Rory had once casually showed him a picture of such a car and mentioned it was his favourite. (TV: The God Complex [+]Loading...["The God Complex (TV story)"])

In 2019, Lin was pulled over for speeding in a car while trying to reach the MDZ Research archive. She then killed two police officers and stole their car. (TV: Resolution [+]Loading...["Resolution (TV story)"])

In 2020 Gloucester, Ruth Clayton owned a Volkswagen Beetle which she used to ferry herself and the Thirteenth Doctor to a lighthouse on the outskirts of the city. (TV: Fugitive of the Judoon [+]Loading...["Fugitive of the Judoon (TV story)"])

According to a joke book which the Thirteenth Doctor and Yaz became trapped within, the best alien at steering a car was a Drahvin. (PROSE: Knock! Knock! Who's There? [+]Loading...["Knock! Knock! Who's There? (novel)"])

Far future[[edit] | [edit source]]

In the far future, cars such as the New Earth car could hover. (TV: New Earth [+]Loading...["New Earth (TV story)"]) During the time that New New York was under quarantine, the survivors trapped below lived for many years travelling in such cars. (TV: Gridlock [+]Loading...["Gridlock (TV story)"])

On Xirrinda, human tourists used auto-piloted cars. Gellen Jenkins used one to escape from the Rain of Terror. (PROSE: Rain of Terror [+]Loading...["Rain of Terror (novel)"])

On Red Rocket Rising, cars were solar powered. (AUDIO: Blood of the Daleks [+]Loading...["Blood of the Daleks (audio story)"])

Other realities[[edit] | [edit source]]

River Song's world[[edit] | [edit source]]

In the alternate timeline created by River Song's refusal to kill the Eleventh Doctor, some cars were transported by large balloons. London had a large number of these cars. (TV: The Wedding of River Song [+]Loading...["The Wedding of River Song (TV story)"])

Parallel World (Turn Left)[[edit] | [edit source]]

In a parallel world created by the Time Beetle, the poverty of Great Britain following the destruction of London by the starship Titanic meant that the country had far fewer ATMOS installed cars. (TV: Turn Left [+]Loading...["Turn Left (TV story)"])

Behind the scenes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Information from invalid sources[[edit] | [edit source]]

In Paul McGann's first Doctor Who story, there was a car chase, which fans weren't happy with. However, by 2000, car chases had become commonplace in Doctor Who, with one being filmed outside of Buxton, Derbyshire for the serial Father Time. (PROSE: Father Time: "Set Visit" [+]Loading...["Father Time: \"Set Visit\" (short story)"])

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]