The Coolest Cars from 'Cobra Kai' and 'The Karate Kid'
We’re breaking down some of the coolest classic cars from “Cobra Kai” and The Karate Kid.
Written by Alex Reale
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
For fans of the hit 1984 movie The Karate Kid, “Cobra Kai” is a welcome continuation. The series began on YouTube in 2018 and was quickly picked up by
Netflix
, where its first season received a stunning 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Viewers were charmed by seeing their old favorite characters all grown up, the comedy, and, naturally, the cars. On “Cobra Kai,” Mr. Miyagi’s famous protégé Daniel owns a
car dealership
, so cars are a big part of the show. Here, we’re breaking down some of the coolest classic cars
from “Cobra Kai” and The Karate Kid. An icon returns
For fans of The Karate Kid, the first car that comes to mind has to be that yellow 1947 Ford Super Deluxe convertible. Mr. Miyagi famously charges his student to “wax on, wax off” while standing in front of it, and on our karate kid’s birthday, Mr. Miyagi gives him the car as a gift.
It turns out that Ralph Macchio, who plays Daniel in both The Karate Kid and “Cobra Kai,” is the car’s real life owner. In an interview with
MotorTrend
, Macchio described asking Columbia Pictures if he could purchase the vehicle from them as a keepsake from his time working with the franchise. But the company had no intention of selling it to him. Instead, he discovered it sitting outside his home in Long Island, ready for him to drive.This gift from Columbia Pictures has gotten a second life on the screen in “Cobra Kai.” It is tantalizingly teased at the end of season one, and we get to see the real thing revealed in all its glory in season two. When he uncovers the car, Ralph Macchio as Daniel says, “Best birthday gift ever,” and it’s a sweet, layered callback.
Mr. Miyagi’s classics, back on the screen
The iconic yellow car isn’t the only classic vehicle that viewers have gotten to see in the series, of course, given that Mr. Miyagi was a vintage car collector and restorer, as noted by
IndieWire
. That’s why in The Karate Kid, he also has a 1951 black Cadillac sedan, an early 1950s Pontiac “Woodie” station wagon, and a blue and white Nash Metropolitan. There’s also the car that Mr. Miyagi drives daily—a 1942 Chevrolet pickup truck. Replicas of some of these original cars are seen in “Cobra Kai.” The Pontiac Woodie doesn’t make the cut, unfortunately, but the rest of the collection finds its way back into this new Karate-verse.
The best of the rest
Mr. Miyagi held the undisputed automotive winners in his collection, but “Cobra Kai” gives us some great honorable mentions. The first season featured an ‘80s-era red Pontiac Firebird owned by Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), as well as a 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T. The Challenger enjoys a bit of character development to go along with its owner’s: it’s painted the black and gold Cobra Kai colors, and a sweet silver cobra head gear shift is installed.
For mega-fans of “Cobra Kai,” a real and accurate replica of the Dodge Challenger was actually put up for sale, according to
Hot Cars
. It even had gold running across the hood and the grille, and the rear license plate read “CobraKai.” And we can’t forget the very cool (and more current) Audi S7 that Daniel drives. There’s something for everyone in “Cobra Kai,” and Mr. Miyagi’s car care advice still holds up: “Wax on, wax off.”
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