Skip to main content

Bruce Willis is an action star and American icon. It may not shock you to know just how much he loves iconic American muscle cars. More surprising, Subaru named a plain-jane hatchback after the action movie star. Here are several muscle cars Willis has owned over the years and the Subaru that carries his name.

1968 Dodge Charger “Bullitt”

Bruce Willis exploded into the big time with 1988’s Die Hard. In the decades since, he has risen to the ranks of Hollywood royalty. It makes sense that he would also choose to drive Hollywood royalty: According to GQ, Willis bought a replica of the Dodge Charger from the most iconic car chase movie of all time–Bullitt.

1968 Shelby GT 500

This Ford Mustang was tuned by Shelby America. The result is one of the crowning achievements of the muscle car era. It is powered by the Cobra Jet engine and was also sold as a Cobra GT 500 KR (King of the Road). It is no wonder that a discerning enthusiast like Willis would have one of these rare cars in his collection. But when he tried to kick his “addiction” to muscle cars in 2008, Willis auctioned this Shelby off.

1957 Chevrolet Corvette

1957 Chevrolet Corvette driving down a road, its driver smiling at the camera.
1957 Chevrolet Corvette | Hulton Archive via Getty Images

Willis is a huge fan of the Bowtie. He’s owned multiple Corvettes, a Bel Air, and even the General Motors-built Pontiac Firebird. But the 1957 Corvette might be the most refined Chevrolet in Willis’ collection. It is the last year of the roadster-only first generation of the Corvette. At the time, this open-top, nimble two-seater was Detroit’s answer to nimble European sports cars.

1954 Chevrolet 3100

Vintage Chevrolet 3100 pickup truck parked in a hotel lobby, a christmas tree in its bed.
Restored Chevrolet 3100 Pickup Truck | Ingo Wagner/picture alliance via Getty Images

Remember Willis’ love of Chevies? Well, it extends to the brand’s pickup trucks. Chevrolet’s 1954 pickup truck is a tough work truck with timeless art deco styling. It epitomizes the long-running “Advance-Design” generation of the truck. Willis actually chose this truck and had one custom restored to his specifications.

1993 Subaru Touring Bruce

Bruce Willis filming a movie scene, driving a porsche sports car.
Bruce Willis driving 2010 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS [997] | Marc Piasecki/FilmMagic via Getty Images

After the global success of Die Hard, Subaru Japan hired Bruce Willis to film some advertisements. The odd videos, of him running along the beach or through a city, apparently did so well in Japan that the automaker asked him to be a brand ambassador. For Subaru, this apparently included naming a car after Bruce Willis.

The Subaru Touring Bruce was a Subaru Legacy Touring Edition with special “Bruce” badging. Willis continued to appear in Subaru brochures and even sang in some of the company’s Japanese commercials for decades.

Need to know more? Watch the old commercial and learn all about the Subaru Touring Bruce here.

Related

Jerry Seinfeld: Kevin Hart And This 1959 Porsche 718 Have 3 Things In Common

Best in Sedans & Coupes
Avatar photo
Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.