Cars of Mad Max

It's been seven years in the making, it cost a squillion dollars, but the general consensus is that Mad Max: Fury Road is one of the best action films of the last decade.

Cars have always played a crucial role in Mad Max movies, but Fury Road takes post-apocalyptic vehicular design to the next level, with all 88 designs hand-built for the film and completely drivable. Who needs CGI?!

Oh, and more than half of them were destroyed during filming.

Here's a list of some of the most memorable cars from the movie, which by and large were sourced from Australian junk yards.

The Peacemaker
Powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin V8 engine, the Peacemaker is equal parts 1970s Valiant Charger and military weapon. The high-speed muscle tank has "more artillery than your basic death cult and less moral compunction" according to its creators.

Plymouth Rock
Looking more like a four-wheeled iron echidna than a car, this bad boy epitomises the unforgiving dog-eat-dog world of Mad Max. Driven by The Buzzard Tribe, this one's a "look but don't touch" proposition and echoes the Volkswagen Beetle from another iconic Aussie flick, 'The Cars that Ate Paris'.

Interceptor
Max Rockatansky's original XB Ford Falcon Coupe looks awesome in the new flick, a beaten, bedraggled but proud supercharged machine.

The Gigahorse
Built from not one but two 1959 Cadillac Coupe De Villes, the Gigahorse is an imposing sight in the desert and a flagship vehicle for the baddies. Propelled by a pair of V8s slaved to a custom gearbox, it rides on jacked-up suspension and is fitted with massive rear tyres. It also has a harpoon gun and flamethrower for good measure.

Doof Wagon
Put your hands in the air… if they haven't been severed! This converted 8x8 missile carrier was created to "keep the beat and stir the heart". 'Nuff said.

Cranky Frank
There's more local love besides the Interceptor with this one, a chopped Holden FJ rat rod driven by a blown V8. It has a mounted gun in the back and caltrops deployment too.

The War Rig
Aptly named, this "mutant lovechild of semi-trailer and hot rod" is an 18-wheeler behemoth powered by twin V8 engines and festooned with troops and their weapons. The snow plough on the front is a nice touch too.

Buick
The Buick's beefed-up rear axle and 'dooly' tyres are necessary to carry the extra weight of slew-ring turret fitted with an anti-aircraft gun. Easy to drive, difficult to park…

The Big Foot
Driven by the malevolent Rictus Erectus, this huge 600 cubic inch V8-powered monster truck rides on massive 66-inch tyres and features four feet of suspension travel. It also features a harpoon and machine guns in the back.

Buggy #9
It may have started life as a classic Corvette – sorry, an Aussie Perentti replica – but it's now an off-road speed machine complete with massive tail gun. Perfect for a quiet Sunday drive.

What's your favourite desert dueler out of this mob? Have your say in the comments section below.