Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000) is definitely my favorite car movie. In addition to countless exotic cars, there are also Hollywood film colors in the style of the late 90s. The movie is a thick, artsy car brochure.
I watched Gone in Sixty Seconds around 2000 in time, on a DVD my dad brought home. Frankly, it wasn’t the famous Eleanor, the 1967 Shelby GT500, that attracted me. It’s great from every angle, but it’s not a car I’m familiar with. There are also a large number of exotic cars from the 1990s in the movie, many of which just passed by in a flash, leaving unforgettable images. So it is always necessary to repeatedly go back to the previous scene to recheck. I’ve rewatched this movie over 200 times over the past 23 years and that’s no exaggeration. Why 200? Yes, I didn’t count, but I know that’s well over 100, and 200 is still a modest number.
Repeated review started in my junior high school. I’d steal my dad’s portable DVD, which was like a fold-out iPad, and watch movies quietly under the covers after the lights went out. In the beginning I had many Cars movies including Fast and Furious 2 which I used to love very much. But I find that Gone in Sixty Seconds is never boring, and there are new discoveries every time I watch it. Yes, there’s a list of 50 cars and fun stunt vehicles in there. Watching movies at close range under the quilt for a long time made me wear myopia glasses.
140 is part of the movie, which is very interesting in a way. Of course, they weren’t the thing that appealed to me the most about the movie until I had the 140. Since 2012, I began to pay attention to 140 elements in the film, and gradually analyzed all interesting details. This article will analyze the 140 elements of the film according to the order in which the plot develops.
Shortly after the film begins, while Kip Raines (Giovanni Ribisi) stealing a Porsche 996 from a showroom, his crews used ultraviolet lights to illuminate a list of stolen vehicles on a blackboard as they waited in the warehouse. There are three modern Mercedes on the list.
Kip Raines (Giovanni Ribisi) unwittingly leads the police to his crew’s warehouse, forcing the thieves to flee. During the escape, the crews hastily removed the keys tof several Mercedes. According to the profile they are C 140, W 220 and R 129. Among them, C 140 and R 129 can match the 99 CL 500 and SL 600 listed on the board, but the first model year of W 220 in the US market is 2000 instead of “99″ in the list. The 99′ S-class is still the W 140.
When the C 140 is keyed out, the central A/C nozzle without the Parktronic display can be seen.
Parktronic is standard on all C 140s since the MY1997 facelift. The shape of the key dob is MY1994-MY1997, it’s a relatively rectangular remote with a keychain rod at the end. So the car would not be “99” on the list anyway. The outline of the C 140 in this scene is very vague, only black can be seen. This is the first 140 in the movie.
Detective Castlebeck (Delroy Lindo) and Drycoff (Timothy Olyphant ) impound the stolen cars and open an investigation. They did some review to the Mercedes.
Drycoff: And you can see these are not Honda Civic, this is one of three brand new Mercedes, a car they say is unstealable.
Castlebeck: Yeah unless you got the laser cut transponder key sent directly to the U.S. dealers from Hamburg.
Drycoff: They got somebody work on the inside.
The laser-cut keys should refer to the key fob that Mercedes has used since 1989. The keys are laser cut and come with a remote. But Hamburg is an odd location, as the supplier of the key, Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH, is based in Velbert in Nordrhein-Westfalen rather than Hamburg in northern Germany. Mercedes has indeed become relatively unstealable since MY1995. In addition to the anti-theft module, the updated infrared anti-theft remote control is also associated with the engine ECU, and a matching key and ECU must be obtained to start the car.
To complete the car theft list that his brother messed up with the gangsters in exchange for his brother’s life. Memphis (Nicolas Cage) is calling on former accomplices to complete the theft of 50 cars. As he emerges from the bar where his colleague Sway (Angelina Jolie) work, someone shows up.
Johnnie B. : Raines! Memphis Raines!
Memphis : Do I know you?
Johnnie B. : Well, you should know me, considering all the business you screwed up for me in the past, baby.
Memphis : Johnnie B.
Johnnie B. : That’s me.
Memphis : What can I do for you?
Johnnie B. : Well, I’ll tell you what you can do for me. Get out of Long Beach, tonight.
Memphis : I’m just here for a few days, I’m here on some family business.
Johnnie B. : Word on the street is that Raymond Calitri hired you and your brother for a top order, an order that should have gone to me.
Memphis : That’s not the way it went down, Johnnie…
Then Johnnie and his thugs attack Memphis; he fights some of them off, but then they pin him. Johnnie draws back his fist, but then someone shatters the window of his car.
Johnnie B. : Hey! Get away from my car, asshole!
Another guy shows up, he smashed the rear right window of Johnnie’s car and blows it up by inserting a towel to the fuel door and light it.
The nameplate on the trunk lid was not fully photographed, but since there is no V12 badge on the side, it should not be 140.057 (92-93 600 SEL or 94 S 600). From the length of the nameplate it appears to be S XXX rather than XXX SEL, so probably 1994. The lower section of the car has been repainted the same black as the upper section and has tuned rims, spoiler and muffler.
A tuned S-class burns up in seconds. I don’t know if the element of the car’s tuning is gangster hint to Johnnie B, as it has a certain vibe to it. This is the second 140 appeared in film but not related to the grand theft auto. It’s worth mentioning that in 2000, when the new S-class had just been introduced, the 140 was still a token of monetary value. But the director decided to burn it down, and I think many viewers won’t even realize it’s a tuned S-class for a few seconds.
The guy is Memphis’ old friend Sphinx (Vinnie Jones). Another documented encounter between Vinnie Jones and 140 is during the filming of “Russia’s Toughest – National Geographic Channel”. In 2012 he sit in the ex-Russian Presidential 1994 Trsasco TSF140-510. It’s exhibited on an oldtimer event. He seems pleasant and yes, this time he wouldn’t and he can’t blew the car.
The armored limousine was used by Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin and still the property of GON(Гаража особого назначения) today. (photo: Stepan Doroin)
As Memphis prepares to re-steal the cars, he hands a list to his crews. Danny was helding the paper sheet and read.
According to the plot, the list that Memphis should complete is consistent with the list that Kip gave up halfway, but the 2000 CL 500 (C 215) contradicts the C 140 appeared in warehouse. And the 2000 S 600 here contradicts the “99 S 600” on the previous board, and but it matches the W 220 that appeared in the previous warehouse.
As a relatively unimportant shot, the list seems more primitive than the cars that actually appear in the film. The 2000 CL 500 (C 215) in this list seems to have been missed by the filming crew and they used a C 140 instead. In fact, the movie was shot in 2000 and the CL 500 has only been available since early 2000.
Otto: This is a complicated list fellas, it really is, okay? There are 25 that aren’t an problem, but these exotics are tough to find, and new Mercedes, they require laser cut keys, okay?
Tambler: Yeah I got that covered.
Emphasizing only laser cut keys while omitting the previously mentioned “transponder” seems to be the actor’s mistake. Because the laser cut key itself cannot play a decisive role in the anti-theft system. Mercedes keys are cut from the sides, not the center like typical laser cut keys, and skilled locksmiths can replicate them. It may take some time, but it will be done eventually. The infrared remote control associated with the ECU is the most important part of the system.
Detective Castlebeck turns the parts store clerk who provided the keys to Tambler into an informant, and the clerk gives Castlebeck the addresses of the three Mercedes that Tambler ordered. The officers ambushed near the three Mercedes to arrest the. Castlebeck and Drycoff were in ambush in a minivan, and they were in charge of the C 140. Coincidentally, Memphis was in charge of scouting the car, and they took photos in preparation for the operation.
After Memphis and Kip finished their reconnaissance, they were about to relax when a 140 sedan followed and an SUV blocked them. People from two vehicles shot at them. Johnnie B appeared on the passenger seat. It’s his car again.
This is the 4th 140 in the movie and it looks identical to the 2nd one that got blown up by the Sphinx, with shiny chrome tuned wheels and a spoiler.
Memphis and Kip escaped over the fence, followed by Johnnie B’s men. After a chase, the car almost hitting Memphis and Kip in front of the fast food restaurant, but they calmly walked away.
Johnnie B:Oh you, you think it’s a game?
Johnnie’s buddy: Johnnie B, cops man,
Johnnie B: I got nothing but time baby.
Memphis: Look! Cop car ! Un-huh. Long as I’m here, you ‘re just sit out there, aren’t ya? Aye?
A police car was parked in front of the restaurant, Johnnie B was unwilling to take the risk, and Memphis and Kip were given temporary shelter. Johnnie B’s car returns to the parking lot.
Kip: Oh, man. We are going to be here all night, man.
MemphisHey, listen, this is the plan. This is what we’re gonna do. There’s a big rig over there.
Kip slipped behind Johnnie B’s car while Memphis chatted with the big wrecker’s driver to stall for time. He secured Johnnie B’s car with steel cables, one piece of steel cable from the rear of the car to the rear and one from the front of the car to the big wrecker. When the big wrecker left, the car was torn in half by the front and rear steel cables.
The entire section in front of the firewall and right front door has been torn off by the big wrecker., and the rear part is also obviously deformed.
It’s a very creative shot, and it obviously took a lot of skill to shoot it. The car should have been pre-cut as it is impossible to tear off 1/3 of the car just by pulling on the sway bar. But at the same time the artifacts are so unobtrusive that even viewing it frame by frame looks like it happened naturally. The front of the car’s cabin, especially the Aux fan looks complete. But based on the length and volume of the disengaged front half, there should be no engine and gearbox.
Materials science and mechanics are outside of my epistemology, but I’m leaning towards the real situation would be the steel cable from big wrecker is broken, not the body.
Since the Sphinx did burn Johnnie B’s first car, and the second car was also torn apart. So multiple 140’s are needed regardless of the filming order. There may be only 1 vehicle involved in the Sphinx scene. But there are at least 3 cars in the big wrecker scene, one of which may be the same as the Sphinx scene, so at least 3 cars were involved in the filming.
After the operation began, Memphis and Sway returned to the previously investigated C 140 to prepare for the theft, where the police had been waiting for them for a long time.
It should be the same be the same as the 4th 140 in the movie. Again the paint can’t be judged due to the film filter.
Although there is more footage, it does not help to distinguish colors. This car has all the hallmarks of a C 140 from MY1997, it may not be the MY1999 on the list but it is visually consistent with the MY1999.
Memphis: Let’s go.
Memphis: Last night that van was parked four houese down, now it’s only two.
Sway: We got company.
Memphis: Shit
There is no good reason to operate the key like that. To start a 1999 CL 500, or any post-MY1994 car (in the US market, they all come with infrared anti-theft), you must use the infrared remote to unlock the doors, then insert the key into the steering column to start the car. Since he didn’t go any further and left, we don’t know what he was going to do, but there were only two options if he was going to drive the car away.
- Push the unlock button on the infrared remote. The infrared remote is the only option for unlocking the doors and not triggering the alarm. Memphis now places the keyfob very close to the lock cylinder, with the infrared receiver right next to the lock cylinder. He can use the infrared remote to unlock, but it’s not necessary because the infrared will only be disturbed in strong sunlight, and at night he can unlock the car from 6 meters away. But if he uses the infrared remote, the doors will open in distance, he doesn’t need to put the key in the lock or turn the key.
- Insert the key into the lock hole, rotate and enter the car. If the anti-theft system is disarmed without using the infrared remote, opening the door will trigger the alarm immediately. The alarm can still be turned off via the infrared remote, but this will wake the owner or neighbors.
Maybe I’m going too far. The truth is, if Memphis used the infrared remote to unlock the car at a distance, he would be caught by the police in an ambush becasue the blinking turn signals. Apparently the writers wanted the key to be a clue, and the close-up shot would capture the moment of his transformation. It just seems to me that such an entry mode would be fine for any other car, but not for a Mercedes from the 90s. Most importantly, wouldn’t starting the car wake the owner up? So the writer is right, none of this would happen at all.
Memphis recalled by phone the accomplice who was about to steal other Mercedes and they narrowly escaped arrest. Now the camera is back to Otto’s garage, Toby (William Lee Scott) is speaking to Otto about his Mercedes keys.
Toby: Check this out. Laser-encoded keys that send a message to a receiver inside the car.
Otto: You wanna tell me what you’re doing with these?
Toby: Yeah. These are from last week. These are from the other boost.
The oft-mentioned keys are finally seen for the first time as Otto dumped them from the envelope onto the table. 3 key fobs appear in the shot.
The key fob of W 140 or R 129 since MY1998 should have 4 buttons. The big button above is lock, the button on the bottom left is unlock, and the button on the bottom right is to unlock the trunk lid. At the bottom is the Panic button that makes the vehicle siren sound.
An introduction of the 4-button master key. There is only one such key appeared in the movie but two cars require it.
The two 3-button versions in scene has a blank spot on right bottom, which indicate’s they are the keys of the SLK (R 170). For the R 170, the trunk lid is opened with the roof. As for the new 220 S-class in the film, it should have a new-looking key that doesn’t match any of the three keys in the shot. Therefore the three keys in this shot would work on 1 car maximum on the list.
There is then a shot of Otto putting the keys and the burger together, suggesting that the keys will be eaten by his dog. This shot shows the shape of one of the three key.
Memphis came back. He didn’t understand why Mercedes was targeted by the police. There must be something wrong with the key. Danny guessed it was because the detective Castlebeck converted the parts store clerk.
Otto: If there’s no Mercedes, there’s no point in boosting any other cars. You hear me?
Danny: That’s it. 47 is not 50, Memphis. You know that’s what he’ll say.
Toby: Hey, Memphis. You know, we still have the Mercedes keys from the last boost.
Danny: Hey! Those cars are at the police impound. Okay? The police impound. You want us go there and start stealin’ cars?
Memphis decided to go to the police impound to steal back the three impounded cars. But when they returned to the table where the keys were placed, the keys were eaten by Otto’s dog along with the hamburger. Memphis gave Toby some money to buy laxatives for the dog, and they went to work.
Others were stealing other cars while they waited for the dogs to poop. They radioed to Otto, who crossed off the completed car from the list.
When detective Castlebeck discovered the strangeness of the ultraviolet lamp, they returned to the warehouse where Kip used to store the car and found the list hidden on the blackboard.
After getting the keys, Memphis, Sway and Sphinx came to L.A.P.D auto impound to steal 3 Mercedes. Memphis assigned Sphinx to a certain car.
For all regular order 140s the lower should be matte, the car may have been repainted. All in all the appearance of this car is very similar to the previous destroyed sedans. There is some irony in this, Sphinx destroyed a W 140 and stole a similar C 140.
It cannot be ruled out that this is a pre-facelift C 140, because the pre-facelift C 140 that appears at the beginning of the film is also black. For the sake of the film’s authenticity, they may be the same car.
After the Memphis team took over, each of the 50 cars was given a female name so police could not listen in on the theft over the radio. The names of the 3 Mercedes were not mentioned by any characters or appear on the blackboard, but according to the information released by the producer, they are:
- 1999 Mercedes Benz CL 500: Donna
- 1999 Mercedes Benz S 600: Samantha
- 1998 Mercedes-Benz SL 600: Ellen
The name Donna reminds me of the dance partner of Al Pacino in “Scent of a Woman, 1992”, such a beautiful name.
The BMW 540i appears in the car chase later in the film as the police detective’s official car, and its apparent presence makes the 3 stolen Mercedes humorous. This arrangement is like a continuation of “Tomorrow Never Dies, 1998” or The continuing pushback to “Peacemakers, 1996.” In “The Peacemakers”, the 140 was driven by George Clooney and destroyed 3 BMW 5 series (E28). BMW strikes back in Tomorrow’s Empire, 3 S-class (126) are damaged in a chase with James Bond’s 7-series (E38).
A $50,000 exiotic car is suspicious, considering the movie was filmed not in Munich but in Los Angeles. According to the film crew, they lost several 540i. When I first saw Chase, I was thrilled to think that Los Angeles was full of BMW police cars.
At the same time they seem to have learned a new format from “The Peacemakers”. According to various sources, the BMW 540i in the film is MY1997, so this is not the latest model. This trick was used by Mercedes Benz, who provided 2 1992 140s for the “The Peacemaker, 1997”.
The movie featured 4 different 140s, and at least 6 were used for filming. Except for the GT500 and BMW, which is probably the most. And I would say that this is the most 140-existing film among all the 140-involved films, even surpassing those Mercedes-Benz sponsored films. Thank you BMW for leaving many traces of the 140 in one of the best car movie.
All impression essays are very subjective, but there is a lot of reality in them too. Please do not reprint or translate these articles without consent.