We love a good movie, especially if it involves cars and car chases. Thanks to the role of the automobile in popular culture, there is never a time when we are short of car content on the big screen. From the Fast and Furious franchise to classics like Bullitt and Ronin, the film industry is full of cool cars and great chase scenes.

While we are all familiar with the big, blockbuster Hollywood movies featuring cars. But, there are a few smaller and shorter films made by car manufacturers that you may not know. Here are five movies made by automakers that are worth a watch.

The Hire – BMW 

In 2001 and 2002, BMW introduced a series of eight short films. Each features their cars and a mysterious driver, played by Clive Owen. The eight films in the series feature a different car, several A-list actors, and directors.

Star, featuring Madonna, a BMW M5 and directed by Guy Ritchie, is one of the best in the series, as is Beat the Devil, which stars James Brown, Gary Oldman, Danny Trejo, and is directed by Tony Scott.

You can watch the films here.

Truth in 24 1 and 2 – Audi

Truth in 24 debuted in 2009 and is a documentary about Audi’s preparation for and participation in the 2008 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Narrated by Jason Statham, the film showcases the incredible Audi R10 TDI prototype race car and the drivers that raced it during the season.

The original film was followed by the second installment in 2012, which again followed the factory Audi prototype team in their quest for Le Mans victory. These two films are a must-watch if you’re a fan of motorsport and endurance racing.

The films used to be on Amazon, but you may need to dig a bit to find them online.

Le Mans: The Porsche Success Story – Porsche

Porsche holds the distinction of being the most successful car manufacturer at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. As of 2022, Porsche has won the world’s most famous endurance road race 16 times overall and racked up 103 class victories. In 2021, Porsche created a YouTube documentary series outlining their history in the race.

There are six videos in the series, each looking at a different point in the company’s history. For Porschephiles, this is a must-watch. If you are interested in Le Mans, Porsche, or sports car racing in general, the series is a fantastic watch and worthy of your time.

You can watch the series on Porsche’s YouTube page.

The Run – Nissan

In 2003, Nissan debuted the 350Z. A car meant to return the company to its roots and revive the legendary Z moniker. To commemorate the occasion and create a bit of hype Nissan decided a short film was in order.

Filmed in a single take, The Run puts a 350Z on the beautiful and historic streets of Prague and sends it on its way. The film pays tribute to another iconic production, C’était Un Rendezvous. Nissan’s short hasn’t aged as well as others in this group, but the engine noise, scenery, and filming technique are worth watching. If you happen to be a 350Z fan, so much the better.

You can watch the film here.

The Porter – Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz released the short film, The Porter in 2004. It centers around a hotel valet that uncovers a stash of diamonds in a Mercedes-Benz CLS. The valet quickly becomes the target of the police, a gang of smugglers, and a mysterious woman.

While the car is certainly prominent and central to the story, this is one of the few manufacturer created films that is not an overt ad for their products. In the case of The Porter, the film is quite good and worthy of your time.

You can watch the film here.

Cars and movies go together like muscle cars and V8s, but many manufacturer produced films can come off as purely an ad for their products. Occasionally, car makers and the film industry come together and create something great to watch. In the case of these five films, each one features great cars, is enjoyable to watch, and will make you want to get out and drive.