Surprising Facts About The Legendary “Smokey and The Bandit” Trans Am

Three Trans Ams Were Destroyed During Filming

The filming of “Smokey and the Bandit” was not without risks. Three Pontiac Trans Ams were destroyed to make the movie as a result. The first Trans Am destroyed was a pre-production 1977 model provided by Pontiac for use in the film. During filming, the car was damaged beyond repair while performing a high-speed jump over a creek. The car was replaced with a modified 1976 model. The second Trans Am to be destroyed was a modified 1976 model used for close-up shots and interior shots (via Slash Gear).

The car was destroyed in a crash while filming a scene where the Bandit’s car crashed into a police car. The third and final Trans Am to be destroyed was also a modified 1976 model. The car was destroyed during the filming of the climactic chase scene where it crashes into a roadblock and explodes into flames.