For decades, the Addams Family has captivated audiences with their macabre charm and quirky lifestyle. Among the many iconic elements of this beloved family, their distinctive car has always sparked curiosity, especially among car enthusiasts and fans of the recent Netflix hit series, Wednesday. If you’re wondering about the make and model of the latest Addams Family vehicle featured in Wednesday, you’ve come to the right place. Prepare to delve into the fascinating details of this extensively modified machine, which, in a departure from previous iterations, is based on a 1938 Pontiac.
From Packards to Pontiac: A New Ride for a New Generation
The Addams Family is no stranger to classic cars. In previous movies and series, stately Packards were the vehicles of choice, perfectly complementing the family’s aristocratic and slightly spooky persona. However, for Tim Burton’s Wednesday, the epic series that took Netflix by storm in late 2022, a different approach was taken. The creators opted for a 1938 Pontiac as the foundation for the Addams Family Car, albeit with significant and intriguing modifications.
The Addams Family Legacy: A Quick Detour
Before we dive deeper into the car itself, let’s take a moment to appreciate the enduring legacy of the Addams Family. Created by the brilliant American cartoonist Charles Addams, this fictional family first emerged in a series of cartoons, primarily published in The New Yorker over an impressive 50-year span, starting in 1938.
The Addamses are a satirical and humorous inversion of the idealized 20th-century American family. They are an eccentric, wealthy, and aristocratic clan who revel in the macabre, seemingly oblivious or unconcerned by the fact that most people find them peculiar or even frightening.
Since their debut in the 1964 television series, the core Addams Family members have become pop culture icons: Gomez and Morticia Addams, their children Wednesday and Pugsley, the enigmatic Uncle Fester, the doting Grandmama, the towering butler Lurch, and Pugsley’s unusual pet octopus, Aristotle. Let’s not forget Thing, the disembodied hand that first appeared in 1954, Gomez’s flamboyant Cousin Itt, and Morticia’s pet lion Kitty Kat, both introduced in 1964. Later, Pubert Addams, the infant brother to Wednesday and Pugsley, joined the family in the 1993 film Addams Family Values.
Unraveling the Mystery of the Wednesday Car: Not What We Initially Thought
Historically, Lurch, the family butler, has been seen driving various Packard models. Therefore, it was a natural assumption that the Wednesday series would continue this tradition. Initially, automotive enthusiasts at Historic Vehicles even speculated that the Wednesday car might be a modified 1938 Pontiac Tour Custom Limousine, stretched in 2008 and previously sold at auction.
While this auctioned limousine bore a resemblance to the car seen in Wednesday footage, closer inspection revealed key differences. Notably, the Addams Family car featured a single-piece rear window, unlike the two-piece design of a standard 1938 Pontiac. Even more surprisingly, the front fenders were reshaped, a detail not immediately apparent in initial movie clips but clearly visible in behind-the-scenes set photos where Morticia was getting her makeup touched up.
The 4×4 Revelation: Thanks to a Keen-Eyed Fan
The breakthrough in identifying the true nature of the Wednesday car came thanks to John C, a sharp-eyed subscriber of Historic Vehicles. John C. pointed out footage in the first Wednesday episode, specifically the scene where Wednesday arrives at Nevermore Academy. A careful examination of the undercarriage in this footage revealed a crucial detail: a front differential bowl. This unmistakable sign indicated that the Addams Family car was, in fact, a four-wheel-drive vehicle!
Further investigation, prompted by a November 2022 post on the “justacarguy” blogspot, suggested a fascinating revelation: the classic Pontiac body was mounted on a stretched Mercedes-Benz Gelandewagen 4×4 chassis, powered by a 2.2-liter petrol engine, dating back to the 1980s.
Confirmed: A Pontiac Body on a Mercedes-Benz Foundation
Confirmation came directly from Alexandru Titus Ipate, the action vehicles supervisor at a Romanian movie-vehicles manufacturing company. This company specializes in sourcing and modifying vehicles for film productions across Europe. For the Wednesday series, they were responsible for providing all the vehicles, and Alexandru shared that building the Addams Family limousine was a “dream come true.”
Alexandru revealed that the car’s distinctive shape was conceived by production designer Mark Scruton, drawing inspiration from the 1938 Pontiac Silver Streak. Intriguingly, the Pontiac’s original 1938 production year aligns perfectly with the debut of the Addams Family cartoons in The New Yorker.
The demanding requirements of the Wednesday production necessitated a vehicle that was not only stretched and heavily modified but also exceptionally reliable and capable of handling diverse filming locations. The solution was to place the meticulously crafted Pontiac bodywork onto a robust Mercedes-Benz-Puch 220 petrol-automatic stretched chassis. The inherent 4WD system of the Mercedes-Benz chassis proved to be an invaluable asset, providing the Pontiac with enhanced mobility and ensuring it could navigate various terrains required for filming.
Ingenious Modifications for Film: Adaptability is Key
Alexandru detailed the extensive modifications undertaken to bring the Addams Family car to life. The side panels were custom-fabricated from sheet metal, and the fenders were reshaped to accommodate the set-back front axle of the Mercedes-Benz chassis. The rear window was also modified to optimize camera angles during filming.
Recognizing the dynamic nature of film production, the vehicle was engineered for rapid adaptability. Everything, including doors, the false roof, seats, and windows, was designed to be easily and quickly removable, allowing for swift transitions between different camera setups within minutes.
Alexandru also highlighted the inclusion of air suspension, both front and rear, specifically installed for the memorable shot where Thing is dropped off at Nevermore Academy, adding another layer of cinematic flair to the iconic vehicle.
The Future of the Addams Family Car: Driven by Success
Given the phenomenal success of Wednesday, which shattered Netflix records with 341.2 million viewing hours worldwide in its debut week and soared to 400 million hours the following week, it’s highly likely we haven’t seen the last of this remarkable 1938 Pontiac-Benz creation. Netflix is unlikely to ignore such a record-breaking hit, suggesting that the Addams Family car, in its modern, modified glory, will continue to be a star in its own right.
