There was no single “original” Starsky & Hutch Torino: the pilot alone used two 1975 Gran Torinos, and the television production used additional cars. One later-season car identified as Torino #1 was reportedly sold by Dezer Car Collection to a Texas collector in January 2015, but its present owner and location have not been established.
Why there isn’t just one “original” Torino
The red-and-white “Striped Tomato” was represented by multiple screen-used cars, not one Torino used for every episode. In a 1998 account for the Fairlane Club of America, Doug Stevenson distinguishes the two 1975 Gran Torinos used in the pilot from two 1975 cars used in the first season. He also reports that seasons two through four used two 1976 cars he later owned, along with two or three others, based on information he says came from a Spelling Productions source. These are counts in Stevenson’s account, not a definitive inventory of every car used across the series. Fairlane Club of America
Stevenson wrote, “I do not know what happened to the two Torinos that were used in the pilot film or the two that were used in the first season.” The pilot cars’ later whereabouts therefore remain unknown in his account; rumors he noted about possible owners were not confirmed. Fairlane Club of America
What happened to the later-season Torino #1?
A separate secondary account traces a car it calls Torino #1 from an Ohio owner to the Cars of the Stars Motor Museum in the United Kingdom, then to Dezer Car Collection in Miami. It reports that Dezer privately sold the car to a Texas collector in January 2015. According to that account, the car was largely unrestored at the time of sale and the collector later completed a sympathetic frame-off restoration. The account does not name the collector or document where the car went afterward, so its current ownership and location are unconfirmed. Internet Movie Cars Database
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#1 Best Overall
- Scale: 1/64
- Material: Die-cast
- Warning! Not suitable for children under 14 years
- Brand: Greenlight
- Material: Metal
What happened to the other later-season cars?
Stevenson says the later-season cars were part of Ford Motor Company’s Studio-TV car loan program. After the series, they were returned to Ford and sold at a dealer auction in Salt Lake City. His account describes two very different subsequent histories for the 1976 cars he bought:
- Torino #2: It was badly damaged in an accident, declared a total loss, and sent to a junkyard. It was rebuilt with salvage parts and repainted in the wrong shade of red, with an incorrectly painted stripe. When Stevenson acquired it, it had a Mustang V-6 in place of its original engine.
- Torino #1: It had rust and needed mechanical work when Stevenson acquired it.
These details concern Stevenson’s two 1976 later-season cars; they do not establish what happened to the pilot or first-season Torinos. Fairlane Club of America
Rank #2
- Hollywood Series Collectible – 1:24 scale diecast replica of the iconic 1976 Ford Torino from the television series Starsky & Hutch.
- Official GreenLight Release 84221 – Part of the GreenLight Hollywood Series line of licensed film and television replicas.
- Display-Grade Model – Designed for adult collectors and classic television memorabilia enthusiasts; ideal for shelf or showcase presentation.
- Premium Diecast Construction – Heavy diecast metal body with detailed interior, chrome accents, and realistic wheels.
- Authentic Screen-Inspired Details – Features the signature red finish with white vector stripe, accurate badging, and period-correct trim.
Other cars that are easy to confuse with the TV Torinos
A separately documented television car
In a June 2018 feature, AutoCentric Media reported that Steve Bordi owned a 1976 Torino used in the original television show. The feature described it as one of three cars used to portray the Striped Tomato and said C&R Cars performed a frame-on restoration, using stock components where possible. The available account does not establish that Bordi’s car is the same vehicle as the Torino #1 in the Dezer-to-Texas-collector ownership account. AutoCentric Media
A factory special edition, not a production car
Pioneer PBS’s April 2023 WHEELS segment features Greg Korfe and a factory 1976 Starsky & Hutch special-edition Gran Torino. Korfe says he bought it new from a Ford garage after a test drive; the segment shows a bill of sale and build sheet. That makes it a documented factory special edition, not evidence that the car was used by the television production. Pioneer PBS
Rank #3
The car from the 2004 movie
A 2016 Carlisle Ford Nationals guide identifies Steven Bordi with “Hero Car #1,” a Gran Torino described as having 2,250 original miles and having been driven by Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson in the 2004 film. It is a movie car, distinct from the cars used in the original television series. Carlisle Ford Nationals
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What can be said about the car’s location today?
The best-supported answer depends on which Torino is meant. The later-season car called Torino #1 reportedly reached a Texas collector in a January 2015 private sale, but the published account cited here does not identify that collector or document a subsequent transfer or present location. The pilot cars’ whereabouts are likewise unknown in Stevenson’s 1998 account. It would be misleading to claim that either the Torino #1 or a singular “original car” is currently in Texas, at a named museum, or in any other confirmed location.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Limited edition. Brand new box. Detailed exterior. Real rubber tires. True-to-scale detail. Authentic decoration. Comes in a blister pack. Officially licensed product. Custom themed packaging. Die-cast metal body and chassis. Dimensions approximately L-3.25 inches long.
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