Picture Car Glossary
chase vehicle
What is a chase vehicle?
Updated June 2026 · Revolution Picture Cars
A chase vehicle is a picture car used in a pursuit sequence either as the pursuing or fleeing vehicle that must perform at elevated speeds or through complex choreographed traffic scenarios.
Chase vehicles are almost always action vehicles with safety modifications, and their routes, speeds, and interaction with other picture cars are meticulously planned and rehearsed by the stunt coordinator before any camera rolls. Chase sequences on public roads require extensive permitting and traffic coordination.
Example
A pursuit needs two chase vehicles built to the same spec, because the sequence cuts between pursuer and pursued and both perform at speed. Doubling one car for both roles costs a day in re-dressing between setups.
Figures are illustrative, chosen to show the mechanics rather than to quote market rates.
Where you'll see it
Specified by the stunt coordinator on the breakdown sheet, and driven only by stunt drivers.
Common mistake
Building one car and re-dressing it to play both sides of a pursuit. The sequence cuts between the two, so re-dressing costs a day the schedule usually does not have.
Related questions
- How many vehicles does a chase sequence need?
- At minimum one built vehicle per side, plus multiples for anything that gets damaged, and often a hero for the close-ups that bracket the action.
- Are chase vehicles the same as stunt cars?
- They overlap. A chase vehicle is defined by its role in the sequence; whether it needs a full stunt build depends on what it is asked to do.
Official sources
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