Indiana Jones: Car buyer discovers new motor stars in film

A motoring journalist who bought a Fiat 500 was amazed to discover his new wheels star in a car chase in the new Indiana Jones film.

Martin Ward, from Huddersfield, said he bought the 1964 classic vehicle six weeks ago from a specialist dealer.

But unbeknown to him at the time, the car had been driven by Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Mr Ward said.

"I think it's great and it just makes me smile," he said.

"You hear about the car's the star, I think in the film this little car - along with one or two others - really will be the star of the movie."

Ford, 78, stars alongside Fleabag writer and actor Phoebe Waller-Bridge in the latest Indiana Jones instalment, which comes 40 years after Raiders of the Lost Ark, the first film in the series.

Mr Ward, a classic car enthusiast, said he was aware the car had been previously used by Pinewood Studios but he did not know for which film.

He said he later found out it was used in a car chase scene with Ford at the wheel and Waller-Bridge, who plays his goddaughter, in the passenger seat.

"It's going to be probably the most viewed Fiat 500 ever in the world," he said.

"It's just a nice history. I mean the car is a classic anyway, the Fiat 500 is really very collectible.

"But that sort of history with it, that it's been in a film driven by Harrison Ford; Phoebe Waller Bridge sat next to him in a chase in [Sicily].

"I just think it makes what is a very special car into something even more special. I just love it."

Mr Ward said number plates of the Fiat 500 in the film - released in the UK on Wednesday - matched that of his vehicle, which corroborated they were the same car.

"This little car that spent most of his 50-plus years of its life in Italy now ends up in Huddersfield, Yorkshire.

"You don't have to drive it. I feel happy just sat in it, looking at it and touching everything, because it really is immaculate.

"Everywhere I go people just stop and stare at this little thing. I think because it's in such good condition. It just looks so nice and a lot of people call it cute."

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