A brand-new original docuseries coming to HBO titled Downey’s Dream Cars will follow award-winning actor and producer Robert Downey Jr. as he chooses six cars from his impressive car collection and transforms them into eco-friendly vehicles. Robert Downey Jr. has enlisted the help of inventors, visionaries, and futurists to help guide the process of converting classic and unique cars into the future of conservation by reducing the carbon footprint each of them will inevitably leave on the planet.
The HBO Original is set to premiere Thursday, June 22 on Max, HBO’s streaming service (formerly known as HBOMAX). Downey’s Dream Cars is set to premiere on Discovery+ in the UK on Thursday, June 22 as well. The six-episode docuseries will show every subsequent Thursday after the premiere on June 22nd, meaning all episodes will be available for viewing on and after July 6th.
Aside from the trailer, which features a mid-1960s Corvette Stingray Convertible, 5th-Generation El Camino, Buick Riviera GS, and a classic Volkswagen Bus, little is known about which cars RDJ will choose to modernize, though it is no secret that he has quite the car collection, so whichever cars he decides to feature will likely be unique in some way.
Robert Downey Jr. Loves Classic Cars
Among the previously mentioned cars featured in the trailer, including a Corvette Stingray convertible, Buick Riviera, Chevrolet El Camino, and Volkswagen Bus, Robert Downey Jr. has upwards of nine other vehicles in his personal collection alone, and some fans and insiders believe there to be more.
Those confirmed to be in RDJ’s collection include a 1974 BMW 3.0 CS coupe modified by SpeedKore, a Ferrari California T Drop Top, and his rumored favorite, the 2009 Audi R8 Spyder. It’s reported that the Audi R8 Spyder is the same one Robert Downey drove in the 2008 Iron Man film.
Cars Included In Robert Downey Jr.'s Collection:
- 1970 Mustang Fastback
- Nissan GT-R
- Bentley Continental
- 1974 BMW 3.0 CS Coupe
- Ferrari California T
- 2009 Audi R8 Spyder
It’s not hard to see why the 2009 Audi R8 Spyder is RDJ’s favorite, it is a stunning car inside and out, and that’s before mentioning the punch it packs under the hood. The 2009 R8 Spyder starts at around $131,950, a hefty price tag for most casual car enthusiasts, but not for Iron Man. Featuring a 32-valve 4.2-liter DOHC V-8, the six-speed manual R8 Spyder makes 420 horsepower and can accelerate to 60 MPH in only 4.3 seconds. The EPA reports 15 combined MPG, with the 2009 Audi R8 Spyder getting 13 city and 20 highway MPG.
2009 Audi R8 Spyder Specs
0-60 | 4.3-seconds |
Top Speed | 186 MPH (governor limit) |
Horsepower | 420 |
Torque | 317 feet-pounds |
Curb Weight | 3857-pounds |
Layout | Six-speed automatic, 4.2-liter V-8, rear-wheel drive |
Robert Downey's Acting And Conservation Efforts
Though Robert Downey Jr. is a self-proclaimed “gearhead”, he is an internationally recognized and awarded actor, known most famously for his role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the superhero Iron Man, whose real name is Tony Stark in the movie. In reality, RDJ’s real-life story isn’t far off from the fictional hero he portrays on-screen, minus the iron suit.
The son of an actor famous in his own era, Robert Downey Jr.’s early acting career was met with critical and commercial success, no doubt attributed to his upbringing in Hollywood. With prestigious awards under his belt including the BAFTA award for his role as the title character in “Chaplin”, for which he also received an Academy Award nomination, and a Golden Globe for his role in the popular 90’s sitcom “Ally McBeal”, Robert Downey Jr. made an impact on popular culture at a young age.
He began to face numerous highly publicized personal problems, and inevitably took a much-needed break from the limelight, during which period RDJ had time to reflect on his choices, as well as his future. Robert Downey Jr. had a resurgence in popularity in 2008 when he starred in the first Iron Man film, which became a box office success, skyrocketing not only Robert Downey Jr.’s career but the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well, as RDJ has starred in ten MCU films including the Iron Man Collection and The Avengers films.
That same year, Robert Downey Jr. earned a spot among Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world, and from 2013-2015 Robert was named the highest-paid actor in Hollywood by Forbes Magazine. Around that time, he won his second Golden Globe for his role as the title character in Guy Ritchie’s “Sherlock Holmes”.
Robert soon began a non-profit organization called The Footprint Coalition, which aims to reduce carbon footprints around the world using advanced technology. This organization promotes technologies that protect the environment, such as a French insect farming startup called “Ynsect”, a bio-based alternative to plastics manufacturer RWDC, and bamboo toilet paper manufacturers Cloud Paper.
More recently, RDJ has teamed up with Sec. Jennifer M. Granholm and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), as an official member of The Clean Energy Corps, an initiative by the Department of Energy to reduce America’s carbon dependency. The Clean Energy Corps will help deploy the DOE’s transformative $62-billion investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to meet the nation's goal of a carbon-free power sector by 2035, and a decarbonized society by 2050.
What to Expect From Downey's Dream Cars
Robert Downey Jr.’s conservation efforts have not gone unnoticed, as his induction into the Clean Energy Corps is only the most recent of his efforts to combat a carbon-dependent future, as his investments in clean-energy initiatives, as well as future technologies that positively impact the planet reach far across the globe. With his new docuseries coming to MAX, he plans on showcasing some young talented futurists on his journey to bring classic cars into the future, while preserving the past.
This goes hand-in-hand with the person RDJ has become, it’s not about forgetting the past in exchange for a bright and shiny future, it’s about respecting the past and acknowledging the ever-present reminders that we can do better as a society without sacrificing everything we know. It’s about the redeeming qualities, not only of a man but of a car as well. If one can update themselves and adapt to the fluctuations of time, why can’t a classic car?
This has to be one of the points that has car fans, as well as Robert Downey Jr. fans most excited about Downey’s Dream Cars. In that same vein, car fans are beginning to speculate on which of RDJ’s unique cars will receive the eco-upgrades, with many die-hard classic car fans frowning at the idea of converting a classic Buick Riviera or Corvette Stingray into a hybrid. No matter what side of the debate you find yourself on, there’s no doubt we’ll all find ourselves tuning in on Thursday, June 22 to catch the premiere of Downey’s Dream Cars.