The Fast and the Furious (later also known as Fast & Furious 1) is a 2001 action film directed by Rob Cohen from a screenplay by Gary Scott Thompson, Erik Bergquist, and David Ayer, with the story credited to Thompson. It is the first installment in the Fast & Furious franchise and stars Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Rick Yune, Chad Lindberg, Johnny Strong, and Ted Levine. In the film, Brian O'Conner, an undercover cop, is tasked with discovering the identities of a group of automobile hijackers led by Dominic Toretto.
Preparations for The Fast and the Furious began after Cohen was introduced to illegal street racing in May 1998, with the screenplay originally developed by Thompson and Bergquist; Walker and Diesel were cast in late 1999, and Diesel contributed to script rewrites with Ayer as the rest of the cast was finalized. The production attended illegal street races, and is notable for its inclusion of street racers. After setting an initial release date for March 2001, principal photography began in July 2000 and lasted until that October, with filming locations including Los Angeles and southern California.
The Fast and the Furious was theatrically released in the United States on June 22, 2001 by Universal Pictures. The film received mixed reviews from critics, many of whom praised the performances of Walker and Diesel and the action sequences, but criticsm for its storyline and the ending. The film grossed over $200 million worldwide, becoming the 19th highest-grossing film of 2001. It launched a franchise starting with the sequel film 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), which then led to an industry of tie-in products, including video games, amusement park attractions, and spin-off works, and merchandise including toys and clothing. The Fast and the Furious was reissued in a limited release in June 2016, to commemorate its fifteenth anniversary.
The Chrysler Atlantic was a retro concept car created by Chrysler. It was first shown in 1995. The Atlantic was designed by Bob Hubbach and inspired by the Bugatti Atlantique. The idea for this car began out as a sketch on a napkin by Chrysler's president Bob Lutz in early 1993 and also involved the automaker's chief designer, Tom Gale.
The Atlantic has several similarities to the opulent vehicles of the 1930s such as the aforementioned Bugatti Type 57S Atlantique (or Atlantic). Its styling is also more than a little inspired by the Talbot-Lago T150 SS Coupe that was constructed in 1938, such as the shape of the side windows and the curved boot. Some of the retro details include a straight-8-engine that was actually constructed from two 4-cylinder Dodge Neon engines with an S configuration 4.0 L., which is rarely used in modern cars. Other retro touches to the car's look include the interior that is replete with Art Deco-style gauges. The Atlantic Concept has around 360 horsepower (268.5 kW) and uses Chrysler's Autostick transmission. Riding on a 128-inch (3,251 mm) wheelbase, its front wheels measure 21 inches and 22 inches in the rear — large at that time.
It was one of Chrysler's most popular concept vehicles and has proven popular enough to still make the occasional public appearance.
The Atlantic's popularity has also allowed its overall design and image to be associated as part of both advertising and labeling of packages associated with a variety of automotive car care products, accessories, and electronics.
