Driving with the Danger Himself
Shot in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this neo-Western American crime drama called Breaking Bad depicts the story of the infamous Walter “Heisenberg” White (the main protagonist of the series, played by Bryan Cranston) turning to the life of crime after hearing about his diagnosis of stage 3 lung cancer and keeping it to the White family. He was already disenchanted and underpaid as a high school chemistry teacher who later became a producer and distributor of crystallized methamphetamine using a mobile meth lab with few resources and a removable cooler after teaming up with Jesse Pinkman (played by Aaron Paul). He did all this to try and resolve his family’s financial dilemmas before his imminent demise while avoiding getting caught on top of everything and maneuvering around the deadly criminal underworld.
But aside from the drama and the hide-and-seek between the characters, the cars, and the authorities, one of the most iconic pieces of the series is the car Heisenberg drives in it. After all, it was a representation of Walt himself and more.
The 2004 Pontiac Aztek and Why It’s Iconic
Simple and Cool, Just Like Heisenberg
When asked what car Heisenberg drives in the show, thinking of all the cars, you may think of some cool cars like a Jeep Grand Wagoneer, a Chevrolet Monte Carlo, a Toyota Tercel, an SUV, or a Pick-up truck, but the last thing that comes to mind is a four-speed automatic transmission 2004 Pontiac Aztek. It may not be the prettiest car out there, but there’s a charm to it once you understand how the Pontiac Aztek perfectly fits the character of Walt. And it makes sense for an all-wheel drive.
It emphasized the persona of Cranston’s character, who was portrayed as beaten up, unspirited, and a pathetic “baby boomer” in the pilot episode, according to Jesse. It heightened the tragic side of Cranston’s character. Who wouldn’t want that? Your life as you know it is disintegrating little by little, and your choices are so limited that you have to hold on to them with both hands. It served as a flag bearer for any dream that was not realized. The scene in the first episode in which Walt was driving the Pontiac Aztek to school with his son Walt Jr. was both comical and tragic at the same time since one of Aztek’s original wheels had already been stolen.
It also had its fair share of mishaps along with the series.
One of the more memorable ones was when the windshield shattered on multiple occasions; the first was when burning debris from an airplane crash in Albuquerque showered down on their house. If the officer hadn’t stopped him along the freeway, Walt’s character would have shrugged off the defeat like it was nothing, but he was forced to do so. Imagine yourself behind the wheel of a vehicle that has a shattered pane of glass on it.
After all of those unfortunate events happened to him and the car, he decided to sell the Pontiac Aztek for a very expensive $50, just before his 51st birthday, despite the fact that the mechanic who fixed it said it still had miles to go before giving up on its own. This was the last scene for this iconic car. But Walt knew change was coming to him as he started his life of crime with Jesse. This old car represented him as a loser in some ways, settling for losing millions on his stake in the technology company he helped build, Gray Matter, a multi-billion dollar company that he left before its incredible success despite caring for the money.
But, as the saying goes, no matter what car Walt White drives in Breaking Bad, change is coming, and it is coming fast.
In Season 5 of Breaking Bad, What Car Does Heisenberg Drive?
After Walter White sells his ugliest cars, the Pontiac Aztek, what car model does Walt White drive in Season 5 now that his new life as a drug kingpin with Jesse Pinkman has begun?
The arrival of White’s Chrysler replaced his ugliest car, ushered in the turning point in his life, and rid him of the nice guy act, ditching his old life. The 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT-8, shiny and pitch black, was the culmination of Walter; or as he is known now as Heisenberg, on his dream of becoming one of the cool kids in school; looking bad-ass with cool cars alongside other people who seem to have their lives together in some sense. Quite a bad boy, really.
The Car Walt drives in the fifth season debuted on episode 4 of season 5, dubbed “Fifty-One.” It can be first seen when Walt moves into his home with the brand-new Chrysler 300. This was now his go-to vehicle while he went about his day as a newfound drug lord and created his products for auction. Its last appearance was in episode 14 of the same season. The episode, dubbed “Ozymandias,” bid us farewell, cars full of bullet holes after a raging shootout between the authorities.
Walter White’s Chrysler
It was a superb choice for Walter’s character in Breaking Bad and had some great specs to add. It was the perfect pair to Walt’s new persona as the hat-wearing, danger-magnet, drug-wholesaling, drug kingpin vibe with cool cars.
The vehicle was equipped with a HEMI 293V8 engine that was 6.4 liters in capacity and a 5-speed automatic transmission system. It also has 470 horsepower, which enables it to reach a top speed of 180 miles per hour (290 kilometers per hour). The automobile made its debut on the market for the very first time at the 2011 New York International Auto Show. It only takes four seconds to go from 0 to 60 miles per hour. The front fascia was lowered, which was an aesthetic improvement that was made to the building’s exterior. In addition to this, it featured large exhaust tips, aluminum wheels measuring 20 inches in diameter, and a body color instead of the standard chrome trim. In addition, the car was lowered, and it was equipped with a sizeable Brembo brake package. In addition to that, it was fitted with a sportier suspension setup.
Conclusion
Whatever happens in the series Breaking Bad or which car Walt drives, you can’t help but notice the details and take it all in slowly. Walt may have been a beat-up person who lost his spirit after hearing such bad news, but that doesn’t mean you must stop living and try to salvage the situation the best you can. You can also watch El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie by Sony Studios and Sony Pictures to further understand the history of the series, discover new cars and learn about the life of Jesse.
Indeed, the choice that Walt made to lead a life of crime in order to make money is not something that any of us regular folks ought to ever think about doing. The resiliency and perseverance that it took to get out of a bad situation—or, to put it another way, to make lemonade out of lemons—is something that we can learn from his character. And he is doing all of this despite the fact that he may not survive the lung cancer that has been diagnosed him. The story of Breaking Bad is about a man who is still fighting for his life and the financial security of his loved ones, and that should be all there is to say about it.
Now, who wants to ride cool cars and rewatch the series? Fans, binge-watchers, anyone?