If you’re into ‘80s pop culture, you will like this show. If you’re into ’80s kitsch, you will like this show. If you’re into ’80s music, you will like this show. If you’re into the music and/or fashion industry, you will like this show. If you’re into strong female characters, you will like this show. If you’re looking for a cartoon – retro or otherwise- that’s not full-blown action, fantasy, and/or overly-kid-oriented, you will like this show. If you’re into cartoons that are rife with detail, not only in animation but also in writing, you will definitely like this show.
I really like this show. I’ve been curious about it for years, so when I found it on what was formerly known as The Hub Network (now called Discovery Family), I watched all of it alongside G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero! cartoon (talk about contrast!). What I saw did not disappoint. What started out in its essence as a toy-line turned into something more. I just wish it could’ve lasted just a little longer to fill in all the loose ends. And that the series would come out remastered on Blu-Ray to really make the sound and color pop. With multiple language/subtitle options.
I’ve pondered on making this list long before my successful Cars of That ‘70s Show post, because I doubted there were enough non-generic vehicles to make a list of them. I was surprised that IMCDb.com actually had a list for the series! So I thought, why not?
Showtime, Synergy…
In the intros and first season, Jem/Jerrica and Kimber Benton, Shana Elmsford and Ajah Leith are seen on a neo-classic-styled custom coupe called the Rockin’ Roadster. Since the first episode, it’s been getting its share of bumps and bruises, being chased as well as the chasee. From having its fender smashed, to grand theft auto, to getting its brake lines cut, this little car had to endure punishment that would make Speed Racer’s Mach 5 raise the proverbial eyebrow.
…with FM Radio!
Its colors do pop in toy form! Yes, it used different colors in the series, series and toy form (as a Transformers fan, one gets used to this rather quickly). The first Rockin’ Roadster may have been a gift from their late father, Emmett Benton, as a form of transportation for their budding music career, but it wasn’t as important as the one called Synergy, a super-computer lovingly built with technology very far ahead of its time, designed to be not only the ultimate audio-visual entertainment synthesizer, but also a friend. The name ‘Holograms’ isn’t there for show! 
The second Roadster, called the Glitter ‘n Gold Roadster was part of a major music contest that Jem and The Holograms narrowly won, and was used for the remainder of the series. It too didn’t live a pampered life. It’s the same profile as the old Rockin’ Roadster. It also had a toy version. I’m not well-versed in neo-classic-styled cars, so your guess is as good as mine to which these two Roadsters are based off, if any.
Now, neo-classic cars are fine for transportation to offices, recording studios, film sets, shops, restaurants and even music video cameos, but they’re not entirely practical for carrying musical equipment. That’s where Rio Pacheco’s Dodge/Plymouth Colt Vista comes in. It even had a personalized license plate, ‘RIO’. Aside from being a people carrier, it carried the brunt of the Jem’s music equipment. If the gig’s too big, there were bigger trucks for that, but since Rio’s the group’s technical engineer and road manager, he’s responsible for the equipment, as well as the group’s well-being. Let’s face it: it’s horribly and inconsistently drawn, looking like a tall Ford Escort station wagon, only getting the description of a Colt Vista because out of the few tall-wagons/minivans available in the US market, it’s the one that gets closest to the overall description. It gets a pass because there were a number of scenes where the pace was more than brisk, one time used in an attempt to save the day, and was even used as a plot point.
Rio’s van wasn’t the only van carrying precious cargo, because what this van carried was much, much valuable. Dubbed the Starlight Express or just called the Starlight Van. Aside from the occasional boxes of records, it’s mainly used to shuttle around the kids of the Starlight House, a foster home that’s responsible for the sisterly bond between the first four members of Jem and The Holograms. The Starlight House (later on it would be the Starlight Mansion), under the name of Starlight Foundation, is directly funded by the Benton’s record label Starlight Music, which is kept going by the success of Jem and The Holograms. It too has seen its share of dynamic pace. The series’ IMCDb page listed it as a 1984 Toyota Van. Despite that the animators gave it barn doors at the back and making it appear bigger from time to time, it definitely has the profile of one. It probably replaced another blue van that bore resemblance to a 3rd-gen Ford Econoline. 
Not all vans carry goods. Some carry bad news. Enter The Misfits. They’re the polar opposite of Jem and The Holograms, and one of their biggest pains. Loud, brash, unapologetic. The best way I can describe ‘em is like that kid in the classroom that always takes things too far and only he/she finds it funny. Their van appears to be a GMC Vandura, with a nose treatment similar to what these vans will receive in 1992. This is one of the few moments were I’ll forgive the animators for not staying faithful to legit stock appearances. Aftermarket alloys, tear-drop windows, foglights, heavy-duty bumpers, sun visor, fender flares and more, this baby was customized in such a way that would bring a tear of joy to The A-Team’s B.A. Barracus. It’s actually one of the group’s positive attributes! I’m not going to lie to you: it’s my favorite vehicle of the series. It’s owned and driven by Phyllis “Pizzazz” Gabor, the leader (and hot-head) of the group. I got to give her credit though, she knows how to drive stick.
Pizzazz was actually born into an affluent family. Look at their garage. Can you tell who the black sheep of the family was? There’s no denying that grille belongs to a Rolls-Royce, probably a Phantom VI; the other a more sensible W123 Mercedes-Benz.
Pizzazz isn’t the only one with a driver’s license.
Roxanne “Roxy” Pellegrini (the scary one) struck it rich once through the lottery, and bought a red convertible. It looks like a mix of Reliant Scimitar SS1 and mid-80s Alfa Romeo Spider Quadrifoglio. But I really believe that the animators goofed in the direction of the Puma GTC convertible, a Brazilian car. The fact that Roxy’s vert gave me a chance to talk about those sporty convertibles was enough reason for me to even mention it. Also, given that the 1980s were a time of grey-market exotic imports, I have no problem believing Roxy went for rare.
Here’s another exotic. Not sure if it’s Roxy doing the driving (wouldn’t surprise me) or Sheila “Jetta” Burns, a later addition to The Misfits. It looks like a Porsche 962 racecar. I didn’t find any kit-car kits of this bodystyle. Perhaps it’s a racecar converted for the road, which some people actually have done around the world. I just put it up here because it looked interesting, and because the C4 Chevrolet Corvette Roxy rode shotgun in wasn’t shown properly.
Mary “Stormer” Philips (the good Misfit and my personal favorite) had two cars:
First is her compact car. It vaguely resembles a 1st-gen Ford Escort 5-door, but no one really knows what it is. Do you? Before we continue, we all know successful musicians make money. Jem and The Holograms had theirs invested in the Starlight Foundation. The Misfits probably had theirs tied up in making repairs to hotel rooms they’ve trashed as well as bad business decisions. Now, many characters had their own cars, but they’re all too-generic and had far limited screentime. The real reason that I’ve included this one is to show the contrast with the car that replaced it…
You see that Porsche? It’s yours. -- Pizzazz.
She received a Porsche 928 S –argued to be one of the sexiest cars of all time- as an “appreciation” gift from the group. What they were actually doing was basically buying her back, as she was - musically-speaking- the truly gifted one of The Misfits. Also, they wanted Stormer to break up her side-project with rival musician Kimber. Showing her insecurity, she fell for it. She did enjoy the car, until guilt settled in. She learned her lesson.
Behind The Misfits was their ruthless manager and later owner of Misfits Music/Stingers Sound Eric Raymond. He had a couple of rides worth mentioning: 
When a younger Eric was helping run Starlight Music and was less of a jerk, he moved around a 1974+ Porsche Carrera. You’re not helping debunk the stereotypes of Porsche owners, Eric. 
“Hi, kid. Nice car.” – Eric Raymond
It contrasted with younger Rio’s old, beat-up 1970’s Volkswagen Beetle used in the same scene, even though we all know that in real life both cars are more similar than not. As a side note, Carmen “Raya” Alonso -who would join Jem and The Holograms a little later on- also had a Beetle, a green one.
Back to Eric, he also owned a grey Mercedes-Benz sedan, looking as cold, austere and purposeful as Eric himself. Unfortunately, it’s horribly drawn, so perhaps his Rolls-Royce will do:
If there was any indication that Eric was doing well running half of Starlight Music as CEO, it was this car. Unfortunately, Rolls-Royce automobiles are not my strong suit. Their early history as mostly chassis-builders certainly doesn’t help. I’m not sure which model this is or is it even just another neo-classic car unashamedly wearing that distinct grille in the face of an impending lawsuit from Rolls-Royce itself.
If one looks hard enough, other cars in the show can be just as interesting, even more so.
Within all of this glamour, glitter, fashion and fame, there just had to be a proper, recognizable Rolls-Royce of the era in use. This one has been labeled as a Phantom VI. There were a couple of ‘em in the series.
How about this Imperial limousine? It’s a CarLust-worthy vehicle in its own right. They had their share of exposure in live-action TV and movie roles, so I was under the impression that they were fairly common. Unfortunately, that’s untrue. They’re actually pretty rare. Here’s some more information on them. This one looks to be a Looks like a 24” version. If only the animators would've detailed in its distinct roof-pillar-to-rear-fender body line... It does reappear better drawn in a later episode, though.
The Misfits sure liked their limos, because they’ve also ridden in a Cadillac Sedan De Ville limousine on a couple of occasions. I’ve seen enough 1980s TV shows to know what a Cadillac limo of this vintage’s sharp-edged profile looked like. What makes this one special is that it looks like an American Custom Coachworks (ACC) –or even Moloney Coachbuilders- limousine conversion, given by the roof pillar configuration.
How about a simple 1964 Chevrolet Chevelle 2-door? It’s only one body line (the rear quarter panel) for it to be unmistakeable. It was either this or a mis-proportioned Fox-platform 1985 Ford LTD. Or a 1975 Cadillac Eldorado convertible that’s actually smaller than in real life.
Is that a 1st-gen Isuzu Trooper? Convertible? With a Mexican flag eagle mural on the hood?! It goes on the list. Definitely a vehicle that would be part of exciting adventures to offset all the fashion and fame.
There was even a racing episode. The racecar’s called the Starlight Special. Despite that it had a good song, as well as some clever technical scenes (they were grating off excess bondo!), it wasn’t a good episode, because it patronized racecar driving by letting characters of the TV show, with no prior experience, race in a professional venue, making it look easy. Oh, and unashamedly use the Indy 500 name for it. But those that aren’t car-people will enjoy it.
-“What is it?”
-“Is a gosh-darn Concorde!”
It’s always a treat to see a Concorde, even in animated form. This one was borrowed in what was probably one of the best save-the-day moments of the series. From its scene, the screenlock above isn’t its best, but the thought of a Concorde landing in front of a small-town party sure is entertaining!
Up until now, most cars listed have managed a passing resemblance to their real-life counterparts, while others are pure speculation. But sometimes, the animators get the details right. But the surprise here is some of the vehicles that received such attention to detail: 
Look at that bus. It’s a 1973 MCI MC-8. It had a small role in one episode. Now click this link for its real life counterpart. I’m no bus expert (anybody out there that is?), but I can tell that someone went the extra mile with this one. It also boggles my mind how the animators could screw up the design for a ’57 Chevy 4-door –arguably one of the most recognizable and iconic car designs to come out of North America- and get a bus oh so right. Not even the Jem tour bus received such attention to detail! Someone out there had a serious case of Bus Lust.
Same deal with Rio’s plane. Aside from the door, there’s enough detail (the front glass, the underbody, the streaks on the rudder) there’s enough to show that the plane is a Cessna 175 tail-dragger.
Is this the only time that the 1986+ Dodge Ram Van gets featured in an animated TV series? The first-gens have, but not these, as far as I know. Look at it: the grille has the correct number of functional slots, the turn signals are correct and so are the four vents below the wipers; there’s even a simulated badge where the ‘Dodge’ logo goes. Since I’ve yet to find a registry for every stripes and decal package known to man, I can’t verify the stripe pattern (yet). But that window arrangement does exist, as well as the roof treatment on this particular conversion. To point out that the flush-ness of the headlights and the sideview mirrors’ design deviate from stock would just be nitpicking, because it’s actually one of the best-drawn vehicles in the series. Since this is a background car in a quickly transitioning scene, that’s high praise!
Because of the show’s music angle and because in the ‘80s, ‘50s retro was in, there’s heavy Rock ‘n’ Roll references. So out of such choices like a ’57 Chevrolet Bel Air or a 1955 Ford Thunderbird, I chose the most truly outrageous machine of the decade that graced the series: 
Like Rock ‘n’ Roll, the 1959 Cadillacs are a staple of (late) 1950’s Americana, for better or worse. They got featured in a Jem and The Holograms Rock ‘n’ Roll-themed music video, as well as the rides of minor characters. There are errors of sorts, like the inclusion of 4-door body lines on a convertible body (though conversions have been made using Sedan de Ville and Fleetwood bodies, but such conversions are rare) and making on of ‘em a console-mounted manual car, but one look of those fins and there’s no mistaking of what kind of car it is.
I wanted to round up the list with something special:
Ingrid “Minx” Kruger’s BMW M1. It’s no secret that the ‘80s were a time of some truly outrageous automotive exotica, but a BMW M1? In silver, no less? Now that was an inspired choice! Maybe it had to do with the fact that Minx hails from Germany, regardless of all the flash of the music scene she and the group she’s in (The Stingers). In another scene, its license plate read ‘IWILBGD’ (I Will Be Good), because she tried (boy, did she!) to turn over a new leaf after a near-death experience, given that her personality -as well as those of the group- made The Misfits look like a bunch of bratty little girls. In the show, it comes into view and quickly transitions away all within three seconds, so it’s hard to spot (I personally want to thank whoever uploaded the pic in rockjem.com). Yes, if you look closely it too isn’t an exact replica (no louvers and the gas cap is on the wrong side), but come on, it’s a BMW M1! There’s no denying it! I still can’t believe it!
Show’s over, Synergy.
--Tigerstrypes
References:
Toyota Van, Misfits van, Dodge Ram van, garage, Rolls-Royce Phantom VI, Eric’s Porsche, Imperial Limo, Misfits limo, ’59 Cadillac, racecar, bus: http://www.imcdb.org
Rockin’ Roadster toy: Tumblr
Rockin’ Roadster, Glitter ‘n Gold Roadster, Rio’s van, mystery targa exotic, Stormer’s 928, Rio’s Bug, Eric’s Rolls, Mexican 4x4, Concorde: Printscreen.
Roxy’s vert, Stormer’s compact, Eric’s Rolls (side profile), Rio’s plane, Mynx’s BMW M1: http://www.rockjem.com
Opening logo: Wikipedia
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