Given that both sneakers and cars have similar subcultures built around collecting, high-end craftsmanship, and legacy-defining designs, it should come as no surprise that the two worlds have frequently intertwined. It’s worked in both directions too, with sneakers taking inspiration from automotive design, and the car world bringing in talent from sneakers and streetwear.
On the sneaker side, this includes brands creating entire models based on iconic sports cars, as well as specific colorways referencing various moments and liveries throughout the years. There have been several Air Jordan designs inspired by Michael Jordan’s cars, and Teddy Santis and Aime Leon Dore worked directly with Porsche to create a premium New Balance 993 collaboration. Even LeBron James and Kobe Bryant have automotive-inspired signature designs.
In celebration of the iconic film The Fast and the Furious returning to theaters this weekend for its 25th anniversary, we’ve ranked the best car-inspired sneakers of all time.
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Dada Supreme Spinner
Year: 2004
If we were judging this list of the best car-inspired sneakers of all time from a strictly engineering perspective, Latrell Sprewell's Dada Supreme Spinners may have taken the number-one spot. They're the only shoe on the list with actual car-based functionality. Their usefulness is up for debate (or not — they're useless), but there's no denying our intrigue with this sneaker since its 2004 debut. The shoe worked by incorporating an air bladder underfoot that spun the faux wheel on the collar with each step. While this might seem like a silly feature now, make no mistake—it was silly at the time too. But it does perfectly encapsulate the era and the chokehold that spinning rims had on us. Just as we couldn't help but notice a car with spinning rims, these shoes drew constant attention.
ASAP Rocky x Puma Inhale
Year: 2024
I remember this sneaker being part of A$AP Rocky’s PUMA x F1 campaign, and trust me, I saw the comments: “What does A$AP Rocky know about cars?” “Why him?” Some people even called it disrespectful to the sport. But I don’t think the collab was necessarily about being completely authentic to racing culture. It was more about creating an entry point for his fans. Rocky reportedly has a car collection worth around $2.3 million, so the interest is definitely there. The Puma Inhale itself is actually a runner, but Rocky gave it a car-inspired identity with grease, dirt, embroidered flames, quilting, and racing details. The full collection also pulled inspiration from pit crews, racing suits, mechanic tool belts, and more—a lot of stuff that’s reminiscent of his ‘Testing’ era. It’s still one of the most memorable collabs from A$AP Rocky and Puma. —Douglas Jase
Chevrolet x Nike Book 2
Year: 2026
D Book isn’t super flashy, and that's not a bad thing because his style is clean, minimal, and intentional. He’s actually on Complex’s list as one of the best dressed NBA Players. So leaning into his love for old-school cars makes perfect sense. He’s an avid collector, and turning his 1959 Chevy Impala into an official Chevy collab gives this Nike Book 2 even more identity. They also did this with the Book 1, drawing inspiration from his 1998 Impala, but that pair never received an official release. I feel like car enthusiasts and sneakerheads have a natural overlap—a garage can almost be another form of a sneaker closet. This is one of the best concepts they’ve done for Book’s signature line so far, and definitely worthy of a spot on the list of the best car-inspired sneakers. —Douglas Jase
Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Pink Pig’
Year: 2021
The “Pink Pig” Nike SB Dunk Low was inspired by the famous Porsche 917/20 race car. The car’s original livery features an all-pink body with red lines made to mimic where cuts would be made by a butcher. True to that design, the sneaker version features an all-pink suede upper with contrasting red stitching. The “Pink Pig,” along with the Ford GT40-inspired “Gulf” Nike SB Dink Low, were brought to life by former Nike SB manager Steve Pelletier thanks to his passion for cars. While either one of those could have made our list of the best car-inspired sneakers of all time, the “Pink Pig” stands out for the uniqueness of the car it was based on. —Zac Dubasik
Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 993 ‘Mulberry Green’
Year: 2024
Aesthetically, this Aime Leon Dore x New Balance 993 looks like any ordinary collaboration between the two entities. On paper, it’s actually inspired by the classic Porsche 993, which also serves as a clever way to tie the numbers for both the sneaker and the car together. The collab features premium leather materials like a custom Porsche 993 would include, and comes with accessories inspired by the sports car. —Victor Deng
Adidas The Kobe
Year: 2000
The Adidas The Kobe (which has since been renamed the Crazy 1) is an absurd shoe. It was even more absurd in 2000 when it was first released. That said, it’s also one of the best cars-inspired sneakers. The Eirik Lund Nielsen-designed model features a radical molded upper that gets its look from Audi’s TT Roadster. Despite Kobe Bryant allegedly disliking his Adidas designs, the Crazy 1 remains one of his most memorable signature sneakers—for better or worse. —Victor Deng
Nike Air Zoom Generation
Year: 2003
When LeBron James entered the NBA in 2003, there were a few things almost every fan knew about him: he was from Akron, Ohio, he’d signed a $90 million deal with Nike without ever playing a professional game, and he had a Hummer. The Nike design team of Tinker Hatfield, Eric Avar, and Aaron Cooper incorporated elements of that car into his first signature model, the Air Zoom Generation. Details included the eyelets mimicking the H2’s wheels, tongue and heel accents pulling from the car’s grill and badging, and even the Nike font at the forefoot took cues from the Hummer’s logos. James went on to make so many memories wearing the AZG, and in the two and a half decades since, that it’s easy to forget that not only is it one of LeBron’s best sneakers, but also one of the best car-inspired sneakers of all time. —Zac Dubasik
Air Jordan 14
Year: 1998
Like the other Air Jordans on this list, the Air Jordan 14 is also inspired by Michael Jordan’s love for sports cars. For this silhouette specifically, designer Tinker Hatfield referenced MJ’s own Ferrari 550 Maranello. Throughout the silhouette’s lifespan, the brand also released Ferrari-inspired colorways to further accentuate the sports car design. The model is also significant for it being the final Air Jordan sneaker MJ wore in a Chicago Bulls uniform.
Nike Hyperdunk / Nike Kobe 5 ‘Aston Martin Pack’
Year: 2010
When we talk about the “Aston Martin” Nike Hyperdunk and Kobe 5 pack, we would be remiss not to talk about the lead up to the project. In 2008, Nike Basketball released a commercial for the Hyperdunk that had Kobe Bryant wearing the shoe and jumping over a speeding Aston Martin. Two years later, Nike referenced that viral stunt with a special sneaker pack that included Bryant’s Kobe 5 and the Hyperdunk. The pack was an official collaboration with the luxury car manufacturer, and featured colorways inspired by the DB9 Volante. Even after a decade, this is still one of the most memorable car-themed releases ever. —Victor Deng
Air Jordan 6
Year: 1991
The Air Jordan 5 may have been the first Air Jordan to bring such overt non-footwear influence into its design, but the Air Jordan 6 made it much more personal. Michael Jordan never flew the WW2 bomber that inspired the AJ5; he did, however, drive a Porsche 911 Turbo. Designer Tinker Hatfield incorporated subtle design cues from the lines of the 911 to shape the sneaker's sleek silhouette and clean toe. He also added more overt touches, like the shoe's heel tab, designed to mimic the car's spoiler. It was all done in a way that never took away from the shoe itself or overshadowed what Jordan was doing while wearing it. That's exactly why the Air Jordan 6 takes the top spot on our list of the best car-inspired sneakers of all time — it's the only shoe here that was also on Jordan's feet as he won the first of his six NBA championships. —Zac Dubasik
