The Dursley family have owned a few cars over the years.
Early 1970s
In the early 1970s, when Vernon first met his future wife Petunia, he drove what Petunia deemed a "perfectly correct car", which he used to take her on a series of dates. Later, on a date after their engagement, Petunia would confess to Vernon that his future sister-in-law Lily was a witch while sitting in this car.[1]
1981
Vernon drove this car to work on 1 November, 1981. On this day Vernon saw a number of unusual things travelling to and from work.
1991
This car was owned by the Dursley family in at least 1991, possibly earlier. Vernon Dursley nearly crashed it while on the way to the Zoo, when Harry Potter mentioned that he had had a dream about a flying motorbike.
1992
Harry was made to wash the car by Petunia as part of chores given for his taunting Dudley.[2]
1993
At the beginning of the summer holidays, Vernon acquired a brand new company car. While the Dursleys stood outside "loudly" admiring the new car (so the other residents could hear them), Harry was able to use this time alone in the house to sneak some of his spell books out of the cupboard that Vernon had locked them in. Presumably this was the same car that the Dursleys, along with Hestia Jones and Dedalus Diggle, used to depart from 4 Privet Drive for the last time on 27 July, 1997.
Behind the scenes
- In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, all of the cars on Privet Drive, including the one owned by the Dursley's in 1991, are the same model, a circa-2000 Vauxhall Vectra estate. During the short scene in 1981, every car on the street appears to be a 1990 Vauxhall Cavalier.
- In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 the car is a 2008 Vauxhall Vectra Sedan.
- In all three instances, the cars are taken from a timeline which considers the film's release date as the present day. This means that using the original timeline, they are all anachronisms, as none would have been available at the actual date.
Appearances
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- Pottermore
Notes and references
- ↑ Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Vernon and Petunia Dursley" at Pottermore
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 1 (The Worst Birthday)