Tom Cruise drives and drifts a Fiat 500 one-handed through the streets of Rome in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, and the sequence is one of the film’s most talked-about driving moments. Here is what the official material and trade reporting actually establish about that stunt, what the Fiat was, and where the claims stop.
Where the one-handed drift appears in the film
The stunt belongs to the Rome car-chase sequence in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, released in 2023. Paramount+ describes its behind-the-scenes material on the sequence as showing “Tom Cruise actually driving and drifting one-handed through the streets of Rome.” That official description is the basis for the one-handed claim. It establishes that Cruise is the driver in the sequence as presented by the studio, and that the drifting is done one-handed.
The chase is not a single vehicle sequence. It includes an earlier portion in a BMW, which is a separate vehicle and a separate stretch of the chase. The Fiat is the car tied to the one-handed drift, so the two should not be merged into one stunt in your notes or in anything you write about it.
What the Fiat was
The car in the sequence is a Fiat 500, but it is not an ordinary production car. Car and Driver reported that the production built the Fiat to be faster for the sequence. Top Gear described it as an electric Fiat 500. Both pieces of reporting, published in 2023, describe a modified movie vehicle prepared for the film.
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Those reports do not establish the full technical specification of the car. Neither source gives a complete list of the changes, a powertrain or performance figure, or a comparison with the Fiat 500 sold to customers. Any claim about top speed, horsepower, battery size, or how much the car was altered goes beyond what the reporting supports.
What the sources agree on, and what they do not
The table below separates what each source supports from what it leaves open.
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| Source | Date | What it supports | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paramount+ behind-the-scenes page for the Rome car chase | Official studio material (date not stated in the source notes) | Cruise drives and drifts one-handed through Rome in the film | Vehicle specifications, modifications, or how many takes were needed |
| Car and Driver, “Tom Cruise Drives an Electric Fiat in New ‘Mission Impossible’ Film” | 2023 | The Fiat was built to be faster for the sequence; director Christopher McQuarrie is quoted saying “Everything we shot is completely practical.” | A full performance comparison with a production Fiat 500 |
| Top Gear, “Tom Cruise drifts an electric Fiat 500 one-handed in the new Mission Impossible film” | 2023 | The car is described as an electric Fiat 500 used for the one-handed drift | Battery, drivetrain, or range details |
What “completely practical” means here
McQuarrie’s line, as quoted by Car and Driver, is the most useful statement about how the sequence was made, but it has a narrow reach. It is a general description of the film’s approach to filming, given by the director. It describes the filmmaking philosophy, not a frame-by-frame account of the Rome chase. Reading it as a guarantee that no visual effects appear anywhere in the sequence would be a stretch the reporting does not support.
The practical reading that fits the evidence is this: Cruise is driving a real, modified Fiat through Rome on camera, as the studio’s own description and the trade reports say. The exact amount of post-production work, stunt doubling, or camera rigging in individual shots is not documented in these sources.
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- Fiat 500 - 5345D Kinsmart Model Vehicle
- 1/28 Scale collectible vehicle model
- This Fiat 500 is a 5"L x 2.25"W x 2"H model with some plastic parts
- pull back action & openable doors
- Manufactured by Kinsmart
Why a showroom Fiat cannot do this
A standard Fiat 500 is not the car in this sequence, and the reporting does not suggest that an ordinary example could reproduce the drift. The Fiat was built to be faster for the scene, and the reporting identifies it as a modified movie car. If you are comparing it to a road-going Fiat 500, the supported comparison is limited to vehicle type, its role in the chase, and the reported modifications. Anything beyond that would be guesswork.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Watching the sequence
The Rome chase is part of the 2023 film and is available as part of the film’s distribution, including Paramount+’s behind-the-scenes material on the sequence. Streaming and rental availability changes by region and over time, and this article has not verified current availability in any territory. Check the platform you use before assuming the film or the behind-the-scenes clip is on it.
Rank #4
- Fiat 500 - 5345D Kinsmart Model Vehicle
- 1/28 Scale collectible vehicle model
- This Fiat 500 is a 5"L x 2.25"W x 2"H model with some plastic parts
- pull back action & openable doors
- Manufactured by Kinsmart
If you want to see the car close up outside the film, the sources do not identify a specific public display, museum piece, or replica. Treat any such listing as something to verify independently.
The stunt is one of the clearest recent examples of a modern blockbuster putting its star behind the wheel of a modified, small car in a dense city setting. What the record supports is the one-handed drift, the Fiat’s modification for the film, and the studio’s and director’s statements about practical filming. Everything beyond that should be checked against primary material before it is repeated.
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The Paramount+ behind-the-scenes page and the Car and Driver and Top Gear reports from 2023 are the sources to cite. Read them directly for the wording and context around each claim.
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