Severance has quickly risen to the top as the most viewed series on Apple TV+, which is hardly surprising. Each episode is packed with details that contribute to its originality—including the vehicles featured throughout the show. In a conversation with The Drive, creative consultants Catherine Miller and Peter Dancy discussed the challenging process of selecting the vehicles showcased in the series.
According to the report, every element in Severance is crafted to create a sense of disorientation, as the narrative lacks a definitive timeline. Choices regarding sets and costumes were made to ensure that the temporal context remains ambiguous. While the storyline isn’t centered around automobiles, their presence was unavoidable, necessitating a careful selection of specific models.
“Cars play a crucial role in defining a character, a narrative, and immediately indicate time, place, and setting,” Miller explained to The Drive. She noted that showrunner Ben Stiller and production designer Jeremy Hindle aimed for a “timeless feel” for the cars, ensuring they would not appear overly contemporary.
Although real cars were used in the filming, they underwent modifications to erase any identifying marks and logos. “Certain brands are very recognizable and are markers of specific times and places,” Miller remarked. This principle extended to other items on set, including kitchen appliances and even food and beverage choices. “We developed our own brand designs and labels to create a sense of being both out of a specific time and a bit in an alternative reality,” she added.
When it came to selecting vehicles, Dancy shared that he had to thoughtfully choose cars that would best represent each actor. He was tasked with proposing five different vehicle options for each character, with the production then securing each model to present them for selection by Stiller and his team.
Selecting the Ideal Vehicles for Severance
Finding the vehicles featured in Severance proved to be a challenge due to their vintage status. Dancy revealed that some were sourced from Facebook Marketplace, while in other instances, he resorted to leaving business cards on the windshields of parked cars to negotiate with their owners. “I spent nights scouring the internet,” Dancy explained.
Moreover, the cars required repairs and engine replacements to minimize noise during filming.
Miller elaborated on how vehicles were chosen for each character. For Mark, a ’90s Volvo was selected to reflect his personality and backstory, particularly since he lost his wife in a car accident and would naturally prefer a safe vehicle. Dylan, a character who values family, drives an original Dodge Caravan, while Milchick uses a Royal Enfield motorcycle for its convenience during quick outings.
As for the character Harmony Cobel, her choice of vehicle was a Mk1 Volkswagen Rabbit, which turned out to be one of the most challenging cars to track down.
“When everyone laid eyes on the VW Rabbit selected for Patricia Arquette as Cobel, and it was white—which turned out to be the one we brought—everyone immediately agreed that it was perfect. It also held a deeper metaphor, representing a rabbit and a white rabbit,” Miller noted.
The entire interview reveals even more fascinating insights about the making of the show, making it a worthwhile read. Severance is currently streaming on Apple TV+, with just two episodes left in the second season.
