The film was filmed from a camera mounted on the bumper of a Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9, which could reach a top speed of 235 km/h (146 mph). Lelouch drove his own car and claimed that the top speed achieved was around 200 km/h on the 1.3 km avenue Foch. Lelouch also claimed during a "making of" documentary that the soundtrack was dubbed with the sound of his Ferrari 275GTB, which has a V12 sound distinct from that of the Mercedes-Benz's V8 engine.
The route was planned with two people positioned to assist Lelouch: Élie Chouraqui, his first assistant, and his girlfriend Gunilla Friden. However, radio communication with Chouraqui failed, and Lelouch proceeded without assistance at a critical junction. He had instructed Friden to appear at the Sacré-Cœur Basilica upon his arrival.
The route was as follows: Bd Périphérique (exits at Porte Dauphine) · Av Foch · Pl Charles de Gaulle · Av des Champs-Elysées · Pl de la Concorde · Quai des Tuileries · Pl du Carrousel · R de Rohan · Av de l'Opéra · Pl de l'Opéra · Fromental Halévy · R de la Chausée d'Antin · Pl d'Estienne d'Orves · R Blanche · R Pigalle · Pl Pigalle · Bd de Clichy · (aborted turn at R Lepic) · R Caulaincourt · Av Junot · Pl Marcel Aymé · R Norvins · Pl du Tertre · R Ste-Eleuthère · R Azais · Pl du Parvis du Sacré Cœur. The route measures 10.597 km long, which indicates an average speed of approximately 80 km/h (50 mph).
Lelouch acknowledged the public’s “moral outrage” regarding his method of shooting the film. He also stated that he was prepared to take the risks in making the film, but that he was also ready to drop it if he came across any unexpected risk (pedestrian, obstacle, etc.).
The film inspired the 2001 video game Burnout. In 2003, Nissan released a promotional DVD for the 350Z, The Run, which featured a similar driving sequence in Prague. The film also served as the music video for Snow Patrol’s song “Open Your Eyes” in 2007.
Further homages include the 2009 short film The Fast and the Famous featuring Jay Leno, the 2011 music video for Destroyer’s “Savage Night at the Opera”, and the use of the film as a backdrop for live shows by the band Phoenix in 2013. In 2017, Ford released a 360-degree remake using a Ford Mustang, and The Grand Tour produced an homage featuring a Bugatti Chiron. The Amazon series Patriot included a similar drive in its 2018 episode "Escape From Paris", and Christopher McQuarrie noted the film’s influence on shots in Mission: Impossible – Fallout that same year.