What combination of powers would make the ultimate automotive superhero?
This week we’re asking the Hagerty Community to dig deeper into their childhood roots, to give us the ultimate superhero that’s connected to a car. A car-themed superhero, if you will!
Granted this isn’t just a childhood thing, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe means this question is for folks of all ages. My gut reaction to this was Turbo Teen, a Saturday morning children’s cartoon that combined the success of the Knight Rider TV show with the Transformers action figures to make a teenage boy that “transforms” into a Pontiac Firebird-like vehicle with superpowers.
Even my 7-year-old self saw right through Turbo Teen’s copycat storyline, but it didn’t stop me from watching it every Saturday morning. But heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and they don’t have to be so literally connected to cars. Our own Kyle Smith is responsible both for asking us this question and offering its first answer. His idea for the ultimate car-themed superhero is deeper and more inspiring:
“We all love cars, and a few of us might love superheroes. That got me thinking about a caped crusader of the mechanically minded variety! I propose a hero called Tinman.
Capable of breaking the bonds of iron oxide, Tinman goes around the world fighting the never ending war on rust by repairing rotten frames and quarter panels. Using his torch that burns 24/7 due to his undying faith in the bonds of Fe and C, along with an endless supply of argon, Tinman fights the evils of rust so that all automobiles live a better life! A life free from terminal body and frame damage!”
Tinman is a fantastic idea. He’s got way more appeal than Babbit Man, if I do say so myself. But this question still needs your answer! Real or hypothetical, (we’ll take either) we want to hear from you:
What combination of powers would make the ultimate automotive superhero?
***
Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it. To get our best stories delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters.
If you mean strictly self-aware, independently moving of their own volition, vehicles which are conscious, I’d throw out “Wonderbug”. Barely saw any episodes before the series disappeared. Or do you mean the human hero’s non-conscious vehicle property? Like the A-team van…
Christine, Herbie.
Been Done Speed Racer!
I prefer Racer X myself. Less of a goof.
Note the original Speed Racer.
Batman also was kind of a auto super hero. The car is the star in these cases.
Lets also not forget Trans Formers. Bumble Bee made the Camaro a super hero. I still remember we had one of the first movie cars at work. The GTO converted to a Camaro. My son climbed under it looking for Bumble Bee.
If you are old enough there was the Hot Wheels Cartoon too.
It seems to me that the question isn’t about particular, but about a list of powers that a car should have to be a proper superhero, so here are my suggestions:
– bumpers that repel ANYTHING they come into contact with
– paint that cannot be scratched and, in fact, that bullets will just bounce off of with no marks
– headlights that have both x-ray AND laser vision capabilities, allowing the driver to see through walls and destroy anything they shine onto
– an engine so powerful that the car can outrun ANY bad guy vehicle ever built
– a power source that is super-secret and everlasting and that doesn’t produce one iota of pollution
– wings that can be extended out of the doors that allow the car to fly with the push of a button
– speaking of pushing buttons, the proper car superhero would only have buttons, knobs and switches, NO touchscreens allowed! 😉
Quite frankly, this would make a fantastic superhero.
That is the Mach 5. It had saw blades in front to clear any path. Paint and glass repelled bullets, It has a flying drone to see well beyond the cars range, The engine was the most powerful in the show. It could jump and fly over gaps and long distances.
Finally every thing was operated by buttons in the steering wheel hub like an Edsel.
If I recall correctly, and my memory is easily suspect, the Mach 5 had a 500 HP engine at each wheel.
That’s the way I read it too DUB6 – and those are all brilliant superpowers. I should know – my screen name elsewhere, given to me by Mrs. Tinkerah, is Tin Man: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKux2NucbUg
Right on! Nicely done (I even gave your vid a “Like”, which I don’t do very often)! 😉
The ability to flatten the tires of a tailgater with just an angry thought. WooHoo !
Now there’s a superpower that we ALL should have at our disposal! Good thinking, Dammit Man!
Between the Mach 5 and Knight rider those cars can do most everything except teleport, time travel or make a bag of popcorn.
I agree today’s superhero should be real world theme.
Big impact resistant bumper to push the car in drive thru that orders enough food to feed everyone in a small country. Time is money in drive thru….go inside!
Telekinesis ability to move slow cars out of the fast lane with a push of the button. Button also simultaneous turns up Nirvana on the radio.
The ability to spray mace in the face of anyone that bumps your car with their door in a parking lot. Set pressure to maximum eye burn if your car is insured by Hagerty.
A get out of bed and let your car prep you for your day. A built-in shower, auto hairbrush/toothbrush/shaver. One wakes up and sets setting for “just good enough for work.” Elon are you listening?
Built-in Air Quality Evac System for those days when Taco Bell was procured for lunch.
Cones of Silence when picking up your children’s friends from soccer. Get Smart was genius.
Lastly, I need a stand-in to take my wife out to dinner. Think of movie Airplane with blow up autopilot. That way I can stay home, and watch Barn Finds. 😉
Wow. All such great ideas. I wish I had thought of half of them. All I could come up with was “automatic cam lobe unflattening” capability…
I’m here for this superpower.
TinMan would be awesome!
I think the Ford Knight Rider reboot Kitt was the best “super hero car” I’ve ever seen (I was also 10 when the show aired and religiously watched every week). Nano-tech paint and body that was self-repairing, color-changing, and even form-shifting into F-150s or any other Ford programmed into it’s memory. Of course your standard sweep of weapons and defenses, but the Thee Thousand’s Turbo Boost launched the car into the air to jump over obstacles or enemies! Also I think Mustang KITT had a more human personality than the Trans-Am… But this was 13 years ago and I might not like it so much now lol
What about a “super machinist” able to transform a filthy worn out greasy ball of slop into a smooth and balanced unleaded fuel ready shiny fire breathing dragon able to run down evil doers with .030” overbore efficiency? The age of the engine wouldn’t matter due to perfect honing pattern and superior ring seal, plus the perfect cam grind and valve train geometry. All done on the cheap. By the way these people might exist!!
Yes! This is great
His arch nemesis is the evil Captain Planet out to destroy all internal combustion!