There aren’t many more iconic car-actor combinations in entertainment than David Hasselhoff and the customized 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am known better as K.I.T.T. from ‘Knight Rider.’ And now, Hasselhoff’s personal version of KITT can be yours, if you’ve got the cash (you do not).

Hasselhoff is auctioning off a lot of his personal memorabilia as part of The Hoff Auction but the crown jewel is his replica of the infamous car. Knight Rider belongs in the pantheon of classic 1980s shows, and KITT was as badass as it gets when it comes to autonomous, vehicular sidekicks. Michael Knight would be nothing without KITT. The car looks terrific, but it does not come with the weapons system of the car in the show (supposedly…).

Bidding is open now in the Hoff auction, everything goes! Go to https://t.co/i9vRAc2aeM#DavidHasselhoff #TheHoff #TheHoffAuction #Auction #LiveAuction #Bidding #LiveAuctioneers #DiligentEstateSales #SpongeBob #KnightRider #MichaelKnight #KITT #Baywatch #MitchBuchannon pic.twitter.com/DK5OI0cW2Z

— David Hasselhoff (@DavidHasselhoff) January 2, 2021

They say cars lose half their value as soon as they’re driven off the lot, but not this one! It won’t depreciate until it’s actually delivered to you, because Hasselhoff himself will drive the still-working car directly to you if you win the auction. The current high bid is somewhere close to $1 million, so maybe not worth it unless you’re Elon Musk.

For the rest of us Knight Rider fans, we can at least take consolation in the fact that a movie reboot is in the works. And if you really want some Hoff collectibles, there’s some neat Baywatch memorabilia and other Hoff items available in the auction, available at LiveAuctioneers.com.

It’s one of the coolest and most innovative car companies, and now Elon Musk has taken his killer cars into dad territory. Thanks to the latest holiday update, Tesla owners can now customize their car horns with a fart noise instead.

The new Tesla holiday update gives drivers the ability to use Boombox mode to broadcast custom audio outside the car. So, instead of the normal old car horn honk, you can swap in a goat scream, a fart, or more.

Change your horn sound to 🐐, 🐍🎷, 💨 or holiday jingles with latest Tesla software update!

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 25, 2020

Tesla owners were waiting for this update, although I like to think personally it was entirely for the ability to make your fancy car fart on command. This is going to be a windfall for all Tesla Dads, who can now fart at will anytime the situation calls for it. Waiting to pick kids up from school? Turn it into a dang fart parade as they walk out. Someone cuts you off in traffic? Fart cacophony.

This will also let dads pull off the ultimate “pull my finger” misdirection. You can turn your fancy car into the world’s most expensive fart joke. And IT WILL BE WORTH IT.

Does this open the door to some Tesla people becoming uber-annoying by driving around and playing horrible music on Boombox mode? You betcha! Some sites are already speculating that attention-craved owners could theoretically drive around neighborhoods blasting ice cream truck music, but surely even they aren’t that craven (ok, some are).

Tesla is an innovator, and hopefully, this is just the beginning of a worldwide movement to replace car horns with fart noises.

Christmas is almost here, and you know what that means: non-stop Christmas movies!

At least in my house, because, thanks to my wife, we’ve been watching Christmas movies nearly every day since thanksgiving. We’ve watched old-school classics like Miracle on 34th Street and It’s a Wonderful Life, new-school classics like Elf, edgy flicks like Bad Santa, terrible ones like everything on the Hallmark Channel, and even controversial Christmas movies like Die Hard.

My wife and I don’t agree on all of those (coughDIEHARDcough), but we do agree on National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, the third movie in the Griswold family saga, and one that stands alone as a good, enjoyable comedy with or without the Christmas trappings.

Like most things these days, Christmas Vacation has gotten a modern-day update, but thankfully they didn’t recast Clark and Ellen. Not so thankfully, it’s just a short commercial for Mustang. But it’s nice to see them back together again, even if, in full Griswold fashion, their kids are played by different actors. It’s nice to see Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo together again!

The ad recreates the Christmas lights scene, in which Clark and Ellen do a little troubleshooting to get the house to light up. This time, it’s not a light switch but a connection to the new electrically-powered Mustang Mach-E.

Check it out:

You know what they say, desperate times call for some cool as hell measures. When a kidney needed to be transported from Rome to Padua, a journey of around 300 miles, police stepped up for the life-saving task. When it comes to organ transplants, time is of the utmost importance both for the recipient and the organ itself. While many organs are transported by air, in 2017, Italian police acquired an even cooler (literally, the thing has a refrigerated frunk) way to transport life-saving organs – a Lamborghini Huracan.

Though the Italian Highway Patrol’s sweetest ride generally functions as a patrol vehicle, because of its wide range of features, it’s occasionally used for special missions. The Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 is painted light blue like the rest of the Highway Patrol’s vehicles and is equipped with a police radio, laptop, gun holsters, and of course, the refrigerated frunk.

One semi-important thing this police vehicle is missing is a back seat, so if you’re taken back to the station, you’ll have to ride shotgun (which really doesn’t feel like a punishment, but we’ll take their word for it). Earlier this month, the Italian State Police put their most prized vehicle to the ultimate test during the 300-mile kidney-delivery mission, and boy did that baby deliver.

303 miles and just over two hours later, the kidney safely arrived at the Gemelli University Hospital in the northern city of Padua. On average, the police absolutely blazed through Italy at 145 mph. For the sake of comparison, if you were to make the trip in a normal car following normal road rules, the trip would have taken around five hours.

The Italian Police Force thanked their supercar on Twitter and shared a video of that bad boy (or, uh, very good boy I guess) in action. The caption read, “Thanks to ours @Lamborghini Huracan delivered a donor kidney for transplant to a person in time. ‘To save a life you don’t need superpowers,’ solidarity, technology and efficiency also help.”

Grazie alla nostra @Lamborghini Huracan abbiamo trasportato in tempo il rene di un donatore per il trapianto a una persona
“Per salvare una vita non servono superpoteri” anche solidarietà, tecnologia ed efficienza aiutano @CNTrapianti @MinisteroSalute #essercisempre#5novembre pic.twitter.com/teUxqbMgvW

— Polizia di Stato (@poliziadistato) November 5, 2020

Hopefully, the recipient of the kidney is recovering well thanks to the quick action of the Italian Police Force and their donor. As if receiving a much-needed organ isn’t enough to be grateful for, they now have one cool-as-heck story to go with it.

Since the dawn of toys, LEGOs have been a staple in toy boxes and bottoms of feet around the world. The LEGO brand has done an incredible job both keeping up with the latest trends and partnering with other companies to bring us every LEGO-y thing we could dream of. Well, almost everything. LEGO fans have gone to impressive lengths to create something brand new out of the world’s greatest stackable toys, and YouTuber Matt Denton is the latest LEGO innovator to throw his miniature plastic hat in the ring.

Denton is no stranger to using technology creatively. He explains in his YouTube bio, “I’ve spent 25 years in the UK Film and T.V. industry specializing in Animatronic Control systems. I was one of the creators and operators of the Star Wars droid BB-8. I created the two tonne walking hexapod Mantis Robot. I use my 3D printers to create giant versions of my favorite Lego Technic kits! My interests are Hexapod walking robots, robotics, electronics, hacking, coding, engineering, and 3D printing.”

This 3D-printing master has created giant versions of LEGO classics like the tractor, bulldozer, and forklift, but his latest project is next-level. Most of Denton’s projects are cool as heck aesthetically, but his new LEGO go-kart is fully-functional. He used his enormous 3D-printed LEGOs to make a go-kart big enough for him to ride and installed an electric motor for the full go-kart experience. Fortunately, he really thought this through – the LEGOs are attached with metal pins so the whole thing doesn’t fall apart as soon as he hits a bump.

Denton’s videos show the build process in-depth, from crafting an enormous bucket seat to the assembly of the frame itself to speed trials after the first build. In his first speed trial, Denton was able to get this LEGO racer to hit 30 MPH – but he’s not done. A couple of months after releasing the video of the go-kart’s speed test, Denton released a video showing his first rebuild.

This tech-savvy YouTuber’s attempts to constantly one-up himself are both entertaining and educational. Building on his previous designs literally and figuratively to create increasingly amazing things is something most of us don’t have the time or 3D printers to do, so going along for the ride is a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Keep an eye on Denton’s channel for the latest XXL LEGO news.

Nothing is off-limits anymore, especially when it comes to reboots. Every property you ever loved has gotten or is getting a new version, whether it’s a sitcom going drama, or a movie becoming a TV show, or a video game becoming a movie, or an old TV show getting a new TV show, anything goes.

So on Saturday, when Rumer Willis, the daughter of Hollywood megastar Bruce Willis, tweeted a clip showing her father (John McClane) in some kind of ominous situation, preparing to kick ass, and the words, “As one story ends, a new one begins” people got excited. Especially since the clip ended with the hashtag #DieHard is back.

Was it another Die Hard sequel? Maybe even a good one? Was it the long-rumored origin story or another sort of reboot?

Yesterday evening, during football, we learned it was none of those things. It was… a commercial. For AutoZone.

👀 #DieHardisBack #ad pic.twitter.com/UHn8RSBGP0

— Rumer Willis (@TheRue) October 17, 2020

It was a long commercial, and as commercials go, it was pretty huge. There were action sequences, grenades, car chases, and McClane’s familiar quips. For some reason, even Theo – the original Die Hard’s computer hacking bad guy, and Argyle, the original’s limo driver, showed up. All to hawk DieHard batteries for AutoZone.

To be honest, the ad was both a letdown and relief. It was pretty lame to see McClane reduced to celebrity spokesman, but after the debacles that were the last few Die Hard sequels, we probably dodged a bullet.

Since the invention of cars, they have been more far more than modes of transportation. Cars are often status symbols, full of features and aesthetic enhancements that have no impact on how efficient they are at doing their jobs. Cars like Mercedes, Porsches, and BMWs are aspirational to many because they’re often seen as a physical manifestation of success. One UK man named Paul Renshaw took his ride to the next level by building himself a leveled-up version of his favorite childhood car. That’s right – Paul built himself an adult-sized motorized Little Tikes Cozy Coupe.

 

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A post shared by Paul Redshaw (@redshawpaul) on Jul 26, 2020 at 7:57am PDT

It took two months and a little under $200, but Paul’s project is complete. His new set of wheels can fit most full-sized adults (as long as you’re relatively flexible and not claustrophobic), and can hit speeds of 25mph. The car (we’re using the term loosely) has an engine, headlights, an accelerator, and most importantly, functional brakes. Marine engineer and father of two told LAD bible how this unique vehicle came to be. He explained, “A few years ago my daughter sent me a photo of a tot rod based on a Tikes car and asked me if I could build one. I immediately said yes, but I was thinking that I wanted to be able to drive it, not just push it along.”

 

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Steering test on the #littletikes #cozycoupe #crazycoupe #totrod #hotrod

A post shared by Paul Redshaw (@redshawpaul) on Oct 9, 2017 at 1:36pm PDT

Paul began collecting parts to build his (not so) Little Tikes knockoff including scrap metal, an engine from a floor sweeper, and other pieces given to him by friends. The body was challenging because he was too large to fit in the actual Cozy Coupe. Using fiberglass, rivets, and two Cozy Coupes mushed together, Paul got the job done.

 

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A post shared by Paul Redshaw (@redshawpaul) on Nov 3, 2017 at 12:52pm PDT

The project was undoubtedly time-consuming, and likely took a lot of trial and error to get the final product. To Paul and anyone who encounters his ridiculous ride, the effort was well worth it. The reactions to the Big Tikes (patent pending) Cozy Coupe have been predictably positive. “It brings a smile to everyone and the kids love it,” Paul said. “A lot of kids have Cozy Coupes at the back of their garden so when they see a bigger one with an engine they all want to drive it – same goes with all the adults, it reminds them of their childhood.”

Being out in nature is one of the most freeing, exhilarating experiences imaginable. That is unless you have one kid who has to pee, another who’s hungry (he ate 4 granola bars in the car?), and a sunburn so bad you may as well just get new skin. Or, in Cambry’s case, if most paths out in nature are inaccessible because of your wheelchair.

Fortunately for Cambry, she happens to be married to YouTuber Zack Nelson, who calls his channel “Jerry Rig Everything”. This guy is all about technology – he builds things, takes things apart, and tests the durability of different tech products. Very few people have the resources or the ability to do what Zack did when he decided to give his then-girlfriend the gift of a lifetime. He wanted to help Cambry access parts of the world that she had, until this point, only been able to dream of seeing in person.

Zack did exactly what any tech-savvy guy with two spare electric bikes would do – he fused them together and stuck a seat in the middle (I assume there was a lot more to it than that, but that’s the gist). This innovative wheelchair-like contraption allowed Cambry to experience things she had only ever dreamed of experiencing. It operates as an electric wheelchair, but it’s far more capable of handling off-road terrain than nearly any wheelchair on the market. The wheelchair operates so quietly that the sound doesn’t at all detract from the peacefulness of being out in nature.

Now, Cambry and Zack have started selling their off-road “Not-A-Wheelchair” AKA “The Rig” to allow others to experience the same level of freedom. The Not-A-Wheelchair costs $4,750, which is more affordable than any other wheelchair branded for “off-road” terrain. It is also faster, quieter, and can last from 10-20 miles on a single battery.

The Not-A-Wheelchair website explains, “Shopping for an off road wheelchair can be frustrating. There are a few different options out there, but they can cost as much as a car or are super slow. Cambry and I decided to put our heads together, and build our own off road wheelchair. Something that’s quick and light with a super long range. And we finally have it! We’d like to introduce ‘Not-a-Wheelchair’ a fully electric, super quiet, accessible bike that can go 12mph with a range of about 10-20 miles. Our whole goal is to provide something that is capable and affordable. We hope you enjoy! Be safe! Wear a helmet.”

Thanks, Zack and Cambry, we’d love to roll with you any day.

Any lawnmower owner will tell you, with great horsepower comes great responsibility. The first rule of lawnmownership (the act of owning a lawnmower) is befriend your lawnmower – nobody wants to be up against what is basically a knife windmill on wheels when the robots take over. The second rule of lawnmownership is know your limits. You may think you can handle a cool 130 miles per hour on your sweet riding mower, but please take another look at rule one (see “knife windmill on wheels”) to remember what you’re actually dealing with here. The third rule of lawnmownership is use your lawnmower for good, not evil. That’s exactly what Tom Nardone did, and it ended up saving his city.

In 2010, Tom Nardone realized Detroit was in trouble. Financial hardship meant that the city had to pick and choose between basic maintenance projects, and the city’s inhabitants were left to live with overgrown parks and crumbling playgrounds. Instead of allowing his beloved city to be buried in buckthorn and dandelions, Nardone started a gang. A mower-riding, groundskeeping, donut-eating crew called The Detroit Mower Gang.

The Detroit Mower Gang has been in operation for a decade. Their Facebook page explains, “Every Other Wednesday The Mower Gang gets together to mow the abandoned playgrounds of Detroit. We are a crafty crew that refuses to let small budgets and bureaucracy stand in the way of a great playground.” The group is entirely volunteer-based and open to anyone interested in keeping Detroit looking its best.

Once a year, the Mower Gang kicks things up a notch. For 12 straight hours, grass will be cut. Parks will be revamped. Dreams will be crushed. That’s right gentleman, start your engines. The annual Detroit Mow-a-Thon is about to begin. There can only be one ‘Motown Mowdown’ Grand Champion, the mower who cuts the most grass within the 12-hour period.

Congratulations to this year’s winner, Gage, who rolled right over his competitors.

Though the group hosts other events such as the stinky fish challenge, ice cream night, and donut tasting (hey, the lawnmowers aren’t the only things that need to refuel after a long day’s work), the group’s main goal is to preserve parks so they can continue to be used by the community. Who would have thought that 40 years ago, when Nardone was running around those very same parks yelling “YOUR ASS IS GRASS” at his rowdy friends, he would return all these years later to say “and I’m the lawnmower”, ensuring that the next generation can do the same.

As our country’s workforce has been halved into the essentials and the nons, it’s clear there’s a much greater appreciation for the essentials. Jobs and workers that were taken for granted before are certainly feeling the love and appreciation now. And none more than our nation’s healthcare workers.

The word ‘heroes’ gets thrown around a lot, but actions speak louder than words, and thankfully there’s been no shortage of actions. From celebrity caterers providing free meals, to even broader gestures like New Yorkers cheering at every shift change, people are finding ways to thank those on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Florida, one of the states struggling most with the spread of the virus, one police department wanted to make absolutely sure its community healthcare workers knew exactly how they felt. The Fort Myers Police Department took 14 cruisers to Lee Memorial Hospital and parked them in the shape of a heart. To make sure they really drove the point home several officers stood in the middle of the design holding signs that spelled “FMPD Thanks You.”

The officer who came up with the idea said they wanted to show their support for their local healthcare workers and that everyone involved volunteered for the special mission. She said some of the nurses ending their shift had tears in their eyes and came over to get pictures.

“This was a personal experience that was a simple way to show our appreciation,” she said. “It’s tough times and we all have to stick together.”

Recounting abuse in a courtroom can be a traumatic experience for anyone, let alone a child. Additionally, facing an abuser in person can be an extremely emotional experience. And there are some people going the distance to help make sure children in those situations feel safe.

Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) is a nonprofit organization that does exactly what its letters say. Bikers, from around the world come together to create an additional support system for a kid that needs someone else in his corner. They’ll even take shifts if the child is afraid of the abuser coming back to their home.

There are chapters in nearly every state, as well as Canada, Australia and New Zealand (among others). After being contacted by the family, bikers will ride out to the child’s home to present him with an honorary vest and patch, and continue to provide additional support as needed. They also give the kid a cool nickname.

Just check out their mission statement to see how badass they truly are. Mission statements are usually very boring. Not this one. It starts with “We exist as a body of bikers to empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live.”

And concludes “We do not condone the use of violence or physical force in any manner, however, if circumstances arise such that we are the only obstacle preventing a child from further abuse, we stand ready to be that obstacle.”

If you were watching Monday night’s Daytona 500, you probably saw the fiery crash that ended Ryan Newman’s day just as he was about to win the race.

The trophy suddenly became the last thing in Newman and his family’s mind. Instead, Newman was rushed to the hospital, where it was reported that he was in serious, but non-life-threatening condition.

That was great news for Newman’s wife Krissie and his two daughters, Brooklyn and Ashlyn, whom he clearly adored, as evidenced by his doting social media posts.

NASCAR officials have been updating the public on their driver’s condition, sharing some good news on his progress.

Wednesday they released this statement: “Ryan Newman continues to show great improvement after Monday night’s last-lap accident at Daytona International Speedway. The veteran driver is fully alert and walking around Halifax Medical Center. True to his jovial nature, he has also been joking around with staff, friends, and family while spending time playing with his two daughters.”

And then, a few hours later, Newman posted this image on his Instagram, just two days removed from his harrowing wreck.

 

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#Repost @roushfenway ・・・ Ryan Newman has been treated and released from Halifax Medical Center

A post shared by Ryan Newman (@ryannewman1977) on Feb 19, 2020 at 10:57am PST

That’s Newman, exiting the hospital with his two girls. That’s Newman walking out under his own power, a mere three days after the crash that had many viewers fearing the worst.

The caption reads: “Ryan Newman has been treated and released from Halifax Medical Center.”

NASCAR fans knew the man was fast, but this is remarkable. Even better that his girls were there to walk out with him.

Happy news all around!

It can be easy to forget that famous people are still human. That actors and athletes and celebrities, despite seemingly glamourous lifestyles, are actually working professionals, with lives and families. And for some of them, particularly the athletes, their jobs involve a lot of risk.

Especially when that job involves racing a car at speeds over 200 mph.

Ryan Newman is one such professional, a NASCAR driver who participated in the Daytona 500 over the weekend. Ryan has a wife and two daughters, and Sunday afternoon could not have been easy for them. Newman was closing in on a victory at the fabled race when he was involved in a fiery crash and failed to immediately emerge from his car, which had viewers fearing the worst. Among those viewers was his wife.

After witnessing the crash, Newman’s wife, Krissie, with whom he’d just announced a separation after 16 years of marriage, tweeted her reaction. Hopefully, their two daughters weren’t also watching.

Omg

— Krissie Newman (@NewmanKrissie) February 18, 2020

Krissie wasn’t the only one worried about her husband, as fans gathered outside the hospital awaiting word on his condition.

Fans have gathered outside Halifax to wait for news about Newman and pray for him and his family. The man I just spoke with was sitting directly in front of the crash. He was emotional discussing his worries about Newman’s condition. #Daytona pic.twitter.com/tFImFZgmIU

— Deanna Allbrittin (@deannaTVnews) February 18, 2020

Thankfully, NASCAR announced that while Newman is in serious condition after the crash, his injuries are not life-threatening.

pic.twitter.com/euuHYxPHxj

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 18, 2020

That’s promising news, especially for the two little girls Newman dotes on, as evidenced by his social media feeds, on which he shares images of hanging out with his kids and teaching them about the outdoors.

Happy National Hunting and Fishing Day from #TeamOutdoors! Self-imposed taxes from hunters and anglers raise billions of dollars for wildlife conservation. #takeakidfishing #takeakidhunting pic.twitter.com/XlEzn6DVqI

— Ryan Newman (@RyanJNewman) September 28, 2019

Clearly Newman relishes being a dad.

Our thoughts are with Ryan and his family and we’re rooting for him to make a full recovery.