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When I was a kid, one Christmas I received one of the coolest slot car racetrack sets any abnormal nearly all-American kid could ever want: a (forgotten brand name) “Crash and Bash” race car set that was designed on a figure-8 track with two cars possessing body parts meant to fly off upon the eventual intersection crash. It was great!
But probably not the most responsible toy for imprinting upon a formative 7-year-old mind. I miss the ‘60s.
Oddly enough, I recently discovered that slot and RC car-related carnage is still a thing…and in some cases is profitable.
During a visit to a hobby shop that used to sell primarily plastic model kits, I discovered that the shop had morphed into primarily an RC vehicle hobby shop and had extended its services with an elaborate indoor track of which customers could walk in and hold the equivalent of “Friday Fight Nights” where any kid (or adult) could walk in and test their mettle and vehicles’ plastic against one another.
The owner/manager confided in me and told me his business really took off once he installed the indoor track due to the inevitable RC vehicle crashes and the immediate availability of parts he provided for repairs…just for such emergencies. Wink.
The Aftermath of a Prius That Went Boom
What got me started down this memory lane was a recent Toyota Maintenance YouTube channel episode where the host shows what happens with a Prius made to “Go Boom!”
In case you are unsure of the reference “Go Boom!” hang on for just a little longer and you will be introduced to one of those tunes you will not be able to shake out of your head.
Kids’ Do Not Try This with Your Family’s Car
The reported cause of the showcased trashed Prius is someone doing what is referred to as “a Hoonigan” or “Going Hoonigan” with your car. In other words, an alternative use for a used vehicle that includes abusing a car to the extreme until the tires shred off, something breaks, and/or a crash occurs.
After going analog looking up the word “Hoonigan” with Webster’s dictionary and the Encyclopedia Britannica and finding nada, I finally resorted to going digital with the UrbanDictionary.com website and found this definition:
Hoonigan (Huu-NI-ganNoun) A Hoonigan is simply a HOOLIGAN or a delinquent, one who behaves in a reckless or anti-social manner who happens to own or drive a car. They might do foolish or haphazard things while behind the wheel, such as burnouts, jumps or showing off for others in a dangerous manner. See also daredevil, hooligan, miscreant.
Other, more kinder sources define a Hoonigan as:
A person who operates a motor vehicle in an aggressive and unorthodox manner, consisting of, but not limited to, drifting, burnouts, donuts as well as acts of automotive aeronautics. One who hoons.
Putting it another way the “We’re a community, an entire subculture fueled on the shared passion of going fast and breaking things” probably defines it clearest.
Hence, the fate of this Prius shown in the video below:
HOONIGAN Prius
A Master of Hoonigan
To give you a taste of Hoonigan, here is an impressive video showing the driving skills of a master of Hoonigan as he tears through the streets of Ft. Lauderdale (under controlled conditions) and its airspace with what is arguably an artform that car enthusiasts and any 7-year-old boy (or one at heart) can appreciate.
Be sure to watch the video to the end for what could be considered the National Anthem of this car craze and a fun look at what car commercials for Hoonigans would look like.
Gymkhana 2022: Travis Pastrana Goes Berserk in Florida in a 862HP Subaru Wagon
For additional semi-related articles about car abuse, here are a few for your consideration:
- Tesla Takes Out Another Tesla in a Road Rage Crash
- Just Rolled In Friday Fix: Bad Owners, Bad Cars
- Car Owners Who Should Not Be Car Owners
Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on “Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair” website, the Zen Mechanic blog and on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites and Facebook for daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.
COMING UP NEXT: The Best Engine Swap to Choose Explained
Image source: Deposit Photos
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