Awesome Rides

After learning that replacing the dead battery in his 2013 Tesla Model S would cost more than $20,000, its owner decided that it would be more fun to blow up the car than to repair it. So he donated his ride to the Beyond the Press and a team of explosive experts who loaded it up with dynamite and blew it to smithereens.

This 1969 Corvette has its original big-block V8 and 4-speed manual gearbox and looks as good as the day it drove off the lot. One entrant will win this orange beauty while supporting PAL’s Heroes, which supports St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s efforts to cure childhood cancer. Awesomer readers earn 35% bonus entries.

Ryan Butler of Spyker Workshop built this powerful electric vehicle with a design clearly inspired by Tesla’s Cybertruck. The 29″ long remote-controlled snowcat is remarkably quick, zooming across rugged and snowy terrain with ease. The kit is available for pre-order for $1299 to $1499, with the first orders shipping in Q1 2022.

MegaRexx specializes in upgrading for Ford Super Duty trucks. The custom-built MegaBronc started as a 2021 F-250, but now seats seven, and has a removable hardtop. Powered by a 6.7L V8 turbodiesel engine, it rides on enormous 40″ mud-terrain tires, and has a custom grille inspired by its namesake Ford Bronco.

You might think that a flood-damaged car would be bound for the scrapyard, but the guys from WD Detailing did an amazing job removing layers of caked-on mud and grime from this Pontiac Firebird WS6. It was originally going to be sold for parts, but it’s actually running again after the cleanup. Original video here.

Over the years Red Bull has sponsored some great soapbox races, each featuring a number of wild and wacky homebrew vehicles. This video looks back at six of the all-time great race performances, from an Easter Island statue on wheels to a couple of eggs in a frying pan. The backwards camper is our favorite.

Backing into traffic from a driveway or parking pad can be challenging and downright dangerous with fast-moving vehicles. Irish company Driveway Turntables solves this problem with their in-ground turntable system, which can automatically turn a car around, so it’s facing forward on your way out.

Artist Micah Sweezie of Ceramic Noodles shows off a full-size car tire they made from clay. It took them weeks to create the 13-part mold from the original tire, and three days to cast the porcelain version. The finished piece is a statement on the dark history of French rubber plantations in Vietnam.

Are you sick and tired of people driving too slow in the passing lane? Perhaps this will convince them to move over. This Russian mechanic modded a Lada, replacing its headlights with a pair of road-clearing flamethrowers. We can only hope that it’s operated by honking the horn.

US Route 129 aka “Tail of the Dragon” is one of America’s greatest and most daunting roads. With 318 curves over its 11 miles, it’s claimed more than a few vehicles and lives. CGP Grey took his dad’s Tesla there to see how the car’s “self-driving” beta handled the twisty and turny road. Uncut drive footage here.

This loaded Shelby Mustang GT500 rocks a 760 hp supercharged V8, a dual-clutch transmission, MagneRide suspension, 20″ carbon fiber wheels, the carbon fiber track pack, GT4 track wing, and more. One lucky entrant will drive this bad boy home while supporting the Shelby American Collection. Awesomer readers get 20% bonus entries.

The fat-cat sedan at the top of the Genesis line has reached its ultimate form. Its elegant design is highlighted by a sleek new grille, double-bar LED headlamps, and smooth lines across its exterior. Inside, you’ll find premium leather, wood, and metal, a high-tech cockpit, ambient lighting, and dual panoramic sunroofs.

One of the main reasons people buy a Tesla is that it runs on electric power. So the idea of outfitting a Model S with jet engines seems pretty counterintuitive. Warped Perception not only equipped his car with a trio of jet engines, he went the extra mile by adding a console with aircraft throttle controls inside the cabin.

One lucky sweepstakes winner will drive home in this Riverside Red drop-top beauty – a matching-numbers C2 Sting Ray with a fuel-injected 327 ci V8, pop-up headlights, and four-wheel independent suspension. Proceeds go to support The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum. Awesomer readers get 25% bonus entries.

Doehmers Research Lab created this concept electric moped with an awesome retro-futuristic look. Its racer shape is optimized for aerodynamics and a whisper-quiet ride. Designer Torkel Dohmers says he took inspiration from the Honda SS50, melded with synthesizer aesthetics. We would love to see this go into production.

The shiny new 2022 Nissan Frontier has a bold design, a powerful new V6 engine, and is just the right size for everyday life and weekend fun. The PRO-4X model comes fully outfitted for adventures both on- and off-road and has rugged good looks.

Mr. Beast teamed up with art collective MSCHF for a sweepstakes where everyone who enters wins a Lamborghini. The catch? Most entrants won’t win one of the used Aventadors or Gallardos they’re giving away, and will end up with a die-cast Lambo, a 1/24-scale RC Lambo, or a kid-size Lambo. Ends 1.1.2022. Rules here.

While it’s unlikely to be more than a showpiece, we appreciate Lexus’ chutzpah with the reveal of their ROV (Recreational Off-highway Vehicle) Concept. The upscale 2-seater differentiates itself from other UTVs by running on clean-burning hydrogen that propels a custom 1-liter direct-injected engine.

Handy Geng was tired of getting off of his scooter to open the gates to his workshop, so he decided to motorize one of them. Rather than use an off-the-shelf motor, he rigged up a mount and attached his scooter to do the work. Now he needs to buy a second scooter to ride through the gate. English subtitles available.

Woodworking Art continues to fill out their garage with awesome handmade wooden vehicles. Their latest build is a miniature version of the Ferrari SF90 Spider. It has lots of wonderful details, like a retractable hardtop roof and working suspension and steering. Its seats even slide back and forth, and we love the red brake calipers.

Enter to win this one-of-a-kind Ford Bronco RTR, and help support restoration efforts for Dearborn, Michigan’s Fair Lane: Home of Clara and Henry Ford. The custom Big Bend Bronco is loaded with RTR upgrades selected by champion drifter Vaughn Gittin, Jr. Awesomer readers get 30% bonus entries. Sweepstakes ends 12.20.21.

When it comes to car acceleration, you can’t get much quicker than a Tesla Model S Plaid. FullMag equipped a Model S Plaid with a working M134 Minigun that just might be enough to convince slower cars to get out of the left lane. A second video shows a test firing with blanks and a night vision drive. (Thanks, Chris!)

This custom-built vehicle is a giant-sized replica of Radio Flyer’s iconic little red wagon. It packs a 350 cubic-inch V8 engine, an automatic transmission, working lights, turn signals, gauges, 4-wheel disc brakes, and seats 12. It goes up for auction at Mecum’s Kansas City 2021 auction, which runs from 12.2 to 12.4.2021.