The Hot Rod Dogs and Cool Car Cats

The Hot Rod Dogs and Cool Car Cats is a cartoon series which aired between 1995 and 1996. The show was about anthropomorphic automobiles that bore resemblances to cats and dogs. The main characters are freedom fighters trying to save their homeworld of Autopia from The Crusher. The show ran for two seasons, each consisting of 26 ten-minute episodes.

Heroes

Hot Rod: A dog-car, and The star of the show. He was on his way to camp when he was captured by The Crusher's forces. He managed to escape and join the resistance movement. He was later upgraded with special weapons by the mechanic Gus (see below). He has an attraction to his best friend, Carbs.

Carbs (Short for "Carburettor"): A cat-car, and Hot Rod's best friend. They first met when they were captured by The Crusher. Carbs has also had herself upgraded by Gus. She seems to share the attraction between Hot Rod and herself.

Doggone: An old and wily dog-car. He often provides reason and wisdom for the group, when he isn't keeping his friend Benz from falling apart.

Benz: A dog-car, and Doggone's best friend. In major disrepair, "Bennzy" is always falling apart.

Gus: A dog-car, and legendary mechanic. He was the one who built the Crusher, and exiled himself when his creation went out of control. He outfitted Hot Rod and Carbs with weaponry, to better combat The Crusher's forces.

Villains

The Crusher: Originally designed to recycle the junk of Autopia, something went horribly wrong, and he became a power-hungry monster.

Scarhood: A bounty hunter, and The Crusher's main henchman. A mean and nasty Dog-car, he has gained a personal vendetta against Hot Rod for his numerous defeats.

Choppers: Scarhood's idiot henchmen.

Gridlockers: Autopia's police force, completely under the Crusher's proverbial thumb.

Other Characters

Baby Bumper: A baby dog-car who twice found his way into the hero's camp, leaving Hot Rod and Carbs to care for him.

Spare Parts: Carbs' older sister. She appeared in a couple of episodes.

Jag: An evil Cat-car with the ability to hypnotize others. She managed to infiltrate the camp, but was swiftly defeated. She expressed an "interest" in Scarhood.

Sandcat: A junk merchant in the city of Catatonia. His trade was greatly increased thanks to Hot Rod and friends.

Bentley Mercedes: A news reporter. Has an annoying habit of showing up when he's not wanted, and of getting his interviewees name's wrong.

Voice Cast

Dana Hill: Hot Rod

Russi Taylor: Carbs

Nick Jameson: Doggone

Frank Welker: Benz

Kath Soucie: Spare Parts

Jeannie Elias: Baby Bumper/Additional Voices

Tress MacNeille: Jag/Additional Voices

Jim Cummings: Crusher/Scarhood/Additional voices

Oliver Muirhead: Gus/Additional voices

Carlo Morretti: Additional Voices

Rob Paulsen: Additional Voices

Links

*IMDB profile: http://imdb.com/title/tt0893113/