Ultimate Car Build-Off
By Melissa Camacho,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Super-car challenge mixes artistry and auto mechanics.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.
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What's the Story?
In ULTIMATE CAR BUILD-OFF, some of America's top mechanics compete to build the most original and inventive vehicle for a grand prize of $100,000. Each week, two rival teams transform ordinary vehicles like minivans, golf carts, and hearses into innovative automobiles. Overseeing each team's build are master car builder Lou Santiago and champion racecar driver Andrew Picard. Once they're done, the motorized masterpieces are judged by renowned car designer Chip Foose, who tests the cars both for their visual design and for their mechanical performance. The team that succeeds in building out a successful super car moves on to another round of competition, while the losing team is eliminated.
Is It Any Good?
Ultimate Car Build-Off showcases how car builders can creatively combine mechanics and artistry to create interesting, innovative vehicles. It also highlights some of the many problems that can come up when people retrofit cars, ranging from getting parts to fit together to finding safe ways for getting vehicles to operate safely without compromising speed and style. This show isn't for everyone, but car enthusiasts will definitely find it worth watching.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what inspires people to do work like this. What kind of training do you have to have for this kind of job? Do you think this kind of work can be considered art?
How does this show compare to other car-centric series on TV? What do many of them have in common? Does anything set this one apart?
Who do you think the target/intended audience of this show is?
TV Details
- Premiere date: June 21, 2010
- Cast: Andrew Picard, Chip Foose, Lou Santiago
- Network: Discovery Channel
- Genre: Reality TV
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: February 25, 2022
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