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Pimp My Ride

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Pimp My Ride
File:Pimp My Ride logo.jpg
Created byBruce Beresford-Redman
Rick Hurvitz
StarringXzibit
2Shae
Abraham
Alex
Big Dane
Country of originUSA
No. of episodes37
Production
Executive producersBruce Beresford-Redman
Rick Hurvitz
Running time30 min.
Original release
NetworkMTV
ReleaseMarch 1, 2004 –
present

Pimp My Ride is a TV show originally shown on MTV, with the first episode airing on March 4 2004. The concept is simple — one takes a car that is old, thought to be unfashionable, falling apart, or some combination thereof, and "pimps" it (i.e., the car is restored and customized). It is hosted by rapper Xzibit.


Format

The show picks young car owners (requirements limit participants to ages 18-24) living in the Los Angeles/Southern California area. An episode of Pimp My Ride generally begins with the participant showing his or her car off, and convincing MTV why it needs to be "pimped". After this segment, rapper Xzibit shows up at the participant's house, takes a look at the car himself (making wisecracks about the particular things that are wrong with it), and promises the owner a complete makeover of the vehicle. This concept is taken from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

After examining the car, Xzibit takes the cars to the custom body shop of West Coast Customs (WCC), where the WCC team generally replaces most of the components and rebuilds the interior and exterior from scratch.

Each car is a custom "pimp", tailored to the personalities and interests of the owners. For example, a Need for Speed: Underground 2 fan had his car painted to look like one in the game, while a bowler had a ball washer installed in his trunk, and a surfer got a full-size dryer (or at least one that fit) in the back of his Volkswagen van. Work usually includes new paint, accessories, chrome, tires and rims, and internal electronics (even, and especially, DVD players, video games, TFT screens of excessive size and other top notch gadgets). Most changes are only cosmetic, and mechanical work is generally only done to enable the car to run, not to enhance performance. Customization and extra gifts usually total around US$20,000 (though the show usually doesn't put much emphasis on costs). However, WCC is well-known for putting their own whimsical touches in their work, such as the aforementioned dryer, or an electric fireplace in the trunk of another vehicle.

At the end of the show, the car is revealed to its owner, who is shown all the details of the renovation and the custom features; in addition, the participant is usually given a gift somehow related to the car or the owner's hobby.

Notes

On only two occasions did WCC not "pimp" the automobile. In the first instance (the last episode of Year 1), the car-to-be-pimped was actually two halves of Ford Escorts welded together to make one car, and was considered unsafe. In the second instance (Episode 8 of Year 2) the "Pimpee" was studying to be an auto mechanic, and WCC decided to let him "pimp" his car as a study project. In both instances, the "Pimpees" were given brand new cars, with extensive WCC modifications to customize the new car for the owner.

Much of the appeal of the show comes from the personalities involved. The WCC employees are an eclectic mix of outgoing personalities, such as:

  • the appropriately named Big Dane,
  • electronics (and outrageous engineering) expert Mad Mike,
  • tough-looking interior and fabric maven Ish, and
  • the heavily pierced tire-specialist Alex.

Xzibit, the show's host, has found a new audience of fans, who appreciate his sense of humor and obvious love of his job. Both he and WCC have experienced boosts in business due to the show: Xzibit has gained wider attention for his music career (as well as hosting and movie gigs), and WCC had to expand their facilities, due to the international exposure Pimp My Ride gave their work. After the second season however, WCC manager "Q" announced that he would not be willing to take a role in the show anymore. He cited a desire to expand the company's business with a customs shop in St. Louis, Missouri. Ryan Haus, the owner of WCC, has been featured in season 3 as the "lead" for discussions on what customizing will be done on the incoming cars.

WCC has faced problems with some of their modifications. In December 2004 the shop was fined $16,000 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (along with fellow shop Unique Autosports, which does rides for Speed Channel's Unique Whips) for removing airbags from cars and replacing them with DVD monitors, although this modification was not done on the TV show.

Some of the show's pimped rides have found their way onto eBay, including, but not limited to, the Chevrolet Caprice from season 3. It was auctioned off as a 1996 Chevrolet Impala from Pimp My Ride. [1]

MTV has announced that Pimp My Ride will no longer be with WCC. Ryan, the WCC manager has moved his shop to Corona, CA and is worried about his ability to both do the show and have another shop. The producers of the show will continue new episodes with another garage to be announced in early 2006. WCC has moved to the Discovery Channel with a currently un-named series featuring WCC's car built in the garage more than, as Ryan Haus says "over-the-top cars". The series should begin early 2006.

Pimp My Ride worldwide

Pimp My Ride is one of MTV's most popular shows in nearly all of its worldwide subsidiaries (numbering nearly 100), the only exception being the U.S., where it is second place to The Real World (which is generally much less known outside of the United States).

A UK version of the show launched on 26 June 2005, presented by the DJ Tim Westwood. Carisma Automotive are the customisers for the UK version.

The German-language MTV Central Europe has two adaptions of the show called Pimp My Fahrrad (English: "Pimp My Bicycle") and Pimp My Whatever. On Pimp My Fahrrad [2], the bike shop Elbcoast Psycles redoes almost the entire bicycle, usually leaving only the frame intact. While the show could be seen as a parody of the American original, it is also a loving tribute, using all the elements of the American show with a bicycle twist. It is hosted by German actor Oliver Korittke. In Pimp My Whatever [3] ElbCoast Psychos return once more to pimp anything from a bathroom and a doghouse to a Birthday Party or even someone's brother. Pimp My Whatever is hosted by MTV's presenter Patrice Bouédibéla. Both shows are located in Hamburg.
The original US Pimp My Ride is shown in English language with German subtitles.

MTV Italy also features a different version of Pimp My Ride, called Pimp My Wheels. Hosted by the Italian hip hop group Gemelli DiVersi, Pimp My Wheels turns old rusty motorscooters or motorcycles into brand-new shiny vehicles.

Pimp My Ride is currently looking for cars all over Europe for Pimp My Ride international.

U.S. Version

Season 1

  1. Daihatsu Hi-Jet (1988)
  2. Cadillac Sedan de Ville (1978)
  3. Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme (1986)
  4. Honda Civic (1992)
  5. Mitsubishi Mirage (1989)
  6. Ford Mustang (1967)
  7. Ford Ranger (1985)
  8. Pontiac Trans Am (1981)
    • When the Trans Am was being pimped, some of the WCC crew made references to Smokey and the Bandit. This pimped-out vehicle had a coffee maker installed in a center console and a chandelier in place of the dome light.
  9. Chevrolet LUV Truck (1974)
  10. Mustang Convertible (1989)
  11. Nissan Maxima Station Wagon (1984)
    • The Nissan was referred to as the 'identity crisis' because of the Datsun and Nissan badges.
  12. Volkswagen Baja Bug (1969)
  13. Honda CRX (1987)
  14. Toyota Land Cruiser (1972)
  15. Ford Escort (1989)

Season 2

  1. Cadillac Eldorado (1984)
    • The wheels on it were 24 carat gold, which were worth more than the car itself
  2. Ford Escort (1991)
    • Turned into a knock-off replica of a BMW M3
  3. Volkswagen Bus (1958)
  4. Chevrolet Suburban (1985)
  5. Chevrolet S-10 Blazer (1987)
  6. Acura Legend (1988)
  7. Nissan 240SX (1989)
  8. Ford Fairlane (1963)
    • The 19-year old owner was hoping to become a mechanic, so WCC and Xzibit decided to let him restore his car himself and procured a 2005 Toyota 4Runner to "pimp".

Season 3

  1. Ford Econoline (1985)
    • Formerly a Municipal Van, turned into a Limosine for the band that the owner played for.
  2. Chevrolet S10
  3. Chevrolet Cavalier Convertible (1991)
  4. Chevrolet Caprice (1996)
  5. Honda Civic (1988)
  6. Chevrolet Bel Air (1955)
    • Dubbed Big Bertha by the owner.
  7. Toyota Van LE (1986)
  8. Mitsubishi Eclipse (1998)

Season 4

  1. AMC Pacer (1976)
    • This car was infested with rat droppings; indeed, the mechanics found a live rat inside the car. Consequentially, Xzibit's gift to the car's owner was a live cat (because cats kill rats).
  2. Toyota Corolla (2003)
  3. Chevrolet C10 (1986)
  4. Dodge Caravan (1988)
  5. Chevrolet Chevelle convertible (1968)
  6. Ford Taurus (1989)
  7. Buick Century (1986)
  8. Chevrolet Panel Truck (1957)

Special

  1. Jeep Wrangler
  2. MTV Presents Xbox: The Next Generation Revealed
    • The crew pimped out the original Xbox.

UK Version

Season 1 (2005)

  1. Morris Minor (1961)
  2. Volkswagen Golf (1989)
  3. Ford Granada Hearse (1983)
  4. Fiat Panda (1987)
  5. Ford Capri (1986)
  6. Bez's black cab (1986)

Season 2 (2006)

  1. Nissan Sunny (1988)
  2. BMW 3 Series (1990?)

Spoofs

Pimp My Model

The Harvard Graduate School of Design came up with a spoof that called for a character named "X-ACTO" to come and pimp models in the architecture studio. The refurbishings wound up nearly destroying the integrity of the model but comments on the longstanding dialectic in architecture between "cool design" and "good design."

Gimp My Ride

MTV UK created and showed promos for a joke show called pimp My Ride.

Volkswagen

In February 2006 Volkswagen released a series of three "Unpimp My Ride" commercials that were an obvious parody of the popular TV-shows and their hosts. The ads show German engineers destroying "pimped" cars in various ways while proclaiming that it was time to "unpimp ze auto" and replacing them with brand new Volkswagen Golf GTIs, adding the punchline "The GTI mark V, pretuned by German engineers".

MAD Magazine

A PMR spoof appeared in MAD #456, called Dump My Ride. The car, "dumped" by "Messed-up Customs", was (apparently) a 1977 AMC Gremlin, which was outfitted with multiple television sets, a miniature race-car track, a deep fryer, and a koi pond. The spoof ultimately ended with the car being vandalized and left on blocks in a parking lot when the owner went into a store.

Jimmy Kimmel Live

A PMR spoof appeared in Jimmy Kimmel Live, called Pimp My Bride featuring Xzibit himself and written by Kimmel's team. This short skit shows Xzibit entering a church and excited to see the bride who is getting pimped - after which, Xzibit tells the groom to come to the alley with him and reveals the bride, who, as expected, is done up like a prostitute and has a television installed on her back.

Chav My Motor

A PMR spoof appeared on VH1 in the UK, called Chav My Motor. Although there was advertising for the show, it was never shown, as it turned out to be an April Fools joke. At midday, a picture spoofing the test card (with the word "fool" written on the blackboard) was shown with an announcement that Chav my Motor would not be shown due to "ongoing police investigations", and would be shown on April 1 of the following year.

Sniff Petrol

Automotive satire website Sniff Petrol created a fake advertisement for a PMR spoof entitled "Spud My Ride" in issue 65. The advertisement features a quote from a "happy customer": "I had my Citroen Saxo turned into a massive potato. Now I look like a fucking idiot. Thanks Spud My Ride."

Robot Chicken

Spoofing PMR, Robot Chicken's version was Pimp My Sister, where a pimp and his stable turned a kid's nice, average sister into a whore for the kid to pimp.

Weebl and Bob

The Weebl and Bob episode joust2 features the car belonging to the character Bob being "pimped" for a joust, by a jar of jam and a talking blind fried egg known as "Eggsy Bit".

Internet Comedy

Pimp My Ride Spoof

Wizard

An issue of Wizard featured an article in which superheros and their "supermobiles" (e.g-Batman and the Batmobile, Wonder Woman and her invisible jet, Optimus Prime) were pimped.

Date Movie

The film Date Movie features a part where Julia Jones (Alyson Hannigan), the main character, gets "pimped", complete with gold teeth.

Pimp my Fahrrad

German program where a team pimps out someone's bicycle.

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Other TV references to Pimp My Ride

Comedy Central's Distraction

The final round of this game show often involves the winning contestant having to save his or her grand prize car from vandalism by the losing contestants; on several episodes, getting a question wrong led to said contestants being allowed to throw cans of paint onto the car, to which host Jimmy Carr referred jokingly as "pimping [the contestant's] ride".


Fansites and resources

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