Profile: Hot Rod is the all-American boy Autobot.  Not too sweet, not too sharp, not too snotty... not a goodie-goodie, but basically a typical adolescent who has dreams of doing great stuff and being as heroic and important as Optimus Prime and other famous and revered top Autobots.  He tends to follow rules until they bug him and he sometime learns, to his regret, that disobeying wasn't exactly smart.  And he often acts without thinking in an effort to do the right thing and this gets him and sometimes his friends in trouble.  But he's not afraid when trouble does arrive and is a brave an honorable fighter and friend.  He is especially close to Kup, the grizzled ole mentor of an Autobot, although he sometimes resents hearing hiw 'wise-ole' advise.  He also likes Spike's son Daniel a lot.  In a way, Hot Rod is big brother to Daniel -a role model and Hot Rod knows it and takes the responsibility seriously.  In robot or automotive mode, Hot Rod is sometimes hot-headed, but always a well meaning, admirable 'lad' and popular with all who know him.

Abilities: He carries two photon lasers that temoorarily electromagnetize an enemy  robot's microcircuits.  In Auto mode he is capable of reaching in excess of 135 mile per hour.

Weaknesses: Hot Rod is brash and impulsive and his actions often get him into trouble.

Other Appearances: Hot Rod hasn't made any other major appearances in the TF Universe besides his Targetmaster form in '87 and in 'micro-master' form as a companion to Star Convoy in the Japanese TF line Battlestars: Return of Convoy.