Hot rod

Hot rod
 

Random House Websters defines it like this,
hot rod, Slang.
an automobile specially built or altered for fast acceleration and increased speed.
[1940–45, Amer.]

Tomísimo gives "bólido" as its translation, which is totally valid for many contexts.

However, "coche trucado" or "coche arreglado" (Oxford) seem more adequate according to the definition above.

I think of "coche modificado" although in Spain "coche trucado" is (or was) the most commonly used expression.

Any other ideas on how to translate this term?

One context would be, "the parents simply see a car, while the son only sees a hot rod" (los padres ven simplemente un coche, mientras que el hijo sólo ve un bólido...)

In this context, "bólido" seems the better option... as we are talking about different viewpoints about the same "reality" or same "object". But any other ideas and viewpoints are welcomed.

Yes, it all sounds good to me:

Coche trucado / Carro trucado / Bólido.

Sometimes I laugh when people don't know how call those kinds of cars and they just say "Un carro como los de rápido y furioso" referring to the movie, hahahahaha.

Thank you for the answer... and the humor! :D

(I am relieved now...) :)

Here "yn auto/choche modificado/arreglado/mejorado"