David Hasselhoff admits he's a fan of the Trabant

BERLIN - US singer David Hasselhoff has admitted he's a fan of the classic East German Trabant car.

Describing the low-cost oft-ridiculed vehicle that's seen as a symbol of communist society as a funny car, he said he wished he had one in his driveway.

The 67-year-old star of the 1980s US hit show "Knight Rider" and "Baywatch" in the 1990s was speaking on Saturday after a video shoot in Berlin.

He had been challenged shortly after the recording to make a 180-degree turn in the car, not renowned for its easy handling. The Hoff - who was wearing a black T-shirt with his nickname written across it in white letters - said he successfully managed to pull it off.

During the video shoot, more than 10 colourful Trabis, as the cars are affectionately known, drove onto Rathaus Bridge which leads to City Hall. The singer himself strode onto the bridge on foot.

The motorists honked out Hasselhoff's hit "Looking For Freedom," which he enthusiastically approved of.

A few weeks after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, The Hoff sung the same song at the New Year's Eve party at the landmark Brandenburg Gate. The song topped the German music charts for eight weeks.

In May, Hasselhoff had expressed a desire to perform again in the capital on New Year's Eve, but when asked by dpa he said that it now depends on his schedule. At the moment, it looks like he will be on stage in Britain, he said.

To coincide with the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, The Hoff wore a scarf with a piano key motif, as he did during his New Year's Eve appearance in 1989.

He said Saturday's Trabi honking concert was a great tribute.

He also admitted that in 1989 the meaning of the song was not yet entirely clear to him.

dpa