Knight Rider

[Ran]

Since the Newsbot hasn't posted this yet:

NBC unveils the new customized KITT Ford Mustang featured in the Knight Rider made for TV Movie.

http://tv.yahoo.com/show/345/photos/1#goto_1

[Negative Boy]

How fucking stupid is it that they are making both a TV movie AND a pilot for a series that are competing with each other?

Television is fucking retarded.

[vynsane]

wow what a piece of carp.

[Hamster Dance]

De da de do do da dee do DEEEEE da dede DO

De dadedaladadedala da de dala DO

[Ran]

http://www.popularmechanics.com/automot ... 37588.html

Under the Hood With Knight Rider 2.0: Trans Am vs. Ford Mustang (Featuring Exclusive New KITT Specs—and Classic Hasselhoff!)

If you were a child of the 1980s, or are just a fan of very-late-night cable television, then you've most likely seen Michael Knight (played by a pre-Baywatch David Hasselhoff) and his chatty supercar sidekick, KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand), do battle with bad guys on the small-screen action-adventure show Knight Rider.

At first glance, KITT appeared to be a sporty 1982 Pontiac Trans Am, fresh off the assembly line. But thanks to a little Hollywood razzle-dazzle, the car transformed into a virtually indestructible machine—possessed with advanced artificial intelligence that allowed it to accept voice control commands, interact with "The Hoff" and make decisions on its own. In fact, the car's AI was so advanced that KITT formed a kind of personality, which is what has endeared the "car" to millions of auto geeks in a way the Batmobile never could be. But when the show was shelved in 1986, so was KITT.

Last week, NBC unveiled an all-new, controversial KITT, which is set to star in the made-for-TV Knight Rider movie in February. Based on the still-to-be-released Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR (click here for engine-revving video), this virtual Stang comes tricked out with a supercomputer that can hack almost any system; a very capable weapons system; and a body—thanks to nanotechnology—that's able to shape-shift and change color at will. Like its predecessor, the 21st century KITT gets AI from digital effects wizards that makes it an ideal crime-fighting partner: logical, precise and infinitely smart.

Designer Harald Belker, who has created the Batmobile for Batman and Robin and a next-gen space shuttle for Armageddon, came onboard to give the new KITT. a unique look. "The goal was to make it look more aggressive without being hokey or garish," Belker says. "Maintaining as much of the original beauty of the Shelby as possible was important—and not just because of the Ford connection. It had to be simple yet believable as a superhero." Once his vision was set, Belker turned to Ted Moser from Picture Car Warehouse to make his drawings come to life. But there was one big hurdle: The GT500KR doesn't technically exist quite yet. "So we had to finish their design first," Moser says. "Then we brought in a prop maker to create side skirts and spoilers out of wood, smooth them out, and sent them to a fiberglass shop to make molds. Once the parts are formed from those molds, we finish them and attach them to the car."

One of the cooler features of the Mustang KITT is air-ride suspension, which allows its driver to lower the car's ride height when the vehicle morphs from Hero to Attack mode. "When it goes on the offensive, it gets slammed to the ground," Moser chuckles. Very aggressive, indeed. There will be three models used in filming: Hero (essentially a stock GT500KR); Attack (the tricked-out model); and Remote Control (operated via RC, obviously). "All of the ‘transforming' will be done through CGI animation like in the Transformers movie," Moser admits. (Click here for behind-the-scenes digital wizardry from this summer's blockbuster flick.)

For all you Trans Am holdouts, Mustang droolers and Hasselhoff haters, here's the very first look at all of the new KITT's gee-whiz specs and functionality, matched up to the original to determine which is better equipped for Hollywood crime-fighting.

The link also provides a breakdown of the features.

[Ran]

Double Post since Newstwat missed it. Oh, and suck it, Grimlock.

http://omg.yahoo.com/original-kitt-tran ... /news/4994

Original KITT Trans-Am for sale on eBay December 20, 2007, 2:07 pm PST

GREENWICH, Conn. - An original KITT the talking car that helped David Hasselhoff escape bad guys on the '80s TV series "Knight Rider" is up for sale on eBay.

The black 1982 Pontiac Trans Am is being sold to satisfy the debts of a slain real estate developer, whose killing last year is unsolved. Boats, cars and other items owned by car aficionado Andrew Kissel already have been sold after creditors claimed he owed $30 million.

One bid for the $20,000 minimum had been posted on eBay as of Thursday.

"I'm a little surprised because it is a unique car," said attorney Patrick R. Gil, administrator of Kissel's estate. "My understanding is that there were only four of them made specifically for the television series. I expected some 'Knight Rider' lovers to jump on it."

Another original KITT was put up for sale by a California auto dealer in April. It was fully restored and had documentation as one of the four "camera cars" used for close-ups and scenes where Hasselhoff, who played Michael Knight, was behind the wheel.

That car sold in July for about $100,000, down from the asking price of $149,995, said dealer Johnny "Vette" Verhoek of Kassabian Motors in Dublin, Calif., in a telephone interview Thursday. He declined to identify the buyer.

Kissel apparently bought his KITT from an auction house for $69,000 in 2005. The online auction site says pictures are available of the car to verify its authenticity.

Kissel was found dead in his Greenwich mansion in April 2006 just days before he was to plead guilty in a multimillion-dollar real estate fraud case. His brother, Robert Kissel, died three years ago in Hong Kong when his wife fed him a strawberry milkshake laced with poison and bludgeoned him to death with a statue.

[anarky]

Did you add the last bit about the strawberry milkshake, Newsbot-style?

[Ran]

Surprisingly, no. Hell of a way to go, eh? You'd figure the poison would be enough, but then being hit by a statue?

[UKWildcat]

I may watch this show strictly for the badass Mustang Shelby GT500.

[Rollo Tomassi]

Did anyone watch this turd?

[vynsane]

i didn't even bother. how much does THAT say?

[UKWildcat]

I still have it on my DVR, from when it originally aired, but I still haven't watched it yet.

[Ro11o Tomassi]

I never got into Night Rider (which you spelled wrong). Just not a Rue McClanahan fan, I guess.

[Diabolical]

I saw the last 3-45 minutes. It would have been awesome...15 years ago.

[Snigtad Flornbi]

UR SO GAY U PROBLY THANK THIS FORM IS ABOUT U, DONT U FAGG!!

YAYYYYYY DOOSHE!!

O YES!