<![CDATA[Jalopnik: Knight Industries Three Thousand]]> http://cache.gawker.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/jalopnik.com.png <![CDATA[Jalopnik: Knight Industries Three Thousand]]> http://jalopnik.com/tag/knight industries three thousand http://jalopnik.com/tag/knight industries three thousand <![CDATA[KITT In Action: Exclusive Video]]>

Yesterday, Ray and Wes met KITT in the flesh— er, metal. Today we bring you the video footage of us doing our best Hasslehoff impression during our exclusive Brooklyn rendezvous. The new Knight Rider made-for-television movie premieres tomorrow on NBC, so our test drive ride just came right at our peak of anticipation. And while we still kinda agree with the "never meet your childhood heros" rule, we've gotta admit that the supercharged Mustang GT in GT500KR clothing looks and sounds pretty sweet.

Related:
Exclusive First Pictures of KITT From The New Knight Rider TV Series: Yes, It's a Shelby GT500KR
It's Official! Knight Rider's KITT is a Shelby GT500KR Mustang
First Video Of Knight Rider's KITT Revealed Live!
First Trailer For New Knight Rider Airs, Features New Shelby-fied KITT, Flashing Red Lights and Will Arnett
GMCock-Block: Arnett Out As Voice Of KITT, Val Kilmer In
Exclusive: Jalopnik Lifts KITT's Hood

]]>
http://jalopnik.com/357335/kitt-in-action-exclusive-video http://jalopnik.com/357335/kitt-in-action-exclusive-video Sat, 16 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST marnold http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=357335&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Exclusive: Jalopnik Lifts KITT's Hood]]>

Ray and I got to live out a major childhood fantasy of ours earlier today when KITT swung by Brooklyn and offered to take us for a ride. KITT's found new life not as an F-body, but as a Ford Mustang GT500KR. Well, a more accurate description would be a Mustang GT with an automatic transmission — the cast can't drive stick — a supercharger and GT500KR bodywork. They do say, "Never meet your childhood heroes, you'll be disappointed." In this case, they're only partially right.



Knight Rider, the made for TV movie, airs Sunday night on NBC, starring our friend KITT here and a cast of no name, blandly good looking actors. Val Kilmer provides KITT's voice. David Hasselhoff will make a cameo appearance to smooth the transition from 25 years ago to today. It's rumored that should the movie prove successful, we should expect a spin-off series some time in the near future.

In person, KITT is little more than a prop. It's roughly finished and beat to hell. We're some of the first people outside the show, after Jay Leno, to get our hands on the car. We're not NBC employees like Jay, so we couldn't drive the vehicle for liability reasons, but we were able to hop in for a short ride. It felt like a Mustang, one with loud pipes, a plastic interior and lowered suspension; it rides rough as hell. But that's the adult in me speaking. The five year old that still exists somewhere deep inside me is positively giddy with excitement at finally getting the opportunity to ride along with Michael Knight, or at least one of Ford's delivery guys who looked just a little bit like him. NBC's hoping a lot more people's inner child won't be able to resist KITT either.

Photography: Ray Wert and Wes Siler

]]>
http://jalopnik.com/357164/exclusive-jalopnik-lifts-kitts-hood http://jalopnik.com/357164/exclusive-jalopnik-lifts-kitts-hood Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:00:00 EST Wes Siler http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=357164&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[Knight Rider Rides Again On The Today Show, Now With Added Hasselhoff]]>

KITT made an appearance on the Today Show this morning alongside costar Justin Bruening to promote the new Knight Rider TV Movie. During the show it was revealed that David Hasselhoff will be returning as Michael Knight. Bruening also revealed the loophole that allows the new version to pick up where the old left off, apparently, KITT's true inventor was never identified. Oh joy, what a plot twist.

]]>
http://jalopnik.com/356992/knight-rider-rides-again-on-the-today-show-now-with-added-hasselhoff http://jalopnik.com/356992/knight-rider-rides-again-on-the-today-show-now-with-added-hasselhoff Fri, 15 Feb 2008 11:00:00 EST Wes Siler http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=356992&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[It's Official! Knight Rider's KITT is a Shelby GT500KR Mustang]]>

UPDATE: Official press photos added in the gallery below and the shot above. Supposedly we'll have Cylon-like red lights in a video coming shortly. Also press release now below the jump. UPDATE 2: Now we have video here! The Knight Rider Mustang story we first broke last month, and then brought you the first pictures of a week later, is now officially official, KITT from the new Knight Rider series is a Shelby Mustang GT500KR. Goodbye, F-Body. Hello, Ford body. We've got a reporter live at a press conference going on right now in sunny California so we'll have her video and photos shortly. We're also assuming we'll have the full press release up after the jump in a few minutes. For now, sit back and reminisce — and whatever you do, don't go here.

UPDATED 'KNIGHT RIDER' REVS UP TO RETURN TO NBC FOR SPECIAL TWO-HOUR MOVIE EVENT ON FEBRUARY 17 AS NEW KITT CAR IS REVEALED "Knight Rider" Cast Justin Bruening, Deanna Russo, Sydney Tamiia Poitier and Bruce Davison Participate at the Unveiling Event Showcasing the Customized KITT Ford Mustang to Be Featured in Movie Dave Bartis ("Heist," "The O.C.") and Doug Liman ("Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "The Bourne Identity") to Serve as Executive Producers; David Hasselhoff, the Star of the Original "Knight Rider" Series, Appears as a Special Guest Star in His Original Role as Michael Knight NBC Also Forms Partnership with Ford Motor Company That Provides for Unique Content Opportunity BURBANK - December 12, 2007 - As "Knight Rider" — NBC's iconic 1980s television classic that became a runaway success, comes roaring back to life on the network with an updated sequel that will air as a two-hour movie event on Sunday, February 17 (9-11 p.m. ET) — NBC unveiled the new customized KITT Ford Mustang to be featured in the series in a press event held at NBC's Burbank Studios today. The movie stars Justin Bruening ("Cold Case," "All My Children"), Deanna Russo ("NCIS," "The Young and the Restless"), Sydney Tamiia Poitier ("Veronica Mars," "Grindhouse") and Bruce Davison ("Breach," "Close to Home"). In addition, David Hasselhoff (NBC's "America's Got Talent") — who starred in the popular lead role as Michael Knight for four seasons during the original series — returns as the same character in a special guest-star appearance. Will Arnett (NBC's "30 Rock," "Blades of Glory") will provide the voice of KITT. Dave Bartis ("Heist," "The O.C.") and Doug Liman ("Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "The Bourne Identity") serve as executive producers. NBC also has an arrangement with Ford Motor Company that provides for a unique content opportunity that makes the Ford Mustang one of the stars of the movie. The three cars to be employed in the series include the KITT Hero — a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR that is playing the part of the everyday Hero car with 540 horsepower; the KITT Attack — a super high-speed version of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR Hero car that transforms into Attack mode with the help of air-ride technology and specialized body parts — and a KITT Remote, which is a driverless Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR version of the Hero vehicle.

As the original story resumes, the new KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand) is absolutely the coolest car ever created: its supercomputer capable of hacking almost any system; its weapons systems efficient; and its body — thanks to its creator's work and nanotechnology — is capable of actually shifting shape and color. Plus, its artificial intelligence makes it the ideal crime-fighting partner: logical, precise and possessing infinite knowledge. It is the ultimate car — and someone will be willing to do anything to obtain it.

Sarah Graiman is a 24-year old Ph.D candidate at Stanford University, following in her genius father Charles' (Davison) footsteps. But when men attempt to abduct her, Sarah receives a mysterious call from KITT warning her that he's a creation of Charles, who also invented the first KITT 25 years ago — and that her father is in serious danger.

Sarah and KITT track down her best friend from childhood, Mike Tracer (Bruening), a 23-year-old ex-Army Ranger, whom Sarah hasn't seen since he left home at 18. Having served in Iraq, Mike is now jaded and lost and initially resistant. Eventually he agrees to help Sarah and the two set out to discover who's behind the attempt to procure KITT and find Charles. Along the way, Carrie Rivai (Poitier) plays the agile yet tough FBI agent who has a long-standing friendship with Charles and Sarah. Due to those ties, she is brought into the mix to help in the search.

David Andron is supervising producer and writer. Steve Shill ("Dexter," "The Tudors"), also a co-executive producer, directs the two-hour movie from Universal Media Studios and Dutch Oven Productions.

]]>
http://jalopnik.com/cars/knight-rider/its-official-knight-riders-kitt-is-a-shelby-gt500kr-mustang-333022.php http://jalopnik.com/cars/knight-rider/its-official-knight-riders-kitt-is-a-shelby-gt500kr-mustang-333022.php Wed, 12 Dec 2007 15:00:09 EST Ray Wert http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=333022&view=rss&microfeed=true