Jalopnik: Movie Cars

Death Race One Sheet Revealed, Shows Off More Of That Mean-Looking Buick

Ray Wert — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:00:00 EDT

You saw the mean looking choptop Buick Riviera first when we showed you the cars of Death Race and y'all seemed to react favorably, so we figured you might like to see the first one-sheet for the Statham-starring film showing it again looking all bad-ass. Sure it's not the Death Race trailer, and sure, it reveals a tagline — "Get ready for a killer ride" — that screams hackneyed and lame, but whatever, it's not bad for a Tuesday before the Fourth of July weekend. Want to see the bevy of beefy cars from the film again? Well, they're waiting your eyeballs below. [via Universal]

Princeton Transformers 2 Video Reveals Speeding Astra, Sweet Pursuit GKart Camera

Travis Hudson — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EDT

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen is filming some kind of chase scene this week on the set of Princeton University featuring the Saturn Astra we saw on set last week. These videos, caught by some intrepid students, indicate the Astra appears to be damaged, so one could suggest it's probably not a Transformer and rather the daily driver for a character other than Shia LaBeouf's. We mean, why would he want to cheat on his beloved Bumblebee? Also caught on film is a scene of Shia running around carrying books and talking on a cell phone and seemingly running from giant fake robots. You know, like every other student in the world. But if there's one car we want more than the Camaro, it's got to be the little Shelly Ward-created Pursuit GKart Camera. That go-cart-on-coke looks a lot more fun than the Astra. [Transformers Live]

Cleveland To Florida In A '65 Dodge

Murilee Martin — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:40:00 EDT

We've got John Lurie, Richard Edson (you may know him best as the Zappa-esque "Evil Valet Parker" in Ferris Bueller's Day Off), and Ezter Balint in a 1965 Dodge Coronet sedan with Screamin' Jay Hawkins on the tape deck. Yes, it's Jim Jarmusch's Stranger Than Paradise, which has some seriously Jalop-worthy road-trip sequences and comes to us courtesy of this YouTuber.

Your Plymouth Pursued By Repo Men In A DeSoto? Hide By The Isotta-Fraschini!

Murilee Martin — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:20:00 EDT

All the film geeks say that Sunset Boulevard is one of the best movies ever made, and they're right. You hear a lot of talk about Norma Desmond's Isotta-Fraschini, but what about the repo-ripe '46 Plymouth driven by Joe Gillis in the beginning of the film (not to mention the '48 DeSoto belonging to the repo men)? We can thank this YouTuber for providing us with this clip.

Color Me Gone, Baby!

Murilee Martin — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:40:00 EDT

"What kinda sounds you like? Rock, soul, hillbilly...western?" That's exactly what any courteous GTO Judge driver should ask his passenger when reaching for the 8-track stash in the center console. Thanks to this YouTuber, we can all enjoy some Two-Lane Blacktop to get our Monday afternoon started right. This sequence has had a powerful effect on me over the years; back when I owned a slushbox-equipped Volvo 144, I would stomp on the gas, wait about ten seconds for the downshift, then scream "Color me GONE, baby!" as all 118 Swedish horses kicked- or rather, trudged- in (for some reason, it never occurred to me to do this while driving my GTO).

Death Race Trailer, Revealed!

Ray Wert — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:11:21 EDT

A week after we showed you our exclusive first look at the cars of Death Race, the new movie starring Jason Statham to be released by Universal later this summer, we've now got the first trailer for Death Race. What can we say? Well, it's intense and in it we learn the first rule of the Death Race — you never drive backwards. Unless you're Statham and you're driving a Mustang — and I'd have to say the 'stang (called Frankenstein's Monster) looks seriously cool. Really, this should have been what the made the new KR look like. It makes every other Mustang variant look like a girlie car. Whatever, we're going to stop talking now and just let you watch the video above and then check out the gallery of vehicles again below.

Video: Bumblebee Shows Off His Newish Camaro SS Nose

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:12:31 EDT

It might be from a low-quality cameraphone, but here are the first images of the brand new 2010 Chevy Camaro SS-bodied Bumblebee from the upcoming Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen movie. In addition to the side shot we saw yesterday, this new shot gives us some full frontal muscle car action via a much improved look at Bumblebee's newish nose — which may very well be actual SS styling. And then there's the video — we can barely make out the sweet up-powered Camaro engine music. But the taste is all we need. More pictures below the jump.

[via TransformersLive]

BBC Launches Classic Muscle Cars on San Francisco Street, We Cry

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 10:40:00 EDT

A film crew from the BBC recently decided that launching a Pontiac GTO (which we hope is a replica) and a Mercury Montego cop car off a ramp and down a San Francisco street would be pretty cool. While stunting is a vital part of every chase scene, sometimes it's a bit like knowing how sausage is made — you're better off in the dark. Even though we're sure this will be spectacular on screen, we just won't be able to shake the image of Steve McQueen ramping the bejesus out of his Mustang in Bullitt — or the tears coming to our eyes at the thought of the damage done to these two beautiful boats. [WreckedExotics]

Transformers 2 Gets A Name: Revenge Of The Fallen

Ray Wert — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 09:40:00 EDT

We've already had a number of reports on the new Transformers 2 movie — from the Hummer HX to the Chinese Malibu — but it seems the second new movie about everyone's favorite ~~Chevygasm~~ robogasm now has a name beyond "the deuce." Apparently, a blurb and graphic on Hasbro's web site indicates the name for the new movie will be "Revenge Of The Fallen." Oooh, sounds scary! It also sounds like perhaps "Jazz" might be back for this second go-around. Although we don't want to totally geek out here, we have heard other options on reasons for the title including something to do with "Vector Prime." We guess we'll see. But, for you film geeks (Bumblebee, we're looking at you) we do have something really cool you might want to see — a potential look at a rendering of what the hottest Autobot ever —"Arcee" — might look like, after the jump.

Now we don't expect this to actually "be" Arcee. But it'd be pretty cool if it were. [Latino Review]

The Cars Of Death Race

Ray Wert — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 03:00:00 EDT

UPDATE:We've now got the first Death Race trailer! Almost a year ago, I had the opportunity to head out to Montreal and go behind the scenes of the new re-visioned movie "Death Race" starring Jason Statham, Tyrese Gibson, Ian McShane and yes, Joan Allen. Whereas the names of the characters they play may be the same, the storyline's anything but — this time the "Death Race" is set in what we'd been told was an "economic" prison sometime in the not-so-distant dystopian future. But we'll throw down more of that later. The really cool part was getting a first-hand look at some of the metal made into prison inmates very own PCH cars — and there's some really cool stuff to be seen. So without further ado, below the jump are the ten vehicles at the center of the new Paul W.S. Anderson-directed flick coming to a theater near you August 22nd, 2008 — along with all the details on the add-ons that make them "special" plus, because you're so good, a whole mess-load of screenshots. Enjoy and remember, small children are only worth more points because they're harder to hit.

1.) Frankenstein's Monster- 2006 Ford Mustang GT

Engine: Supercharged 4.6L V8
Ford Racing Exhaust System
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Suspension: Progress Technology adjustable coil over front struts and rear shocks
Progress Technology adjustable rear lower control arms
Progress Technology adjustable panhard bar
Wheels: 18" 2007 Ford Mustang Cobra wheels
Tires: Front- Toyo Proxes T1R 255/45 ZR 18
Rear- Toyo Proxes S/T 285/45 ZR 18
Brakes: Brembo Disc Brake System
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Kirkey Aluminum Racing Seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
RCI fuel cell
CNC Hand Brake
Battery moved to battery box in trunk

2.) Machine Gun Joe's Ram- 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 4wd

Engine: 5.7L V8 Hemi
Transmission: 5 speed automatic
Suspension: Rancho 9000 Shocks for front and rear
Firestone Air Bags for front and rear
Custom fabricated rear sway bar
Drivetrain: Removed front axles and front differential
Replaced rear axle with 1 ton dually axle
Wheels: Front- Stock 20" Dodge Ram wheels
Rear- Stock 16" dually wheels
Tires: Front- Stock tires
Rear- Toyo Open Country 265/75R 16
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Sparrco Racing Seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
RCI fuel cell
Tildon secondary hydraulic brake system
Battery moved to battery box in trunk

3.) Pachenko's Chop Top- 1966 Buick Riviera

Engine: Stock 430c.i. V8 "Nail Head"
Crane Ignition System
Transmission: 3 speed automatic
Suspension: Big block springs
KYB Gas Adjust shocks
Wheels: 17" Eagle Alloy Wheels
Tires: Front- Toyo Proxes T1R 255/45R 17
Rear- Toyo Proxes S/T 285/60R 17
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Kirkey Aluminum racing seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
RCI fuel cell
Tildon secondary hydraulic brake system
Battery moved to battery box in trunk

4.) 14K's 1980 Porsche 911

Engine: Stock 2.7L 6cyl.
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Suspension: Front and rear Bilstein adjustable coil shocks
Eibach racing springs
Wheels: 15" NASCAR style steel wheels
Tires: Front- Toyo Proxes TPT 225/60R 15
Rear- Toyo Proxes S/T 295/50R 15
Brakes: Stock Braking System
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Kirkey Aluminum Racing Seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
CNC hand brake
Jazz Aluminum fuel cell
Custom fabricated battery box

5.) Colt's Jag - 1989 Jaguar XJS

Engine: V12
Transmission: 4 speed automatic
Suspension: KYB Gas Adjust Shocks
Eibach Racing Springs
Custom fabricated front and rear sway bars
Wheels: 15" Aero Beadlock wheels
Tires: Front- Toyo Proxes TPT 225/60R 15
Rear- Toyo Proxes S/T 295/50R 15
Brakes: Stock Braking System
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Kirkey aluminum racing seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
CNC hand brake
RCI fuel cell
Battery moved to battery box in trunk

6.) Grimm's 300: 2006 Chrysler 300C

Engine: 345c.i. V8
Transmission: 5-speed automatic
Suspension: Air Ride Technologies air suspension kit
Wheels: 20" American Racing Wheels
Tires: Front- Toyo Proxes 4 245/45ZR 20
Rear- Toyo Proxes 4 255/45ZR 20
Brakes: Stock braking system
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Kirkey aluminum racing seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
Tildon hydraulic secondary brake system
Custom fabricated fuel cell
Battery moved to battery box in trunk

7.) 1972 Buick Riviera "Boat tail"

Engine: 350c.i. V8
Crane Ignition System
Transmission: Turbo 350 3-speed automatic
Suspension: Big block springs front and rear
KYB Gas Adjust shocks
Custom fabricated rear sway bar
Wheels: Stock 1971 Buick Riviera wheels
Tires: Front- Toyo Spectrum 225/70R 15
Rear- Toyo Proxes S/T 275/60R 15
Brakes: Stock braking system
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Kirkey aluminum racing seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
RCI fuel cell
Tildon hydraulic secondary brake system
Battery moved to battery box in trunk

8.) 1979 Pontiac Trans Am

Engine: 350HO V8 Crate motor
Transmission: Turbo 350 3-speed automatic
Suspension: Big block coil springs
KYB Gas Adjust shocks
Custom fabricated rear sway bar
Wheels: 17" American Racing wheels
Tires: Front/ Rear Goodyear 215/65R 17
Brakes: Stock braking system
Stunt Modifications: Roll cage
Kirkey Aluminum Racing Seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
RCI fuel cell
CNC hand brake
Wilwood secondary rear brake calipers
Battery moved to battery box in trunk

9.) 1989 BMW 735i

Engine: 6cyl.
Transmission: 4 speed automatic
Suspension: KYB Gas Adjust shocks
Eibach Racing coil springs
Wheels: 18" American Racing wheels
Tires: Front/Rear Toyo Proxes T1R 255/40ZR 18
Brakes: Stock braking system
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Kirkey Aluminum racing seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
Custom fabricated aluminum fuel cell
CNC hand brake
Wilwood secondary rear brake calipers

10.) The Dreadnaught

There are no words to describe this onslaught of mechanical strength called "The Dreadnaught." Check out the video to get a taste. Come on back later this week when we do a sit-down with Jason Statham and ask him what car he's got in his driveway.

2008 Chevy Malibu, Transformed, Rolling Out...As A Chinese Police Car

Ray Wert — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:20:00 EDT

Sure, the 2008 Chevy Malibu's selling better than the last model, but it's still an orgasm of mid-size mediocrity like everything else in the class of cars that include the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and the Ford Fusion. Sure, the Nissan Maxima may be somewhat sporty, but nobody's going to confuse it with a GT-R anytime soon. But, it looks as though the latest car-star to hit the big screen in the next Transformers movie's going to be none other than the General's budget brand's middling mediocregasm. True, this Malibu's decked out in all sorts of fancy Chinese characters, so we're expecting it to play less of a transforming role and more of a background role as Transformers 2 begins filming in Bethlehem, PA. But whatever, let's not take too much away from this be-stickered new Malibu. We're sure he's already feeling envious of his Chevy brother picking up all that hot robogasmic action, no sense in beating his already battered self-esteem any further. One more shot of the not-so-much-transforming 2008 Chevrolet Malibu after the jump.

[TFW2005]

Mmmm, Yeeah: Bill Lumbergh's Porsche Up For Sale!

Murilee Martin — Fri, 02 May 2008 13:00:00 EDT

When it comes to iconic Nightmare American Workplace Boss figures, it's hard to beat Office Space's Bill Lumbergh. Remember how satisfied you felt when you saw the scene in which Bill's 911SC got towed away? Well, the "stunt car" used for that scene is now available for a mere $1,750. You don't get an engine and transmission, but you do get a lifetime supply of TPS Reports! Thanks to Teargas for the tip! Make the jump to see The Best Of Bill Lumbergh. [Craigslist Austin, go here if ad disappears)]

Vin Diesel's Chevelle Pops A Fast, Furious WheelStand In New Movie

Mark Arnold — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EDT

This here is some leaked video from the set of the fourth installment of the rice-sploitation The Fast And The Furious movie franchise. Remember that famous scene at the end of the first film, where Vin Diesel's blown Dodge Charger pops a massive WheelStand (by the way, we never remember if it's two words or if the "S" is capitalized — but we like how this looks)? Well it looks like the pacifier is at it again, this time in a Chevelle. Lined up against the Chevy looks to be a BMW M5, Nissan Silvia, and Skyline GT-R. Now if you're not a FatF fanboy, this raw footage is still enjoyable, seeing as it's lacking any of the mind-numbing dialogue and ridiculous story line the upcoming movie will likely have.
[CarDomain]

Bullitt Charger Or Bluesmobile Monaco?

Mark Arnold — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:01:00 EDT

We took a break from Star Car Shootout last week during all the Geneva coverage, but we're back today with another great matchup. The last shootout had two of Steve McQueen's silver screen rides go at it, and after two weeks of voting, the Mustang from Bullitt has beaten the Porsche 911 from Le Mans in another closely contested battle-o'-cool.

Just to keep everyone excited for this Saturday's Bullitt screening Detroit meetup, we're pitting the '68 Dodge Charger from Bullitt against the '74 Dodge Monaco Bluesmobile from the original Blues Brothers movie. Both are big black Dodges with thumping V8s. Both starred in spectacular chase scenes and performed big-air jumps. But your votes will decide which one has that certain undefinable something: Which one is cooler?

The chase scene in Bullitt was unquestionably groundbreaking from a film-making standpoint. Which is great—but irrelevant for the purposes of this contest. What we're concerned about right now is what we think of that sinister Charger. Without the sheer evilness of the larger and darker Dodge, the Mustang driven by McQueen may have never really become all that big a deal. And while the Mustang has become a pop-culture icon through new Mustang "Bullitt" editions, the Charger has stayed true. Yes, there have been other black Chargers in prominent movie roles over the years, but they always seem to pay subtle homage to the original rather than trying to just cash in on the image. As for the action in the film? Well, the Mustang had to be modified just to keep up with the stock 440 cubic-inch Mopar mill. And who wouldn't want a car that can regenerate hubcaps? Watch closely and you should count a total of seven on the Dodge during the sequence. Sure, it has a vinyl roof and whitewall tires, but that just adds to the cool factor, like James Bond wearing a tuxedo. The most important thing to consider is that the Dodge went out in an explosive fireball, which is the proper way to go. Judge for yourself just how cool it is:

There have been a few Bluesmobiles over the history of the Blues Brothers franchise, but none really compare to the original '74 Dodge Monaco. I know exactly what's going through your head at this point, so let's all just recite Dan Aykroyd's famous lines together: "It's got a cop motor, a four hundred and forty cubic inch plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks, it was a model made before catalytic converters, so it'll run good on regular gas..." Yes, the car and it's specs are well known. And rightfully so, since this was the cause of the most outrageous pileup ever filmed. But does that fame detract from the cool factor? Not really, because the Bluesmobile was never trying to be an action star. It was a comedian. In many ways, this car is the automotive equivalent of John Belushi; loud, absurd, a bit bruised up, and willing to do anything for a good laugh. Does that make it cool? Well jumping a drawbridge is always good for cool-points, but we'll let you be the judge:

2008 Builder Of The Year: Gene Winfield

Mark Arnold — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:45:00 EDT

His work has been seen on TV series such as Bewitched, Star Trek, and Get Smart, as well as on the big screen in Blade Runner, Robocop, Back to the Future II, and Sleeper. So it really comes as no surprise that the 2008 Motorama Builder Of The Year is Gene Winfield. He's one of the greats, right up there with Ed Roth and George Barris. He was one of the first to make a "Lead Sled" Mercury, but it's obvious that he wasn't tied down to just that particular sort of Kustom. Even if you're not into "blended" paint jobs or the low stances, you really can't ignore the talent and creativity this gentleman still has. There's so much we could say, but we'll just let you enjoy the gallery below of his display at the 2008 Detroit Autorama.

Homer Simpson Loves The New Cadillac CTS More Than The Canyonero

Ray Wert — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:30:00 EST

As an auto-lover, if you were tuned in to last night's episode of the Simpsons, you weren't disappointed. The longest-running show to not jump the shark showed exactly why it hasn't. Homer's old beater-mobile got one too many dings rear-ending the back of a Pacer look-alike (with what we're assuming can only be an aftermarket airbag) and needed some time in the ol' repair shop. Homer finds himself behind the wheel of a loan-er brand-agnostic luxe-mobile with a remarkable similarity to the new Cadillac CTS. The inside jokes run freely throughout the episode's side storyline, and include what may be the funniest car-related Simpsons line since the Canyonero commercial song. To wit:

"I never dreamed an American car designed in Germany assembled in Mexico with parts made in Canada could be so amazing!"

We couldn't believe it either, which is why we included the clip above. (Hat tip to vwminispeedster!)

2008 Ford Taurus: Robocop Edition

Ray Wert — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 07:45:00 EST

We've been doing some traveling over the past week — running from one shining sea to the other. Rather than deal with the normal boring fare we're used to sampling via the wonders of bittorrent, we've been sampling iTunes newest movie rental feature. Specifically, we snagged a copy of RoboCop for a quick 24-hour rental. There's nothing like re-watching that Detroit blood-bath to get us thinking about our love of the SHO Taurus. We could snag ourselves a 1988 Ford Taurus from Robocop 3, but we'd prefer something like the SHO with a bit more "go." Unfortunately Ford ain't obliging that particular desire at the moment. But, it did get us wondering what it'd be like to have a new 2008 Ford Taurus set up OCP-style for running the streets of Old Detroit. The boys at the site all about News from the Blue Oval are one step ahead of us.

Ted Krygier, one of the Ford fan-boys over there, did a quick p-shop that you can see above and which we're totally digging. But I kind of feel like our commenters may be able to do better. Anyone care to take a stab at a new whip for Officer Murphy? If you're looking for p-shop fodder, you may want to try here or here. [via Blue Oval News]

New Knight Rider Commercial Airs, 30 More Seconds Of Less-Than-Exciting Action

Ray Wert — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 09:15:00 EST

Well, our good friends at Knight Rider Online have the scoop yet again on a new commercial for the new Mustang-ed up Knight Rider mini-series. The show'll be airing on the February 17th. The commercial? From what we understand, that aired last night on Conan O'Brien. The one new bit of info we're able to glean from the 30-seconds of 'stang-love is we get to see KITT's voice modulator for the first time. Oh yay. Want to see the other commercials? They're here, here and here and oh yes, here. We're going to get back to covering the Chicago Auto Show now. [via Knight Rider Online]

New Knight Rider Commercial: Like Us, KITT Hates Valet

Ray Wert — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 09:15:00 EST

We hate valet service. Nothing gives us more fear on earth than dropping off a vehicle — any vehicle — to some pimple-faced 17-year-old with a heavy ~~left~~ right foot and an inability to discern 2nd from reverse. Looks like the Mustang-derived KITT's got the same security issues we feel in this new commercial for the new Knight Rider movie/series/sequel dubbed "Valet." We just want to give the new GT500KR look-a-like a big hug and tell him everything's gonna be alright...don't cry...there, there.

[via Knight Rider Online]

Exclusive Video From New Death Race Movie Features Mean-Looking "Dreadnought"

Ray Wert — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:00:00 EST

While we knew going in the Death Race "trailer" we posted earlier wasn't the real thing, our sources tell us like the Jason Statham screen shot we showed you last week, the video we've got up above is absolutely the real thing. It's some behind-the-scenes video from the new Death Race movie. That vehicle you see running through an industrial wasteland (that appears to look a great deal like a prison) is something called the "Dreadnought" and we're told it's up to no good in the Race all about the Death. Embargoes threatening our own "Death" prevent us from saying anything more. No need for us to give Universal Studios a free 40 points at our expense.

First Trailer For New Knight Rider Airs, Features New Shelby-fied KITT, Flashing Red Lights and Will Arnett

Ray Wert — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 05:00:00 EST

If anyone happened to have been watching NFL Football last night on NBC, they'd have seen a quick 15 seconds of promo reel that'll make their heart beat just a few seconds faster this morning. The rainbow-colored network dropped their first promo for the new Knight Rider TV movie. It was only a few seconds long, but as soon as we saw the ~~Ford/Shelby GT500KR logo~~ flashing red lights and the voice of Will Arnett they had us at hello.

[Hat tip to Knight Rider Online!]

100-car Transformers Logo Collage

Travis Hudson — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 14:15:00 EST

In ~~Ray's~~ our on-going quest to beat that horse to death, we present this act of dedication from one (or many) Transformer fans. Approximately 100 cars, a helicopter for aerial photography and an empty field went into the creation of this gigantic Autobot logo. Something makes me think it is the same guy behind the 10-foot tall Optumus Prime costumer. Come on, where's the love for the Decepticons? [PL]

Speed Racer Trailer, Prepare to Trip Balls in Higher Definition

Ray Wert — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:15:00 EST

While the trailer for the new Speed Racer movie above certainly isn't in high-def, it's at least of a higher quality than what we and other sites have tried to peddle as "teh sweet." As we're sure you're already aware, it's been more like "teh suck." But at least this time you'll actually be able to tell the difference between Speed Racer and Racer X — because here they've finally got more definition and aren't quite the amorphous blobs they were the in the last version we brought you.

But if even this one doesn't do it for ya, here's a link to the Yahoo! Movies site that's got the real sweetness. Try not to get a cavity. (Hat tip to Manny!) [Yahoo! Movies]

Dark Knight Trailer Hits Web, Shows Off all Sorts of Bat-Vehicles

Ray Wert — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:15:00 EST

Our sister site obsessed with all things gadgets just hipped us to the new trailer for the new Batman movie. We must say, it's got a plethora of different action shots of new Batty vehicular goodness. Whether it's the Tumbler or the BatPod or even Joker's crazy truck, there's a lot of transportation options in the new sequel from the folks that brought you Batman Begins. We'll certainly be there opening Knight. Ha. Ha. Ha. [Gizmodo]

First Video Of Knight Rider's KITT Revealed Live!

Ray Wert — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 16:31:28 EST

We here at Jalopnik aren't content to bring you just warmed-over press photos and spy photos. No, we also want to give you warmed-over video from the press reveal! Yup, we're continuing our role as the first to break news on the Knight Rider-Ford story with this video of the KITT from the new Knight Rider — revealed live today in sunny SoCal. He's a Mustang GT500KR and wait, there's not one, not two, nope, there's three of them. What? Seriously. Here's the scoop from Ford and NBC:

"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."

Full press release after the jump. UPDATE: Interior sketch below including what looks like a giant flux capacitor on the rear seat! Wow, talk about crossing sci-fi mythos, eh? Also, we've got a few live reveal shots from Gawker video goddess Molly to go along with her video above!

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.

It's Official! Knight Rider's KITT is a Shelby GT500KR Mustang

Ray Wert — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 15:00:09 EST

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.

KITT to be Cast as a Ford Mustang in New Knight Rider Series?

Ray Wert — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 19:00:00 EST

UPDATE:It's a Mustang! We've got exclusive first pictures of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR playing KITT!That's what we're hearing anyway. Although this may seem as rumortastic as they come, we feel our source is solid — he's a loyal Jalopnik reader with a validated connection to an LA FX studio working on the pilot for the new Knight Rider TV show. Our source is claiming he's got it on good authority that KITT's gonna be a Ford Mustang. Hey, maybe that takes care of that whole Mustang variant issue for 2009, right? In fact, maybe KITT'll even be a Roush Blackjack like the one p-shopped above and in the gallery below. We don't know — but we're going to do some investigating.

If this ends up being true — Ford's totally gonna be pwning the General in this round of the Muscle Car Wars. In fact, it'd be an assault to all that GM holds true to see a 'stang as the pony car playing Michael's ride. We'll have to wait and see what we're able to come up with — but rest assured we'll leave no stone unturned and no Knight Industries compound unsearched. Hell, we'll even see if we can get Peter Cullen to help us out as KARR if need be.

Fifth Gear Races General Lee Against Starsky & Hutch Grand Torino

Ray Wert — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 15:15:00 EDT

This week's episode of Fifth Gear featured an epic battle of 'merican muscle. Specifically, we get to watch Vicki Butler-Henderson take a couple laps in two automotive icons of TV — the General Lee and the Starsky & Hutch Ford Torino. All we've got to say is watching that Charger chug down the straightaway, barely nicking 100 MPH makes us uber-glad for today's HEMI-fied SRT8. Be that as it may, we'd probably still trade our left arm for one.

Target Transformers Special Edition DVD Unboxing And Transforming

Ray Wert — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 08:30:00 EDT

One of us was up late watching the Transformers live-action movie on DVD giving us the chance to finally have a robogasm in private. If you're not on the HD-DVD kick, we'd suggest heading out to Target like we did and snagging up one of the special edition two-disc DVD's that actually transform into a crappy Optimus Prime. Hey, it's better than just a plain plastic box we guess. The two-disc set gives you the movie in widescreen and you get a second DVD filled with all sorts of fun behind-the-scenes crap, including a "cars of the Transformers movie" featurette. The only thing we were lamenting is we didn't see any "win a Camaro" certificates in the box. How'd we end up getting screwed out of that one? Anyway — full un-boxing and DVD-transforming shots in the gallery below.

Video Of A DeLorean DMC-12 Crash Test Not Involving Marty McFly And A Train

Ray Wert — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 16:15:00 EDT

If you've ever wanted to see what happens when Doc Brown's time machine hits a wall at 40 mph, then we've got a real treat for you — this here's an early crash test of a DeLorean DMC-12. Enjoy the Mr. Fusion smashing action — at both real-time speed and slow-mo — so you can view every time-bending frame in all of it's gory destructive detail. Or, feel free to check out our latest news on the revival of the car made into a time machine. [Hat tip to John!]

New Knight Rider TV Show To Be Transformers-Inspired?

Ray Wert — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 14:00:00 EDT

We've already talked a bit about the new "Knight Rider" TV show, but we've got a new detail from Variety magazine. According to the magazine all about having a great plethora of stuff, NBC's tapped Doug Liman to produce the new "Knight Rider" TV show. Liman's recent executive production exploits have included "The Bourne Ultimatum" as well as Fox's "Arrested Development." But what's reall interesting is Liman's being tapped to

"produce a "Transformers"-inspired reworking of the 1980s hit action-drama series."

What the heck does that mean — will K.I.T.T. transform? Oh wait, there's more:

Success of "Transformers" had a role in inspiring NBC Entertainment chief Ben Silverman's decision to revive "Knight." The thinking is that smallscreen f/x have advanced to the point where it'd be feasible to have a weekly series in which cars shift shapes.
It's also likely the new show will explore the idea of "evil" cars to offset the heroic talking K.I.T.T. car of the original skein, which starred David Hasselhoff. That said, skein is expected to essentially remain focused on the story of a single man fighting for justice with the help of his superadvanced car.

There's also huge potential for advertiser integration. General Motors was all over "Transformers," and it's easy to see NBC striking a rich deal with a single automaker to serve as the exclusive auto brand for the new "Knight." It's understood preliminary talks have already begun.

We should've known — by calling it "Transformers"-like, they mean it's merchandisable. Wonderful. Why do we fear that K.I.T.T. will end up being a Dodge Challenger or a new Hyundai Tiburon. Oy. [via Variety]

Special Effects Man Killed In Crash While Following Batmobile

Ray Wert — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 10:00:00 EDT

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.A couple of days ago a special effects technician working on the new Batman movie, Batman: The Dark Knight was killed when the camera truck he was in crashed into a tree while on a stunt test run following the Batmobile. We're assuming by "Batmobile" they mean the "Tumbler" based upon the quote from a spokesman calling the vehicle being followed a "4x4." Warner Brothers says the accident happened off-set and there was no filming taking place. I bet Monday was one of those days where Christian Bale wished he really was a superhero who could save a man's life by wrapping him up with a batarang and snag him before he hit the tree — or maybe he just wishes the guy driving hadn't hit the tree. [via BBC]

DIY Network to Air Burt Reynolds Bandit-Building Show

Mike Spinelli — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 10:00:42 EDT

The DIY Network's airing a five show segment of its Celebrity Rides program devoted to big Burt and his new Bandit. The Burt in question is of the Reynolds variety, and the Bandit is the YearOne TransAm restomod project. That is, the Burt Reynolds Edition TransAm, which YearOne creates from the bones of rescued Firebirds and sells at a nearly $130,000 base. It's called "Burt Builds a Bandit," and although Burt likely doesn't actually build the Bandit, we're sure it would be another guilty pleasure of Alfred Hitchcock, if the rotund one was still among the rolling. [Year One]

Press Release:

DIY Network's "Celebrity Rides": Burt Builds a Bandit

The latest installment of DIY Network's new automotive programming franchise, Celebrity Rides, returns with a five-episode series featuring the history-making reunion between a legendary star and his famous ride. On Friday, Oct. 19 at 10 p.m. ET, Celebrity Rides: Burt Builds a Bandit chronicles award-winning actor Burt Reynolds and his design team at YearOne auto restoration company, as they begin the exciting process of restoring a select fleet of limited edition Trans Ams. DIY also knows Bandit enthusiasts will want to get behind the wheel, so one lucky fan will have a chance to win one!

Heavy.com, where users can upload videos explaining why they should win the car. Reynolds will help select the most creative video, and the winner gets to drive home in a fully restored Burt Reynolds Edition Trans Am, as featured in Celebrity Rides: Burt Builds a Bandit. The winner will be announced during a one-hour recap special of the series on Friday, Dec. 14, which airs at 10 p.m. ET.

The premiere episode of DIY's Celebrity Rides: Burt Builds a Bandit features original film footage of the 1977 cult classic film and an up-close and personal interview with Reynolds offering insight into how the Bandit (Pontiac Trans Am) became an auto industry icon. Reynolds says: "There wasn't anything on the road that looked like it." And how does he feel about the car today? "It still looks dangerous," he says. "It still looks like it could eat you for lunch."

"In 1977, the water cooler conversation focused on Princess Leia, Annie Hall and a hot little car called Bandit. Thirty years later, car and film enthusiasts alike still have a passion for this incredible vehicle and the impact it had on pop culture," says Kathleen Finch, DIY Network's general manager. "To be able to give away one of these incredible custom vehicles to a lucky DIY viewer is just icing on the cake."

DIY's Celebrity Rides franchise premiered in June with a one-hour special featuring Jay Leno's extensive Duesenberg collection. The franchise continues in 2008 with Celebrity Rides: Dillon and the Rebel, a limited series documenting Emmy Award nominee and Entourage star Kevin Dillon as he takes on the task of building a kit car replica of a 1955 Porsche Spyder, made famous by another Hollywood legend, James Dean. In addition, Jay Leno returns with Celebrity Rides: The Last Duesenberg, a six episode series of the step-by-step restoration of his latest car conquest — a 1931 Model J418 Wood Towncar — found in an old garage after walking the streets of Manhattan.

DIY's Celebrity Rides: Burt Builds a Bandit airs every Friday at 10 p.m. ET, beginning October 19. Also in October, visit http://www.DIYnetwork.com/tv for a sneak peek of the show and click on "Celebrity Rides: Burt Builds a Bandit" in the TV Showcase section.

Iron Man Trailer Debuts, Features The Tony Stark Audi R8

Ray Wert — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 11:00:00 EDT

The following is an e-mail plea from reader James, who's making an example of what we'd consider to be a very well thought out tip on his desire to see us post on the newly released trailer for Iron Man:

"True, the Iron Man Trailer has little to do with cars aside from the R8 in
the first shot, which you've already covered. But I still suggest you feature it for two reasons:

1. They got the song. If you don't know what song I mean, then shame, shame on you.

2. As indicated in reason 1, the overall awesomeness of the trailer, with its practical effects and gratuitous use of gorgeous heavy machinery, will certainly be appreciated by any group of people who recognize the awesomeness of the oldest, slowest, and most spontaneous-combustion-prone Lamborghini over the later models."

While we're not sure we'd agree with the "practical" nature of special effects of a man flying in an "iron" suit, we do give James an A for effort. Thus, while we won't be providing a copy of the trailer, we're more than happy to link folks to one — as well as provide a copy of the exercise in R8-Spotting above. Remember, you too can drop us a tip at tips@jalopnik.com if you've got a scoop for us you think we may have missed. [via YouTube]

No Mr. Bond, We Expect You To Drive!

Jonny Lieberman — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 10:15:00 EDT

Obviously, Friday’s Question inspired a lot of good chatter. Sadly, missing from the choices for best Bond car, is the 2CV from For Your Eyes Only (UPDATE: Beluga got it). Yeah, it is one of Moore’s better movies, but… Moore < Connery. Still, what a great chase. And what a hot mama. Enjoy!

2009 Lincoln MKS From New Batman Movie Caught Sunbathing In The Nude

Ray Wert — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 17:13:00 EDT

Well fan-boys, here's your very first shot of the new Ford D3-platformed luxury sedan for the brand that emancipated the slaves — the 2009 Lincoln MKS — caught on the set of the next Batman film, completely without any form of body armor or fascia obscura. Look at it like these shots taken by tipster and Jalopnik reader Jarrett are the Bruce Wayne to these spy shots from earlier this summer. As far as what we know, well, we already knew the MKS would be the first to receive the new twin-turbo, 3.5-liter V6 (with an expected top level of 380 horses) coming out from the engineering and development team of the Dearborn-based automaker, we weren't real certain we'd like the look. Well, from this angle you can color us pleasantly surprised. ~~The full shot after the jump.~~ UPDATE: More shots sent in from tipster Jarrett! Check out that rear end with the dual pipes...

Build Yourself A Tumbler PC, Pretend You're Batman

Ray Wert — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 11:00:00 EDT

We think the ~~Batmobile~~ Tumbler is pretty sweet as far as superhero movie cars go. True, it's no Transformers Camaro concept or Dukes of Hazzard '69 Charger — but we'd totally take one for our own garage (note to self: inclusion in Jalopnik Fantasy Garage perhaps?). Now, there's a young man with a lot of free time on his hands who's got one for his desk. It's a former Wal-Mart-bought R/C Tumbler with the innards scooped out and replaced with an AMD Sempron chip and...well we're now already out of our league. We'll let our gadget-obsessed brothers take over from here. Needless to say, the only thing cooler would be if this R/C car still drove. [via Gizmodo]

Anyone? Anyone? Motive?: New Online Mag Riffs on Ferris Bueller Ferrari

Mike Spinelli — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 16:15:00 EDT

What happens when the VW Vortex guys collide with the now defunct MPH A-squad? You get Motive, a new online magazine that can toss off pop-media references with the best ironic referrers, while getting elbow-deep into modern car stuff. In their premiere week, Motive takes a Ferrari 250 GTO replica to the high school from Ferris Bueller's Day Off to see if Principal Rooney truly is a man of warmth and compassion, and if having a roof (unlike the original Ferrari 250GT California fakie) makes playing hooky in downtown Chicago more or less of an event than it was in 1986. Then again, Mia Sara is married to a Connery now, so you really can't go back. [Motive]

Matt Damon Drives Audi A6 Off A NYC Parking Garage...Backwards

Ray Wert — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 20:00:00 EDT

Apparently crashing a "Touareg 2" isn't the only bit of automotive hoonage from the upcoming new Jason Bourne movie. There's also this great clip of Film Actors Guild name-chanter Matt Damon, taking an Audi A6 off the roof of a NYC parking garage — and he does it all backward. You know, because doing it going forward is just too easy. Enjoy. [via 29MotoGuide]

Is The Joker Car From The New Batman Movie...A Truck?

Ray Wert — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 16:30:00 EDT

Our gadget-obsessed brothers snagged some pics of a vehicle a tipster snapped shots of at a filming location for the new Batman movie. The boys at the Giz believe it's the vehicle for Joker from the new movie. We're not so sure and although it's certainly bigger than the new ride for Batman kind of feel like it could be one of the "secondary" vehicles. We're still hoping for a purple 1950's Plymouth ourselves.