Shelby GT500KR confirmed as new K.I.T.T.
by John Neff on Nov 29th 2007 at 1:46PM 
The rumor that K.I.T.T. will be played by a Mustang in the upcoming Knight Rider TV series appears to be true. That is, assuming someone with a lot of time on his hands didn't mock up a Hoff-ified Mustang just for the hell of it. That's extremely doubtful, as the car you see above is actually wearing the body kit of a Shelby GT500KR, which isn't easy to come by for weekend projects. Nope, if we take the pic at face value, then the only conclusion possible is that K.I.T.T. will be played by a 550-horsepower Shelby GT500KR in black with silver racing stripes.
K.I.T.T.'s trademark running red light bar has been relocated up and into two nostrils that sit atop the GT500KR's hood. It's a natural fit, though we have to question the silver stripes that, while a trademark of the GT500KR, are totally harshing on K.I.T.T.'s blacked-out super stealth persona.
General Motors is probably a bit bummed that one of its cars wasn't tapped to play the part. But unless show creators agreed to a four-door K.I.T.T. and used the Pontiac G8, the car was definitely not going to be a Pontiac (we hear the Hoff can't fit in a Solstice). And GM is no stranger to stealing acting roles away from other automakers. Volkswagen is probably still pissed off that a Camaro played Bumblebee in Transformers.
Click the Read link to view a couple more pics over at Jalopnik.
[Source:Jalopnik]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
MULDER 1:56PM (11/29/2007)
Ha! Those are worse photoshops than the ones I created for CarScoop..............
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2007/10/jasons-corvette-z06-based-kitt-proposal.html
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Maestro1 2:04PM (11/29/2007)
I saw your Z06 on Carscoop before and must say it looks a million times better than that Mustang wannabe.
You should see if you can submit it directly, maybe cash in on the design ;).
John R 2:22PM (11/29/2007)
that carscoop one is soooo much better.
It may just be that this is the photo of the car thats actually going to be used, but some idiot decided to photoshop in a scanner light
R 4:18PM (11/29/2007)
Damn, that is bad f'in ass. Nice work.
MixiM 8:13PM (11/29/2007)
Yupp, just a bad Photoshop.... Autoblog, come on... Calling it confirmed because of this haha...
PiCASSO 7:55PM (11/29/2007)
Agreed... I like the C6 over the Mustang.
Impala SS '94 1:56PM (11/29/2007)
Thanks to GM for dragging their lardy ass!
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Ben H. 1:58PM (11/29/2007)
KITT can no longer be referred to as "black t-top" anymore! Sad.
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Mr K 2:01PM (11/29/2007)
Yeah, while I do like the Shelby, it's just not the same - Heck even Jason's Z'06 has a closer look to the original ... somehow it just doesn't feel right.
Oh, and how's KITT supposed to breathe with those red lights shoved up his nostrils?
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R 4:16PM (11/29/2007)
Yeah I agree. KITT to me is supposed to be sleek. While I like the shelby, it looks like a brick compared to a Z06.
0mega 2:03PM (11/29/2007)
wow, thats better than the tacky full bar lights, but good bye power out put if they put a light bar there -_- that Z06 looks BAD ASS though, small light bar, blacked, sweet :D
but damn... that mustangs just not pointy enough... I said it in the previous post about the stang, but the mustangs are nice, just not KITT material though, completely different shape.
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TriShield 2:11PM (11/29/2007)
They could have gone the Dukes of Hazzard, Starsky and Hutch remake route and simply reused the cars made famous by the series.
The KITT Pontiac still looks great today and would have worked fine. Even tweaked a little.
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MULDER 2:11PM (11/29/2007)
Its funny to read the comments of the guys over at Jalopnik. They really think that this Mustang is the real deal... and seem upset too, lol. Have none of them noticed that the scanning light is always in the same place in every picture? I did the same thing. If you zoom in on it, you can see how it was edited... it has no depth, atleast I took time to create that illusion.
Why are the blogs reporting this as actual news?
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Jeff 2:11PM (11/29/2007)
They could have at least used one of those blacked-out Dodge Challengers...Mustangs are so...ubiquitous, regardless of whether it's a Shelby or not.
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geo.stewart 3:16PM (11/29/2007)
do you think the firebird wasnt ubiquitous during the 80's? please.
I would definitely prefer a camaro, or a 'firebird concept' based on the camaro as KITT but I dont think the mustang is out of line but the vette is the only choice given its the only one that will allow for the ejector seat through the T-top
wrussi 2:14PM (11/29/2007)
i would love to see KITT into a z06 like that photoshop above it will be a nice evolution.
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Donald 2:15PM (11/29/2007)
Volkswagen chose not to allow the new Beetle in the Transformers movie. They have a strict policy of no VW product spotlighted in war movies, even if the VW product is one of the good guys.
As for the Mustang as KITT, I'm surprised GM didn't push harder for the new Camaro to play the role, unless the production version (whenever that appears) of the car is still questionable as to its final appearance.
The use of the Pontiac in the original series was due to a chance conversation about using the 300zx and the new Pontiac coming out that year. Can't believe GM wasn't aggressive enough to provide something for the show, this time around.
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Donald 2:23PM (11/29/2007)
And how is KITT going to land a jump with that chin spoiler? At least the Pontiac had some ground clearance.
Apu 2:31PM (11/29/2007)
I'd like to use Beetles in a movie about Hitler.
Sandeep 2:52PM (11/29/2007)
Does the Touareg 2 in 'Bourne Ultimatum' count as not placing their vehicles in a war movie? I hardly see 'Transformers' as being more violent than Bourne Ultimatum, and VW paid for that placement...