knight rider online

I am a regular to this site that features lots of cool info on cars for autoshows, automotive industry, etc. Every car freaks website basically. They just posted up a new thing on KITT on their homepage (there is a 3 page slideshow with the most current stuff, if u dont see it scroll to the next one)

which is:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/

and here is the entire thing:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Fe ... topanel..1.*

BTW the pics with KITT's scanner lit while driving is absolutly amazing! I didn't think they could pull it off.

And Belker didn't pay any attention to KITT's design heritage from the old TV series either. "We discussed old episodes of Knight Rider," Belker recalls laughingly. "And fortunately I didn't have to watch any of them."

...and I would say it's obvious.

The original KITT was an '82 Pontiac Trans Am and by the time the TV series went off the air in '86, even then it was starting to look old and pokey.

But a 2008 car with a 1968 design doesn't look old and pokey.

"Up front is still very basic Mustang. We cleaned it up a bit and have some head-up display. And there are holographic images in the readouts." The steering wheel was also cut down so the audience could see all this dashboard stuff — virtually all of which will be added by a regiment of geeks in post-production as computer-generated images (CGI).

I'm sorry, but when even the dashboard of a damn Honda Civic looks more high-tech than the world's most advanced car, there's a SERIOUS problem.

"Mustang's stock gauges are replaced with holographic image generators and the center stack features a screen upon which KITT's "voice" will be displayed. The keyboard is for inputs when KITT just won't listen. (Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures)"

SWEEEETTTTT

And Belker didn't pay any attention to KITT's design heritage from the old TV series either. "We discussed old episodes of Knight Rider," Belker recalls laughingly. "And fortunately I didn't have to watch any of them."

As much as I hope the new series is a success, statements like the above don't help.
Fortunately he didn't have to watch any of them?...uhm...makes you wonder the kind of people they hired to work on this project.

The fact that he didn't pay any attention to KITT's design heritage and the laughter and criticism the choice of car as well as certain aspects of the car (analogue gauges, etc.) have generated shows a lack of insight on the part of the designer and an unbelievable amount of ignorance.

KITT as the 82 Trans Am is a classic. Let's see if this box on wheels will even come close to filling in the Knight Industries Two Thousand's size 24 shoes.

"And Belker didn't pay any attention to KITT's design heritage from the old TV series either. "We discussed old episodes of Knight Rider," Belker recalls laughingly. "And fortunately I didn't have to watch any of them."

As much as I hate quotes like this, I still have to admit that the new KITT - especially with it's scanner on - looks quite cool.
And hearing more and more about the dashbord getting an overall rework in post production, I'm pretty optimistic that I won't be disappointed.

What I am still disappointed about is the lack of hi-res images any source releases. The pics of the car are all to small, same thing in this case

after everything i've seen so far i'm getting a little nervous about the scanner. til now we've only seen the scanner on the attack KITT, not on the regular hero KITT.
i HATE the attack mode, it looks like it comes out of some Need for Speed game or like it had its last role in fast and furious.
the hero KITT looks great though, sleek and black (apart from the grey stripes, the only thing i dislike about that car), but has never been seen with a scanner on it yet. i hope it's just because of the limited amount of images and videos we've seen yet, but it could be that it has no scanner, which would suck big times!

Kaine - if you watch the video on that article page, the VO says that the Hero car is a stock GT500KR except for the scanner. So I'm hoping he is correct in that statement. Of course he also says there was two tv movies, one with KITT as a Chevy and one with him as the KIFT, so I don't know what to trust.

It is disappointing to hear that about Belker, but it doesn't surprise me or necessarily worry me. He was working for Bartis and Andron, who were both fans in some respect of the original - and they would have executive say of whatever he did - I trust that they were able to convey their vision.

Thankfully, of all the interviews we've seen or personally conducted - he's the only one who wasn't fond of the old series. Everyone else was a fan of varying levels.

Thanks for posting this JJSoCrazy!

Not fond indeed, in just that article he comes off as a bit of a stuck up asshat, not to mention the writer of it though at least he didn't come off disrespecting the original series or the reason Belker had a job to do. Not being a fan is one thing but saying "fortunately I didn't have to watch any of them" while laughing at the thought of reviewing the original is insulting, not just the millions and millions of people who are still fans of it but everyone who worked on it as well granted in many spots the show is typical somewhat cheesy 80s action/adventure but still it holds up better than a lot of programs from the decade. In a way he insults his "bosses" as well. >_> Seriously, they designed the car to please Mustang fans? The new car the stupid looking spoiler in "Attack Mode" looks cooler than the original KITT? Come on, even today if you went out and put both cars or all three including both the Hero and Attack Mode cars side by side by side for people any age to look at, I doubt the majority would pick either Mustang and I'm not even one of the Mustang haters but this really rubbed me the wrong way.

But it does confirm what the other article said about the cars not being actual KRs and the scanner isn't just in Viper Defender mode. >_>

It does seem ridiculous that he was more concerned with keeping Mustang fans happy instead of actual fans of the television show.

It's amazing that the PR rep in charge of a cult classic show with a cult following didn't warn those speaking to the public not to degrade the original in anyway. As Knight Rider 2000, Knight Rider 2010, and Team Knight Rider have all proved, the torch hasn't been passed yet, so don't bite the hand that feeds you...seriously.

The tone of these interviews are a turn off.

Lost Knight wrote:It does seem ridiculous that he was more concerned with keeping Mustang fans happy instead of actual fans of the television show.

I think Mustang fans outnumber OG Knight Rider fans....