What kind of car is Kitt REALLY?

[pheonix_knight]

Kitt has an 'automatic' transmission unless he's switched off (like in the feb08 pilot we saw the 'stickshift' suddenly appear) but Shelby gt500kr's are MANUAL transmission only....

So why have the seats/headrests etc emblazened with "GT500kr" and, if i'm not mistaken, the Shelby signature????

KITT can't be an actual gt500kr (i mean in reality, not the KR universe)

What's the story???

[Sky_Blue_Civic]

I assume that some of the Cobras are probably Mustangs with Shelby body kits,like in the pilot.

[KnightINSTINCT]

Okay Knight Rider nerds, let me give you a little review on KITT's assisting role for Michael Knight:

KITT's programming requires a human pilot to delegate certain decisions that KITT just can not do by himself. I'm not talking about killing, I'm talking about scenario's where KITT is not able to complete the mission on his own. He is a car, his role is to transport. Bottom line. We all see KITT in TOS has three separate apparent modes: Normal, Cruise, and Pursuit. What is Pursuit? It's not to allow KITT to just drive faster, it's to drive with Mike behind the wheel. Certain sharp turns, braking procedures..KITT assists Mike. That's why the old gull wing steering wheel made so much sense back in the day. When you hear Michael Knight in both series' order KITT at full power, or to hold back, it's because KITT is the assisting driver. ....like an angel guiding Mike's hands.

So why have KITT go into manual mode when he is shut down? Because Michael Knight will need full control of the vehicle, that's why. Automatic's without advanced A.I. is just a slow vehicle.

Here endeth the lesson

[Rockatteer]

Okay Knight Rider nerds, let me give you a little review on KITT's assisting role for Michael Knight:

KITT's programming requires a human pilot to delegate certain decisions that KITT just can not do by himself. I'm not talking about killing, I'm talking about scenario's where KITT is not able to complete the mission on his own. He is a car, his role is to transport. Bottom line. We all see KITT in TOS has three separate apparent modes: Normal, Cruise, and Pursuit. What is Pursuit? It's not to allow KITT to just drive faster, it's to drive with Mike behind the wheel. Certain sharp turns, braking procedures..KITT assists Mike. That's why the old gull wing steering wheel made so much sense back in the day. When you hear Michael Knight in both series' order KITT at full power, or to hold back, it's because KITT is the assisting driver. ....like an angel guiding Mike's hands.

So why have KITT go into manual mode when he is shut down? Because Michael Knight will need full control of the vehicle, that's why. Automatic's without advanced A.I. is just a slow vehicle.

Here endeth the lesson

OK. Now you have that off your chest perhaps you'd like to go back and read the original question and give us and answer on that.

[KnightINSTINCT]

OK. Now you have that off your chest perhaps you'd like to go back and read the original question and give us and answer on that.

I already answered it. When KITT is off, the Shelby GT500KR is left.

[cloudkitt]

Yeah, KITT is an automatic because the computer can handle the transmission better and more precisely than a human can.

If you're trying to argue if he's automatic he can't be a Shelby...well I'm pretty sure Shelby's don't have sentient talking computers in them or transform either.

[goldbug]

So why have the seats/headrests etc emblazened with "GT500kr" and, if i'm not mistaken, the Shelby signature????

Because Charles Graiman gets kickbacks from Ford!!

Seriously, I think Charles probably liked the GTKR and chose it as the way to make the car look to be able to blend in with other cars out there. However, as we are learning bit by bit, KITT is anything but a Mustang GTKR, he merely looks like one. Last week he even mentioned he doesn't have "sparkplugs", so clearly he may resemble a car but internally he's something completely different.

[Knight94]

KITT's a Mustang alright, but the Shelby GT500 stuff's prob'ly custom stuff bought or made, or donated
by Ford/Shelby gear. Shelby uses stickshift in it's cars, not auto trans. The reason for auto trans is to have the
remote(autopilot) mode. You can't get a manual with remote start, auto tranny only. Then again, they prob'ly
got some Shelby 'Stang's, swapped trannies, and were good to go.

[KnightINSTINCT]

KITT's a Mustang alright, but the Shelby GT500 stuff's prob'ly custom stuff bought or made, or donated
by Ford/Shelby gear. Shelby uses stickshift in it's cars, not auto trans. The reason for auto trans is to have the
remote(autopilot) mode. You can't get a manual with remote start, auto tranny only. Then again, they prob'ly
got some Shelby 'Stang's, swapped trannies, and were good to go.

That's not the reason at all. Sure, the remote KITT was an automatic GT with a Shelby body kit, but that's the only fact you have with that. KITT switched to a manual in the pilot, did you forget?

[Rockatteer]

well if you think about it, Kitt HAS to be auto transmission. How is he gonna change gears when driving himself if it's a manual?

Could be a very funny scene with Micheal fighting to get handcuffs on a bad guy in the passenger seat and he has to stop and change gears for Kitt.

or...

"Kitt I need ya!"

"I'm sorry Micheal you left me out of gear and I'm unable to move the gear-stick myself."

[TriComEMS2401]

It would seem that Kitt has an auto transmission. Then again even if he was a stick I'm sure Kitt could still drive himself. Ki2t drove himself and he was auto he still moved gear shift into drive or reverse on his own. I'm sure even though Ki3t AI is still learning he seems advanced enough to be able to shift gears himself. Then again I maybe way off.

[cloudkitt]

Well of course he could move the stick himself. But then wouldn't he just count as an automatic anyway?

[goldbug]

Well of course he could move the stick himself. But then wouldn't he just count as an automatic anyway?

KI3T - redefining automatic transmission for a new generation!

[KnightINSTINCT]

As a kid, I was just amazed at my family's Chrysler 300m with it's shift system. You guys know what I'm talking about: Primarily an auto trans, but you can switch the mode to where you can toggle through the gears just by bumping the gear shifter. If I didn't shift when I was suppose to, the car would automatically just shift the gear for me anyways. I thought it was a fun way bringing the aspect of video gaming to real life.

[KnightRiderKR]

He is a highly advanced GT500KR period.

[seeker78]

hmm isn't an automatic transmission doing the same thing as a manual, except automatically? That is to say, it still goes from 1st to 2nd etc., but the gears are switched automatically? So there doesn't seem to be anything illogical about manual backup. Just like gauges, the windshield is the main digital gauge and the analog is a backup (I still think the dashboard should have a digital indication that is bigger than the analog backups).

A manual transmission control for such a car might be no different than buttons, sending electrical signals to the motor, or it could be a hydraulic valve. The helm control on a submarine has a similar backup mode.

--Brian

[RobWolf]

Just out of curiosity, was the 'KR' in Shelby GT500KR added because the car was going to be in Knight Rider, or is it just a coincidence (or god forbid, the reason why the car was chosen, "Oh, it has the initials KR, it's PERFECT!")

[GT500KR]

Just out of curiosity, was the 'KR' in Shelby GT500KR added because the car was going to be in Knight Rider, or is it just a coincidence (or god forbid, the reason why the car was chosen, "Oh, it has the initials KR, it's PERFECT!")

KR in GT-500 KR is actually King of the Road. Shelby making about 1500 KR to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1968 Shelby GT-500 KR

[89IROCNDoug]

Just out of curiosity, was the 'KR' in Shelby GT500KR added because the car was going to be in Knight Rider, or is it just a coincidence (or god forbid, the reason why the car was chosen, "Oh, it has the initials KR, it's PERFECT!")

I believe it was just a coincidence, since the GT500KR was the top of the line Mustang that was already planned for production by Ford. (Ford also had KR (King of the Road) Mustangs in the past)

[Knight-Armen]

He is a highly advanced GT500KR period.

LOL! He's like any other Shelby GT500, only with a red light bar at the front.

Yes, I know the attack mode "looks" highly advanced but that's just some fiberglass added to the car which you can buy right off your dealership.

The rest is computer graphics!