In case anyone's interested

[KRAvengerII]

There's an article on SCIFI.com's news page, where Justin Breuning talks a bit about the new knight Rider pilot.

[K.I.T.T]

Have you got a direct link?

[Knight Rider Archive]

http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.ph ... 0&id=47290

[PHOENIXZERO]

So has the Knight Foundation/Industries lost the formula to the MBS or something? If so they better explain why the car would need "armor" unless it's to "enhance" the car's durability further for whatever reason.

This does make it seem more like Viper, but this time the car talks.....

[K.I.T.T]

Many thanks for the info.

[justinbrueningnet]

Thanks for posting this

[HungarianKnight]

So has the Knight Foundation/Industries lost the formula to the MBS or something? If so they better explain why the car would need "armor" unless it's to "enhance" the car's durability further for whatever reason.

This does make it seem more like Viper, but this time the car talks.....

The MBS formula was known by three people: Devon, a guy who lives i Switzerland and another one who was killed in Goliath. I think with the death of Devon, the formula was lost and they needed a new armour to keep Kitt out of harm's way.

[Lost Knight]

The "attack mode" K.I.T.T. had "armored" louvers over the grill, a large spoiler on the back deck, black rims on the wheels and other enhancements.

I don't believe the article is necessarily stating that the car will actually be armored instead of having the Molecular Bonded Shell; rather, just the front grille is shielded with what appears to be armor.

However, I still do believe that there will be no MBS and no turbo boosts.

[PHOENIXZERO]

True, but I hope that's not the case, it would seem like Wilton Knight would have at least kept the full formula somewhere safe since he would know (and should have thought of given his health) they'd eventually die and it'd be lost.

Besides, they were able to reapply it to KITT after he was destroyed in Knight of the Juggernaut, weren't one or two of the scientist killed before then?


I see there was an update (that notification is a nice thing to have) so I can reply before sending and having to edit.


I'm hoping, it's part of a "disguise" and to maybe the grille thing is to help with the aerodynamics... I dunno, I didn't hate Viper but when it came out I can say I wasn't that big a fan since there was that comparison of KITT always in my mind. But this does sound too much like Viper method of protecting the car/driver. If it really is an armor thing then that's going to suck and it'll pretty much another regression from the original KITT. Though I do think it might just be for disguise/aerodynamics since a car changing color just when in attack mode would be kind of pointless.

I just don't want nanotechnology to be the explanation for everything because NBC is in love with it which IMO is due to GE being heavily invested in research of it.


As for the Turbo Boost thing, if they really don't include it, that's going to be another negative since it was one of the original series trademarks. Aside from their apparent removal of the source of KITT's being able to do it, it seems like something could have been thought up for it. Even with their apparently not having that big of a budget it shouldn't be hard to do. Though choices made (including lowering the car) kind of put a damper on that... We'll see.....

[KRAvengerII]

Article in this week's TV guide- picture of breuning and the hoff.

[Victor Kros]

Gee who was it that posted that theory that this new KITT won't have the MBS because Devon and Elizebeth weren't around and that maybe this nano-tech armor was a replacement? Hmmm let me think here...oh yeah...it was me.

Nice article, thanks for posting it. It doesn't really say much more then I didn't know already but it's good to get confirmation about certain abilities. I wonder though, does the K3000 also turn invisable?

=VK=

[Michael Pajaro]

The article seems to use the word "armored" to describe the appearance of the car, not necessarily what the fictional abilities may be. Whether they call it "MBS" or UTW (Ultra Turtle Wax), if KITT is bulletproof (including windows) then I think we're covered.

[justinbrueningnet]

Article in this week's TV guide- picture of breuning and the hoff.

Does anyone have a scan of this article? I would like to get a scan for my website, but they do not carry TV Guide in stores out here anymore.

Thanks!

[neps]

I think one review also mentioned an SUV getting destroyed as it rams head onto KITT stoped perpendicular - that seems MBS like to me.

[tamatt27]

Gee who was it that posted that theory that this new KITT won't have the MBS because Devon and Elizebeth weren't around and that maybe this nano-tech armor was a replacement? Hmmm let me think here...oh yeah...it was me.

Nice article, thanks for posting it. It doesn't really say much more then I didn't know already but it's good to get confirmation about certain abilities. I wonder though, does the K3000 also turn invisable?

=VK=

Tooting your own horn much huh?

[1982]

As for the Turbo Boost thing, if they really don't include it, that's going to be another negative since it was one of the original series trademarks. Aside from their apparent removal of the source of KITT's being able to do it, it seems like something could have been thought up for it. Even with their apparently not having that big of a budget it shouldn't be hard to do. Though choices made (including lowering the car) kind of put a damper on that... We'll see.....

The Turbo Boost stunt is very doable for the Mustang, as in actually doing the stunt, on the NBC show.

As for the Larson Movie, I don't expect to see the actual stunt being done except with CGI, given the lack of response to feedback given on the subject.

[Victor Kros]

As for the Larson Movie, I don't expect to see the actual stunt being done except with CGI, given the lack of response to feedback given on the subject.

FEEDBACK ON THE SUBJECT
"I would say, take the Camaro and build the Trans Am that GM won’t. Overall, like the 82 Trans Am, it would give you the closest to everything you want. The One-of-a kind look, the 4 seats, the performance, adaptability,.…..

You have said that there will be Turbo Boost. Unless you talking CGI, the Low clearance problem can be handled with an air suspension system, though ANY low profile tires and big rims will have to be replaced with higher profile tires and smaller rims (with hubcaps to simulate a bigger rim). Low profile tires and big rims WILL NOT survive the stunt without blowing a tire and trashing the rim. Not something you want to happen at the speed it takes to do the stunt. Using a Camaro transformed into a Trans Am you would have an area in the rear to put weight to balance out the car to do an actual jump stunt, without gutting out part of it as you would, on say the NSX or simular."

- If you're referring to this post above, I am not a prop/movie car builder and neither are you but feel free to speculate all you like. You have no idea what changes we would put into the concept to make it do what is needed if we chose to use that car. Additionally the original Trans Am was thrashed when it landed from a jump most of the time, that's why the camera would typically cut away from the impact at the last second, to a cockpit shot of Michael's reaction. The same can be done for a stunt version of the car we do choose to use. Perhaps even intentionally as a nod to the original fans of the series.

It's really a matter of artistic choice, not real world limitations. Not everything needs to be done with CG and turbo boost is no exception.

=VK=

[seeker78]

Actually the idea of nanotechnology being used for machine self-repair has been around for a long time. The Borg use something like it in Star Trek The Next Generation. I think Data was shown being able to regenerate his "skin" at some point too, not quite sure on that. I know they already have nanotech armor, it is light and flexible like cotton, but if a bullet hits it, it instantly becomes harder than steel, then relaxes after the force is dissipated.

http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribun ... 01_09.html
http://www.news.com/2100-1001-859877.html

Like I said, nanotech is really hot right now.

They also have a factory being built in Silicon Valley that will be the largest solar photovoltaic factory in the world, and the product is based on nanotechnology, it is a new way that you can basically print the solar panels the way you would print out a web page on a printer, except they're printed on metal.

http://nanosolar.com/

There have been rumors in civilian press for a long time that the USAF has been working on daylight stealth, that is to say, the bottom of the aircraft could be made to look like the sky above it, so if you looked up and tried to find the aircraft, you would just see blue. This idea of nanotech enhanced camouflage was seen in a Bond Movie too, Die Another Day, I think.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/invisibility-cloak.htm

"The shape of the aircraft, too, is – accidentally or intentionally – laid out to avoid shadows. This suggests strongly that the Bird of Prey is a demonstrator for visual stealth technology. "

http://www.janes.com/aerospace/military ... _1_n.shtml

But yeah, as long as KITT is impervious to bullets, whether they bounce off with nanotech armor that becomes harder on impact, or whether the holes are instantly regenerated with nanotech, I think the spirit of KR is intact.

[KRAvengerII]

There's an interview today, with the actress who plays Sarah Graiman.

[Duster]

There's an interview today, with the actress who plays Sarah Graiman.

And here is the link:

http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.ph ... 0&id=47312


A scan of the photo showing Hasselhoff and Bruening would be appreciated by the way

[PHOENIXZERO]

Yes, you did mention it before Victor. I remember one of the episodes of Knight Rider from I think the first season, where the car went up and you could see it pretty much coming down nose first but then they cut away to either the "stock" landing or the inside of the car view. I think that was "Slammin' Sammy's Stunt Show Spectacular".

The Turbo Boost stunt is very doable for the Mustang, as in actually doing the stunt, on the NBC show.

Of course it's doable but they'd either have to do it with CG or models (which would certainly look better than the old KR ones) or both since they wouldn't want to trash one of the six cars they got from Ford for the backdoor pilot. Hopefully the new KITT isn't just a 550HP engine (Hybrid or not) and has something similar to the originals turbine engine since if I remember correctly, the idea behind the Turbo Boost jump came from KITT's turbine engine where initially Turbo Boost (I seem to only vaguely remember a couple times when it was used this way) was just a quick boost of speed. But to jump KITT could point the afterburners or whatever downwards so the thrust would lift the car off the ground and over (or through) an obstacle.


As for the MBS, they can't exclude it, if anything it should be improved since it's been over 25 years since the original KITT first had it. Even if at the time no one knew more than one part, it should have at some point since the end of the original series been known to someone, it'd only be logical that someone like Devon and other good guys wouldn't want the formula to be lost. Eh, I'm just dreading potential Viper flashbacks.... Sure Star Trek did it but it was a lot more fitting for the Borg. I'm just tired of NBC shows using it. Granted I can only think of the dreadful Bionic Woman and ol'Viper at the moment but I'm sure they've had shows in between that have used it at some point.

[KITTfan]

the idea behind the Turbo Boost jump came from KITT's turbine engine where initially Turbo Boost (I seem to only vaguely remember a couple times when it was used this way) was just a quick boost of speed.

Turboboost seems to do many things, the jump, the boost of speed but also functioning as a brake. In A Plush Ride Michael reaches both hands in KITT's dash to do a reverse Turbo Boost in order to stop the car before the cliff. Also the Turboboost jump can be done in reverse mode, like in the Knight in Shining Armor episode.

[KRAvengerII]

There's an interview today, with the actress who plays Sarah Graiman.

And here is the link:

http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.ph ... 0&id=47312


A scan of the photo showing Hasselhoff and Bruening would be appreciated by the way

Mike's usually our scan guy- so how about it?

[PHOENIXZERO]

I dunno, I'd feel bad for him wasting the money on a TV guide just to scan it. Unless he has a subscription for some reason or can access for free.

[KRAvengerII]

Another day, another SCIFI article.. (You'd think SCIFI is owned by NBCUniversal or something...)