KITT GT500KR's FAKE?

[GarthKnight08]

I dont know if this has been addressed but it says here http://www.galpinautosports.com/news.php that the new KITT's used for the new show are actually Mustang GT's made to look like the GT500KR, which is lame! And whats even lamer is the MTV's Pimp My Ride crew are the ones who tricked it out! Im not knocking the design its just that you would think that a more repitible movie/show car customizer would have been involved since the shows biggest star really is the car! Cant wait for the 20 flat screens or flavored oxygen bar to come out of the trunk lol!

[shinobi594]

I doubt the public will know the difference anyway, especially on TV. A GT500KR uses the same exact chassis as the base Mustangs (only difference I believe is a modified suspension, bigger force induced motor, and a body kit), so its should be fairly easy to make a fake GT500KR. Just like all the posers roaming the streets with Fake Saleen mustangs, Mike Tracer is going to be a Riceboy lol ( http://www.riceboypage.com )

The automatic deal is preffered I believe because some actors cannot drive manual, is easier to drive, and that its probably easier to make a remote controlled vehicle that is automatic, than one with a clutch... (Do the upcoming GT500KRs come with Sequential transmissions?) I'd still watch it. Besides, a real GT500KR won't have all the features that KITT will have anyway... Why wait for a GT500KR to come out when it only takes a few bolt on ricer mods to make a GT500KR look-a-like? ;p

[ckeller22]

The cars in the two hr pilot are Mustang gts that have been modified to look like the Shelby KR500. The reason being is that the KR500 doesn't come out until the spring and due to filming and actors they needed an automatic transmission which the real KR500's are not equipped with all KR500 will be manuals.

[stevefawcett]

i know for a fact the cars are re badged 302s

[Hardkore]

I think I came across this last month....

http://jalopnik.com/cars/knight-rider/k ... 334268.php

All is not well in the land of Knight Rider as we hear the K.I.T.T. models that everyone was shown might not be actual KR's because most of the cast can't drive a stick. It's possible that two are stock automatic GTs converted to look like KR's and one is maybe an actual KR with an auto box swapped in. We also have it from one of our sources that there are a lot of people upset over the choice of the Mustang, but that NBC is too happy with whatever deal they have with Ford to care. The details below the jump:

This is what we have from our source:

None of theme are true Kr's...They had to be automatic cause most of the cast can't drive stick, so they had Galpin whip up some stock automatics to look KRish....and [name redacted] and the designer had expressed their problems with using the stang feeling fans would be a lil pissed and the Execs brushed them off. I spoke with [redacted] yesterday and he asked me what I thought knowing I was a fan and I told him I didn't like it...and he said "Everyone doesn't like it cept NBC"

[Lost Knight]

Honestly, I question whether NBC would even care if the series (assuming there is one) gets canceled due to fans' rejection of the Mustang. I have no doubt that the telepic will do good in ratings, but the two challenges after that would be to maintain viewers' interest and the returning competition once the writers strike is over. I get the feeling NBC is most concerned about their long-term benefits of the deal with Ford, which apparently reach beyond the series.

[Shapeshifter]

Honestly, I question whether NBC would even care if the series (assuming there is one) gets canceled due to fans' rejection of the Mustang. I have no doubt that the telepic will do good in ratings, but the two challenges after that would be to maintain viewers' interest and the returning competition once the writers strike is over. I get the feeling NBC is most concerned about their long-term benefits of the deal with Ford, which apparently reach beyond the series.

I think NBC WOULD care if the series got cancelled due to rejection of the Mustang, but they don't think that the casual viewers that make up the vast majority of the audience WILL care.

What will be important is if people accept the new KR universe: characters, dialogue, and story. If they do, then they'll buy the Mustang, too.

[ckeller22]

Aled Jones wrote:i know for a fact the cars are re badged 302s

Well to let you know that the KR500's are all re badged GT500

Delivering the "King of the Road"

Each Shelby GT500KR begins life as a GT500, built at AutoAlliance International Inc., in Flat Rock, Mich. From there, the cars are shipped to Shelby Automobile's facility in Las Vegas, where a Ford Racing performance pack, exhaust system and short-throw shifter are installed. The GT500KR also is fitted with body, chassis and interior components. Every GT500KR will be hand customized and delivered to each customer in an enclosed transporter, just like the legendary Ford GT.

Here is the link http://jalopnik.com/343852/ford-gt500kr ... ay-carroll

[PHOENIXZERO]

So this was completely a corporate choice after all and had nothing to do with what was "needed" for the car they chose? Figures.

Laaaaaaaammmmme... >_<

[vampire knight]

Considering there will only be 100 real GT500KRs built I always assumed they were using either base V6 cars or GTs. It's not really a surprise, why would they use a really rare car when they can take a run of the mill Mustang to look just like it? Hollywood has money, but they still like to do things within a budget. If it looks the part no one knows any different. Was not the SPM car a V6 Firebird? It's Hollywood people, they're all about creating the illusion and the fantasy, they don't care if it's fake as long as the audience thinks it's real.

[Michael Pajaro]

I consider myself a pretty hardcore Knight Rider fan. It had to be explained to me that the "KR" in GT500KR was not tacked on at the end by NBC. It is an absolute non-issue for me. Could not care less.

[knightendo_phil]

Me too Mike. So what, people?! TV and films play tricks all the time, from costumes to special effetcs to make-up and stunts, so WHAT if it's not this or that, but in actual fact has the same power and performance needed and the same slick looks etc etc. The mechanics at Pimp My Ride I am sure had nothing to do with it, lmao, and when a car isn't even OUT yet, to make these cars up to be exactly like it is pretty damn cool in my book. But for the most part I don't care!!

Stop finding ways to bash it just because it's not a bleedin' Trans Am or whatever car you would've chosen yourself. I love the new KITT and can't wait for the show.

[ckeller22]

The KR was not tacked on by NBC. KR does not stand for Knight Rider . It was by pure coincidence. Celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the original Shelby Cobra GT500KR, Ford and Shelby collaborate on a new ‘King of the Road’ Mustang with the 2008 Shelby GT500KR. It does not stand for Knight Rider. It was by pure coincidence. KR really stands for King of the Road. Forty years ago, at the 1967 New York Auto Show, Ford introduced the most powerful Shelby Mustang ever. Like every Mustang that bore the name ‘Shelby,’ the GT500KR carries with it its own unique story.The 1968 Shelby Cobra GT500KR is the original car. This car is the updated version.

[Michael Pajaro]

Here's the only way I think it would be a problem for me.

This is OK to have in the script:
Villian #1 "Anybody wanting a fifteen thousand dollar bonus is to smash that Mustang head on. Do you hear me? Head on."

This is not:
Villian #1 "Anybody wanting a fifteen thousand dollar bonus is to smash that Mustang GT500KR head on. Do you hear me? Head on."

[seeker78]

So what, people?! TV and films play tricks all the time, from costumes to special effetcs to make-up and stunts, so WHAT if it's not this or that, [...] But for the most part I don't care!!

Stop finding ways to bash it just because it's not a bleedin' Trans Am or whatever car you would've chosen yourself. I love the new KITT and can't wait for the show.

I agree with this, it's yet another argument that a given car should not be ruled out to be used for KR just because it doesn't have a V8 engine and is RWD.

Just like I said before... "looks like a spycar/kitt-like" and "performs closest to kitt in the real world" are two different things, personally I don't want a car with real world performance closest to KITT and looks nothing like a spycar/sleek/etc. The looks are more important than the real world performance of the car.

A Mustang GT500KR can't go 0-60 in 0.2 seconds any more than a Pontiac G6 can, people. both are abysmally slow compared to KITT, the FICTIONAL vehicle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The new KITT is just fine, I have faith that the show will be good, I'll watch at least this pilot, can't guarantee that I'll watch other episodes...