knight rider online

Errr this came as a bit of a shock when I was browsing hlj.com, but Aoshima are making BOTH of KITT and KARR 1:18 cars at around £34 ($62). However, I am not sure if it is coincidence that both are being released at the same time as the ERTL model (November).

http://www.hlj.com/scripts/hljpage.cgi?AOS07324

http://www.hlj.com/scripts/hljpage.cgi?AOS07325

….now what are we suppose to do….buy all 3!!!

Sarfraz

Incredible news indeed! At just $60.00 or so, it would be a bargain if Aoshima would indeed manufacture their 1:18 version to match that of ERTL. As we all know, when it comes to realism, nothing comes close to Aoshima. The problem is...those who bought the 1:43 scale KITT and KARR replicas will certainly feel short changed! Those little cars cost a lot! I hope Aoshima provides some prototype pics soon so that we will have time to nitpick and compare. As I always say, bring it on!

I certainly don't feel short changed as I've been buying both sizes of F1 cars for many years now, so to have a 1:18 Aoshima KR cars to fit with the rest of my collection would be a bonus. My first model cars were 1/43 so I appreciate who much harder it is to engineer detail into those tiny bodies. I'm just alittle concerned by the fact that all 3 cars have the same release date. Is that coinedence, or did Aoshima just wanted to ruin ERTL's party.

The Aoshima KITT has a pic but it looks suspiciously like the 1/43 KITT. To be honest that still looks better than the ERTL 1:18 but I'll be keeping an eye on hlj.com to see if we get more pics soon.

Sarfraz

That's good news! I hope there'll be soon some good photos of final products of ERTL and Aoshima KITT models.
It's really great that nowdays there's again being created more and more new Knight Rider merchandise! Memories comes to mind from the 80's when the shops were full of Knight Rider stuff...

-KITTfan-

I wonder what kind of gimickry Aoshima will put in their new model. No doubt they will try to steal the shine off of ERTL. The flashing scanner is a given. I hope they incorporate a TALKING mechanism, this is by far the best way to beat ERTL. So far, only the 21 year old Kenner KITT has this feature, its about time some company duplicated the feat.

It just dawned on me why the Ertl model doesn't look so accurate to K.I.T.T. It's the competition- if Aoshima creates a 100% accurate replica of K.I.T.T. from season 1 for example, Ertl can't use that exact same mold and would have to make their's slightly different. This is not even including having to make their features different, which that looks apparent. Just having different features but having the EXACT same mold isn't enough.

I'm starting to think Ertl might have purposely made certain things not quite as accurate to be original and make their own version more unique for copyright/trademark purposes. This is sort of the same type of idea on why the Knight 4000 looks the way it did, Pontiac didn't give the producers permission to use that car, and they still wanted to use it, so basically they still did but made things ever so slightly different.

How come Aoshima are listing their 1/18 scale KITT and KARR models as "1/18 Die-Cast Motorcycle"?

Could they be getting Knight Rider mixed up with Street Hawk, by any chance . . . ?

DJGM wrote:How come Aoshima are listing their 1/18 scale KITT and KARR models as "1/18 Die-Cast Motorcycle"?

Could they be getting Knight Rider mixed up with Street Hawk, by any chance . . . ?

It's probably just a typo, or an error in their listing.

HondaSiR wrote:I hope they incorporate a TALKING mechanism, this is by far the best way to beat ERTL. So far, only the 21 year old Kenner KITT has this feature, its about time some company duplicated the feat.

Ohh.. this would be a bonus! Considering that microchips have become more complex, smaller, and more versitile over the past 2 decades they should certainly be able to fit an enormous amount of KR quotes onto one!

Better yet.. a descrete mini-USB [similar to digicams] port for uploading of your own custom KITT sounds via MP3 format.. Now that would be cool!

AP

Oh yea, K.I.T.T. would really be affordable then. The model would reach iPod status if that happens, lol. And you know what, I'd still find a way to buy it!

Will the Aoshima 1:18 scale version be available in North America (Through North American vendors/sites) or only in Japan (or eBay) like the 1:43 scale versions released earlier?

PBH wrote:Will the Aoshima 1:18 scale version be available in North America (Through North American vendors/sites) or only in Japan (or eBay) like the 1:43 scale versions released earlier?

The only North American site that I know that sells Japan toys is http://www.showcasetoys.com. They sell the Aoshima 1/43 KITT and KARR so most probably, they will be selling the Aoshima 1:18 KITT as well as KARR...

I have just e-mailed http://www.showcasetoys.com and asked the following questions:
1 - Will you be carrying Aoshima/Skynet's 1:18 scale versions of K.I.T.T & K.A.R.R.?
2 - Do you sell Aoshima/Skynet's 1:43 scale version of K.I.T.T.? (in addition to K.A.R.R.)

PBH wrote:I have just e-mailed http://www.showcasetoys.com and asked the following questions:
1 - Will you be carrying Aoshima/Skynet's 1:18 scale versions of K.I.T.T & K.A.R.R.?
2 - Do you sell Aoshima/Skynet's 1:43 scale version of K.I.T.T.? (in addition to K.A.R.R.)

REPLY FROM http://WWW.SHOWCASETOYS.COM
The 1:18 scale Knight Rider KITT model by Aoshima will more than likely be the RC2 model in different packaging. Aoshima releases a number of different models from other companies. As for the 1:43 scale Knight Rider KITT and KARR, I have one set left. They have become almost impossible to find in Japan.

If anyone wants me to reply in any way, let me know.

Huh? They say that the Aoshima 1:18 KITT will most likely be the RC2 KITT in a different packaging?? I don't understand... Then why is the price different for the model at hlj? Then what abt the Aoshima 1:18 KARR? Will that be the RC2 model in an Aoshima packaging as well? Does this also mean that RC2 is doing KARR?

well,it could be one of a few things.
1.aoshima could paint the cars,add a KARR plate,repackage them and sell them as KARR.
2.they can just add a KARR plate,repackage them and sell them as the earlier version of KARR.
3.they can be the ertl cars but with all the mistakes corrected by aoshima.
4.what showcase is stating might be correct.i just don't understand the added cost unless it is just for the repackaging.
5.what showcase is saying is completely false and they are just speculating.however,it is quite odd that aoshima announced their release date as just only a month after that of ertl's.it would be just enough time to get them,repackage them,maybe even tweak them some and re-sell them.then again,why don't they have the full list of features listed if they are the ertl cars?maybe to sucker people into paying more by buying them as pre-orders?if they exposed the car as having the same features,it would be quite obvious that they are the same.
i think the only way to know for sure is to contact aoshima and ask them.i don't know for sure if they will tell you though.i guess we might not know until they are both released.

Hmmm... But Aoshima is known to push their release dates further.. They say November, but it may be delayed....unless of coz they will be using the RC2 model and repackage them... then maybe it wld be released around the same time as RC2... Also, KARR will probably have the two tone colour like the previous KARR releases from Aoshima..

But what showcasetoys has said cld be true because I remembered that around April this year, Aoshima used the AMT ERTL model kit of KITT and resold them as KARR..... Check this out (keep scrolling down, somewhere in the middle of the page)>>>http://www.aoshima-bk.co.jp/scripts/sho ... 04&month=4

If this is the case... I think I will get the 1:18 RC2 KITT and the 1:18 Aoshima KARR..... That way, I will have both KITT and KARR

Update: I have just preordered the Aoshima 1:18 KARR from HLJ...

I just hope for the Aoshima KARR that they use the correct season 1-2 dashboard and that the silver paint trims over the wheel wells, unlike the 1:43 scale model of KARR and Hot Wheels version, etc.

I think its speculation more than anything else as to what the Aoshima model is. We have nothing concrete to go on apart from the release date being the same. This does favour the idea that it may just be one model repackaged. However, why do I get the feeling that the KARR paint job which is the Aoshima model will have, is likely to be of a better quality?

Sarfraz

Lost Knight wrote:Oh yea, K.I.T.T. would really be affordable then. The model would reach iPod status if that happens, lol. And you know what, I'd still find a way to buy it!

LOL! Ipod hahahahaha Man you are one funny guy.

As posted on BREAKING NEWS!!...1/18 SCALE DIE CAST KITT COMING IN OCT thread:

MEXICAN KNIGHT wrote:Hey guys, check out what i found; i guess these ones are from the final version. Take a look at this link:

http://www.rakuten.co.jp/be-j/463527/554425/608782/

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I think it's probably better that Aoshima decided to go with the seasons 1-2 dashboard because they are also producing K.A.R.R., who requires that dashboard. I think it works out easier for mass marketing purposes, so at least that detail of the models will be correct. I think if it was the 3rd-4th season dashboard that KARR would have it as well like he did in the 1/43 scale models.

Unfortunately I think because of the cheapness of using an exact mold with different paint, it will take away from other fine details on the models. I guess it would simply be more money and effort to change certain things like the dashboard for a 3rd-4th season version of K.I.T.T. (the nose wouldn't change because the current one doesn't have blackouts or bumper grills).

Maybe I'm too picky but it would have been nice having the 3rd-4th season dash so that it would be more accurate to be released with KARR, like the way it was in the episode "K.I.T.T. vs. K.A.R.R."

More pics of 1:18 KITT and KARR found... Shd be of the same as ERTL's right? No more orange lights..

Yes! Those are awesome pics my man! Looks like ERTL and/or Aoshima cleaned up their act and at least removed the orange foglights. They got the tail light blackouts too, and the correct rear license plates! The scanner appears to even have a trailing effect! Way too cool! Although the rear compartment should not be black in color, its still a must have model. I am definitely buying one now.

Very cool indeed. So the only major thing wrong now is the white lettering which shouldn't be too difficult to change when the models are purchased. The lack of bumper grills and turn signal blackouts I can live with. Looks like K.A.R.R. doesn't have the silver paint going over the wheel wells either, damn!

As for the trunk compartment, did we ever actually get to see inside K.I.T.T.'s trunk? I know we've seen it open but I don't remember actually seeing inside. I know that there was a black cloth attached to the trunk lid to hide whatever may be in the trunk, so maybe the black color isn't inaccurate afterall?