David Hasselhoff Is Selling His Personal ‘knight Rider’ Car
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The fictional car, known as K.I.T.T., Knight Industries Two Thousand, was a TV fantasy in the 1980s. Today, of course, some real-life cars can talk to you as well as drive themselves.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Good morning. I’m Steve Inskeep. Actor David Hasselhoff is selling a Pontiac Firebird Trans Am.
WILLIAM DANIELS: I’m the voice of Knight Industry 2000’s microprocessor – KITT for easy reference.
INSKEEP: The car called KITT, run with artificial intelligence, was his partner in the ’80s crime show “Knight Rider.”
DANIELS: May I suggest you put the car in the autocruise mode for safety’s sake?
INSKEEP: The fictional car was a kind of TV fantasy. Today, of course, real-life cars can talk to you or drive themselves. It’s MORNING EDITION.
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Knight Rider: The Game
Knight Rider: The Game is a video game based on the original television series of the same name. It was developed by Davilex Games and distributed by Tri Synergy, and was released on November 22, 2002. The game allows the player to take control of KITT the Knight Industries Two Thousand, in a range of missions including, racing, exploring, chasing and others. The player also meets famous villains from the original series, including KARR and Garthe Knight.
Shaping The Kitts Design
With the Trans Ams in the shows hands, the staff of Knight Rider would begin further modifications on the vehicles to give them a futuristic look. Working off detailed renderings from John Schinella, Pontiacs design chief, the staff modified the cars interiors and exteriors to create the KITTs signature appearance.
Besides making exterior changes that fit the Cylon Warrior look, they also modified the interiors with new buttons, screens and digital readouts. The cars also received fiberglass coverings over the dashboards.
The decision to allow Knight Rider to use the Trans Am ended up being an excellent move by Pontiac. The show was a huge success and put the Trans Am in front of millions of viewers. In addition to the TV shows popularity, the car also gained notoriety due to the high merchandise sales the series generated. Its almost unthinkable now to imagine the KITT as any car but the Trans Am.
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What Happened When The Show Was Cancelled
Many of the KITT television show vehicles didnt live long after the shows ended. Ten-to-twelve of them were destroyed after filming ceased, in accordance with an agreement with GM. Some were junked after being thoroughly abused for stunts in the show because stunt drivers show no mercy. Another of the vehicles was placed on display in a theme park for a time.
There are only five surviving KITTs. One was recently brought to Jay Lenos Garage for review . Of those five, the original hero car still exists. It was in the Kruse Museum in Auburn, Indiana until recently. Then it went to storage.
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Buick Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
GM is already bringing back HUMMER under the GMC brand, so its not a stretch that it could do the same for Pontiac in Buick showrooms with a futuristic twist. The automakers new electric skateboard chassis can accommodate a wide variety of body types, so slipping a new Firebird Trans Am body on one would be a snap. In fact, an animation demonstrating its flexibility depicts it with a Camaro-type body that would look great with pop-up headlights and a red light bouncing back and forth across the front of it.
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What Kind Of Cars Were Kitt & Karr
The cars used in Knight Rider were 1982 -1983 Pontiac Firebird Trans Ams, most with either the Crossfire injected 305 V8 or a normally carbureted 305 or 350, turbo 350 transmission with the convertible car in Season 4 being a Pontiac Firebird S/E 2.8 carbureted V6.
The production used all three body types throughout filming. The main cars were T-Tops, the stunt cars were hard top and obviously the C button car was a convertible.
The Hoff’s Personal Kitt Is Up For Auction And It Ain’t Cheap
How much is Knight Rider nostalgia worth?
You’re looking at David Hasselhoff‘s personal KITT, a highly modified Pontiac Firebird Trans Am given the full Knight Rider treatment. While this isn’t one of the vehicles used in the show, of which few survived, it appears to be an exacting replica of the hero car of the early ’80s drama. And while you’d expect something like this, personally owned by the show’s lead actor, to go for big bucks, you might be shocked about how big. At the time of this writing, with 10 days left on the auction, bidding is up to $475,000.
This isn’t the first KITT that Hasselhoff has owned or sold, either. Last year, he told erstwhile Top Gear host Chris Evans, on his radio show, that he’d sold a similar replica to a man in Turkey . He claimed to regret selling the car almost immediately, as The Sun reported, and was hoping to buy another KITT replica. Perhaps the one listed here on LiveAuctioneers is that replacement?
Will the Hoff regret selling this one, too? Judging by the current bidding, we highly doubt it.
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A Whole New Future For Our Windows And Tires Literally
Window tinting is nothing new to us! In fact, Continentals intelligent glass control connects a cars window with an in-car computer, offering the option of darkening the windows. But that is now. KITT was able to do something similar. But it was not only the windows where KITT teased our imaginations with futuristic possibilities.
This trans am was equipped with self-inflating tires. Like tintable windows, it may seem outdated. But remember, we are talking about the eighties. Michael Scheffe was creating an on-screen future, and it was a Trans Am paving part of the way.
Where Is Kitt Now
Apparently, five KITT cars survived the show, even after being sent to various museums and theme parks. One was at Universal Studios for a long time, and another was at the NBC theme park.
According to a website called KittStillRocks, they own two of the surviving five-screen used Knight Rider Trans Ams. They also build KITT replicas for business.
One is owned by a private collector and was loaned to Jay Leno for his show, Jay Leno’s Garage. The fourth was owned by Volo Auto Museum and auctioned off on eBay in 2018 to an undisclosed owner.
In the words of Supercar Blondie, put a chromed-out Bugatti Chiron in front of KITT and people will still have eyes only for the Trans Am.
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A Tesla Would Be A Logical Choice
Whats the Tesla Roadster worth?
WHATS INSIDE?
On the 80s TV show, KITT could reach speeds of 300 mph in Super Pursuit Mode. Todays Tesla Roadster can achieve 250 mph and boasts a zero-to-60 time of 1.9 seconds without help from a fictional power booster. And lets not forget Tesla already offers self-driving with its semiautonomous feature, Autopilot. KITTs appeal is its revolutionary tech, design, and performance, and the Tesla Roadster delivers all three.
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Trans Am Depot Trans Am
Florida-based Trans Am Depot has taken GMs old business plan and run with it, converting current Camaros into Firebird Trans Am lookalikes. The cars have more of a 1970s Smoky and the Bandit vibe, and are missing the all-important pop-up headlights, but it probably wouldnt be too hard to do a Go-Go Eighties version.
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See More At Jay’s Garage:
Lets talk a bit about the car’s backstory, because its absolutely worth knowing. Of approximately 20 Pontiacs used through the course of the show, this was one of the last ones built and lived the hard life of a stunt car. It actually started life as a base Firebird without t-tops, nor did it have the full-on futuristic dash. It did, however, get a 305 cubic-inch V8 and an upgraded Turbo 350 three-speed automatic transmission, as well as significant chassis bracing. It also got a trick braking system that could lock just the fronts for better burnouts, or just the rears for excellent opposite-lock turns.
When the show ended, the car was given a full K.I.T.T. conversion and was put on display at Universal Studios for the better part of a decade. Once that chapter was finished, the car was simply put out to pasture in a junkyard. Enter Huth, who stepped in and restored the car to its glory days at Universal Studios while keeping the original stunt car modifications intact. Because you know, thats what die-hard fans and car enthusiasts do.
Apparently, average car guys who love and saved one the most famous Hollywood cars of all time are just a bit too nerdy for Jay.
Meet The Kitt At The Volo Auto Museum
If you’re wondering where the KITT car is now, you’re in luck. You can find a detailed replica at Volo Auto Museum. Unlike other KITT replicas cobbled together from mail-order parts online, our KITT was built using the original production designs. The car has all the KITT interior pieces, perfectly mirroring the original car from the steering wheel and dashboard to the lower and upper consoles.
One cool detail of this KITT is that it’s been autographed by the legendary George Barris, who worked on “Knight Rider” in its later seasons. The car also features a certificate of authenticity so it can be used as an exhibition vehicle. To see the KITT, all you have to do is take a trip to the Volo Auto Museum. Along with our KITT exhibit, we also have many other displays that are sure to please every member of your family.
Start planning your trip to see our KITT exhibit for an unforgettable journey to the past. If you have any questions ahead of your visit, reach out to us and we’ll be glad to assist.
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Can Todays Cars Carry On Kitts Legacy
In the 80s, a car capable of super-high speeds, satellite communication, and self-driving was unheard of and totally futuristic. But todays everyday cars boast all of those features. Will that leave jaded audiences unimpressed with the new film?
The Knight Rider reboot, like many Hollywood projects during the pandemic, may take a little longer to come to fruition. Well have to wait to see what producers come up with and hope the new KITT can compare to the 80s car we thought was the coolest of all.
David Hasselhoff’s Personal Kitt Car From Knight Rider Is Worth $1 Million
Buy it and the Hoff will even personally deliver it to you.
Famous TV and movie cars that cross the auction block often fetch big bucks. The Ford Mustang GT390 famously driven by Steve McQueen in ‘Bullitt’ became one of the most expensive Mustangs to ever sell at auction. And now you can own KITT from the 1980s TV show ‘Knight Rider’. No, this isn’t a replica car: David Hasselhoff is selling his own personal KITT car as part of an ongoing auction. This has to be a dream come true for die-hard fans of the show.
If you grew up in the 1980s, KITT probably needs no introduction. Based on a Pontiac Trans Am, the self-driving KITT is one of the most iconic TV cars of all time and was a character in its own right thanks to its AI voice that enabled it to talk to Michael Knight while fighting crime.
According to the sales listing, Hasselhoff’s KITT has received a full conversion. There aren’t any other details available, but it certainly looks as authentic as the cars featured in the show, sporting a distinctive red flashing light bar on the front and a heavily modified interior. While the listing describes the car as being “fully functional,” don’t expect it to have any working gadgets or weapons, unlike the Aston Martin DB5 Goldfinger Continuation Car.
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When Cars Dont Speak
There was one feature about KITT which offered a sharp contrast to the cars ability to talk and that was the noiseless engine. Silent mode offered KITT the option of stealth over sound. But again, near-silent engines are nothing new to us.
With the growth of electric vehicles, the capability that was meant to shock us in the eighties, is now becoming a common feature. So much so, that silence, a weapon of stealth for KITT, is now a danger to us, with pedestrians sometimes oblivious to oncoming traffic.
How Pontiac Turned Down Knight Rider
Knight Rider premiered on NBC in 1982, and little did the shows producers or even David Hasselhoff himself know the crazy amounts of success the show would attain and the money it would make.
One man at Pontiac knew and saw the potential when the company was first approached by NBC for a Trans Ams to be modified into the immortal KITT. He was Pontiacs West Coast public relations manager, Eric Dahlquist.
At the time, Pontiacs Sales Promotion Manager Jim Graham found the shows idea to be corny and decided that it went against the kind of image Pontiac wanted for its Firebird Trans Ams, shocking Dahlquist. Graham himself had let the movie Smokey and the Bandit use a Trans Am and it was considered to be a master automotive product placement. Later Graham also made the deal to place the car in Smokey and the Bandit II as well as Hooper and took the Trans Ams image to new heights.
But Graham could not be convinced to let Knight Rider use a Trans Am and Dahlquist had to find ways to go around him. At the time, Trans Am sales were down and the all-new 1982 Firebird Trans Am was expected to make magic. Despite Grahams resistance, Dahlquist pressed ahead, looping in design chief John Schinella and LA Zone Manager John Kitzmiller. He then enlisted the help of Pontiacs GM, Bill Hoglund, who decided to go ahead if Dahlquist could bring around Graham.
The rest is knighted history!
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Kitt From Knight Rider Hits The Auction Block The Hoff Is Up For Grabs
We have fantastic news if youre a big fan of the hit 80s entertainment franchise Knight Rider and the man himself, David Hasselhoff. Diligent Auction Services is listing the actual KITT car from the Knight Rider TV series along with a larger-than-life replica of David Hasselhoff in his trademark Baywatch red beach shorts.
First, lets talk about the car. If you grew up in the mid-80s to early 90s, its easy to understand why KITT from Knight Rider belongs in the pantheon of iconic TV cars. Knight Industries Two Thousand is a 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am with a front-mounted scanner bar and smart microprocessor with a self-aware cybernetic logic module.
In other words, KITT is a blazing-fast supercomputer on wheels who fights crime alongside fictional character Michael Knight, a wealthy industrialist and crime fighter portrayed by David Hasselhoff. According to auction data, the vehicle is a fully-functional conversion car with all the lights, switches, and that magnificent gullwing steering wheel from the TV show.
KITT is currently resting in the United Kingdom, and the lot winner is responsible for paying the shipping costs. The auction estimate is between $175,000 and $300,00. Heres the catch: If bidding exceeds 25-percent of the $975,000 reserve price, David Hasselhoff will personally deliver the vehicle to its new owner.
Happy bidding!
After Michael Left Flag
K.I.T.T.’s main CPU unit had apparently been housed inside Sky One without anyone’s knowledge, most likely placed there by Michael or Devon. He then began posing as a mysterious man named Shadow trying to help the Team Knight Rider. K.I.T.T. calls for a secret meeting with Team Knight Rider in an abandoned office building. Although they are suspicious, Kyle and Jenny go to meet Shadow while the rest of the team waits outside. Shadow tells Kyle and Jenny everything that Mobius has done to them has been related and Mobius has been trying to get to him. As Shadow is about to reveal Mobius’ next target, the building starts to explode. Kyle and Jenny narrowly escape, leaving Shadow trapped behind. Later On Sky One, Mobius activates a working mind control device and rolls unnoticed past Gil the mechanic. He enters the situation room, where Shadow is waiting for him. Shadow tells Mobius that it was only a matter a time before Mobius figured out who he was. Mobius says that he’s taking Shadow with him. A sphere-shaped electronic casing labeled “K.I.T.T.” rises from the center console and Mobius removes it. As soon as he does, the holographic image of Shadow disappears. Mobius leaves just as the team arrives. They discover a message: longitude and latitude coordinates.
The team goes to the location and finds a tombstone marked “Michael Knight R.I.P. One man who made a difference”. A man appears and tells them “I’m Michael Knight. Or at least I was.”
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