• On MovieTome: The next Marvel mutant movie?
advertisementDrop, charge, and lose the cords
February 19, 2008 12:05 PM PST

Lessons learned from the new Knight Rider

by Wayne Cunningham

K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider (Credit: Ford)

Knight Rider returned last weekend in a made-for-TV movie/pilot with a new car, the Knight Industries Three Thousand (still K.I.T.T.), and a new, young driver. Of course we watched it, and would like to say we learned a lot about the world and ourselves. But the lessons we took away from the new Knight Rider were more specific to driving a high-tech car while fighting crime, something we do at CNET Car Tech almost every day (except for the fighting crime part).

  1. If you owe a gangster $90,000, it's a good idea to get a cash advance on your credit card and play Texas Hold 'em in a Las Vegas casino.
  2. FBI agents prefer the Ford Escape.
  3. A Ford Edge can keep up with a Ford Shelby GT500KR Mustang.
  4. Because of its excellent brakes, the Ford Edge is a pretty good car if you are about to get in a head-on collision with a big rig.
  5. Real-time satellite imagery is a great addition to GPS.
  6. A solar add-on can boost the mileage of the Ford Shelby GT500KR Mustang to 167 mpg.
  7. If someone is shooting at you, make sure the computer is on.
  8. Don't bother shaving, even if you are going to your mother's funeral.

If you have no idea what we're talking about, you can catch the new Knight Rider on NBC this Saturday, February 23, at 9 p.m./8 p.m. Central.

Topics:

News

Tags:

Ford,

K.I.T.T.,

movies

Share:
Digg
Del.icio.us
Reddit
Recent posts from The Car Tech blog
143: Ford puts airbags where? Hybrid Humvees, and a ride in the X5 M.
Award-winning tech at the 2009 SEMA Show
Peugeot's funny, little, electric concept
Dartz Kombat T-98 vs. Hummer H-1
Denso eyes standard hybrid parts
Rolls Royce Drophead, Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano spotted in Paris
Tuners embrace Hyundai Genesis at SEMA
Matte black Lexus LF-A is stealthy super car
Add a Comment (Log in or register) Showing 1 of 2 pages (46 Comments)
by kwahhn February 19, 2008 12:25 PM PST
That remake movie/show was horrible. So was the last remake of Knight Rider that up and failed.
Reply to this comment
by Yuzer_Nayme February 19, 2008 12:36 PM PST
What about:
"Simplicity is better than complexity" when you need fuel in Nebraska ... or, more to the point, Ford has no viable alternative-fuel technology.
Reply to this comment
by Tre4or February 23, 2008 10:32 AM PST
My god, I'm still have tears of laughter in my eyes from that comment. Funny. To think I actually made a conscious decision to to give up 2 hours of playing Mass Effect to watch this show.
by teknarchy February 19, 2008 1:02 PM PST
I guess even a hybrid is out of the question.

I'm just assuming that Knight Rider was a victim of the writer's strike - it would explain why the FBI agent was "outed" in the first 5 minutes of the movie. Whatever happened to getting to drag that on for a few years and keep everyone guessing.

Oh well, maybe she's bi-curious.
Reply to this comment
by the_smurf February 19, 2008 1:05 PM PST
This looks like it's going to be a fantastic new series.

Don't try to draw any parallels between the old and the new. If you do, and think the old version is better than the new one, then the only channel you should be watching is nick at night... and reruns of miami vice.

La Femme Nikkita had better acting and plot than the old Knight Rider.

Also, this new Ford blows the old Trans Am out of the water, in every way.

New Ford : Old Trans Am :: Daniel Craig : Pierce Brosnan
Reply to this comment
by Geewiz February 21, 2008 3:31 PM PST
SO you are saying Daniel Craig is better than Pierce Brosnan. Wait at least for the next 007 flick before making that decision. There's a reason Pierce has done more Bond movies than any of his predecessors, not saying he's better than the original Scottish Badass.
by mustangeater July 17, 2008 7:53 PM PDT
mustangs are like tampons every ***** has one ,PERIOD!the old kitt would smoke that stang,all that show was is a mustang movie thats it,transformers camaro tore ford another ***** so they had to do something,well the paid out the but to have it as the new kitt and how you gonna have the car of the future a remake of a car from the 60s lol,another one of fords fkd up ways they work backwards cause their forward stuff dont sell
by Barçafan February 20, 2008 5:07 AM PST
Not with a Ford, Please...

How can they use such a piece of $#3+ as is the Ford Mustang to film the new version of Knight Rider? OMG, what a disappointment. What are we going to see next; a Kia Rio?

Nice try Ford....
Reply to this comment
by MrGadgetman February 21, 2008 9:12 PM PST
Kia Rio...? That's kinda harsh isn't it? ;-)
by Varcix February 20, 2008 6:27 AM PST
I applaud Ford Film Studios...who would have thought they could take one of the best series of the 80s and bring it up to speed with today's technology using a cheap A budget....nice job...idiots!

Seriously though, what a sad next installment to the brand 'Knight Rider' settling for a Ford Mustang, one of the worst least reliable automobile companies barely alive...why not just use a kia rio? Good call previous commentor
Reply to this comment
by cooks128 February 20, 2008 6:41 AM PST
Fin on Fin...car go supaaa fast!!!!!

I had to turn the channel after 10 minutes....this show is ridiculous.
Reply to this comment
by dariffle February 20, 2008 7:14 AM PST
While I surely don't think the new Knight Rider series is great conceptually, I think the nostalgia factor has set in where the old series is concerned. The original was just as laughable. The original Knight Rider just didn't seem as ridiculous because it aired during a time period with other equally inane concepts such as The A Team and The Fall Guy. And let's not forget Manimal.

If you watch the show for what it is, a silly mindless romp, you just might enjoy it. Not every show is meant to be a highbrow affair. If the show involved a realistic portrail of current automotive technology, it would just be a show about a guy in a cheesy leather jacket riding around in suped up car anyone could buy.

That said, the show will last six episodes tops.
Reply to this comment
by MrGadgetman February 21, 2008 9:17 PM PST
When we were young and watching Knight Rider you know you thought it was the coolest thing, thanks to the relatively innocent child-like mind. It certain pegs the cheese-o-meter today though. Given NBC's track record for sci-fi series I agree it will not last very long.
by jpmccloud01 February 20, 2008 7:39 AM PST
OK, first the car, I loved this car even though it was definitely over kill spiked up. Second the other Ford cars are actually very good on the streets around here I think they are just great. I do wish KITT was a GM though, like in the Original, But witch GM car. Think CORVETTE! As far as the Characters, they where all over the place and it was hard trying to feel there connection at first and I beleive their wasn't enough in the Pilot biult on the new VS old story. David The Hoffe looked drunk and more should have been explained as to where Micheal went. All and all though it was fun to watch though it was way to lightly done the cars still made me want a ford
Reply to this comment
by reol9 February 20, 2008 10:11 AM PST
Didn't they try this already in the 90s? I think they used a Dodge Viper....Well, the car looks awesome, but an awesome car doesn't make an awesome plot....hopefully they get it right.
Reply to this comment
by akito13 February 20, 2008 11:33 AM PST
The Dodge Viper car was used in a series of its own called Viper. Same concept as Knight Rider but without the talking car. The one you are trying to remember is the TV movie Knight Rider 2000 where KITT was still voiced by Mr. Feeney from Boy Meets World and Mike was using a futuristic stun gun that shot out electrical impulse bullets to incapacitate the baddies. KITT was a red concept car. Awful. That was sorta like a reunion show but more off the awful scale.
Reply to this comment
by Ferris B February 20, 2008 11:33 AM PST
Love the new KITT. Show looks promising, too - just wish they would have fleshed out the character development more in the pilot. Felt a little too light.
Reply to this comment
by shpladam February 20, 2008 11:46 AM PST
I have seen porns with better acting
Reply to this comment
by anand_dh February 20, 2008 6:16 PM PST
Me too! Bad Acting, Bad Story Line and Bad Directing
by dyakir February 20, 2008 12:08 PM PST
To the guys and gals who know nothing about cars. The Ford Mustang is one of the most highly rated vehicles on the road and a best seller.... Remember it's the transam and camaro that went under.
Reply to this comment
by Barçafan February 21, 2008 5:53 PM PST
Ok, to talk about cars, real cars is one think. Now, talking about Fords, and Chevy, and Chrysler and Hyundai, etc.. is another think. Those pieces of junk are just not good cars, period.
By the way, Mc Donalds sells more food than say, Chilli's; but, which one you think is better?
by MrGadgetman February 21, 2008 9:28 PM PST
Sales isn't always indicative of being the best. For the majority of their rivalry especially in the later years, GMs spanked the Mustang in nearly every mesurable performance parameter.
by Wes#1 February 20, 2008 12:29 PM PST
The writing was silly enough... but a MUSTANG? sheesh. The original series used a then-new Trans-am which had a futuristic look for this hi-tech vehicle. The Mustang is pure retro. People looked at the old KITT and thought "WOW, what is THAT?" They look at this recycled 'stang and say, "huh?"
Reply to this comment
by Peachboy February 20, 2008 3:04 PM PST
Does it have Turbo Boost??
Reply to this comment
by sonneta February 20, 2008 3:40 PM PST
9. When trying to outmaneuver bad guys, chit chat during your escape and rendezvous a few feet from them and hang around with no look out.
Reply to this comment
by kalligel February 20, 2008 5:46 PM PST
Manimal...I forgot all about that one! Ok, I was pretty young then, and do remember watching them -- all of them. And, yeah, they were great (I was 12). They were all the same level of tv back then and not too many shows were on that were higher caliber shows. I think this new version would almost fit right in (in the 80´s). This time they tried hard to be current and hip, but failed to the point of ridiculousness. I don´t know if it would be possible to really make this concept intelligent -- maybe they should have aimed for fun and campy -- maybe even a bit retro -- maybe that would´ve been a better approach.

As for the car...I don´t care -- it talked...it was KITT...I always liked KITT (but he was more fun when he teased the bad guys in the 80s. He always allowed them to try to break in for a while before brushing them off like flies.)
Reply to this comment
by mashimikee February 20, 2008 6:28 PM PST
I know that new "nano armor" is supposed to be pretty strong, but I had no idea that K.I.T.T. had the ability to defy the laws of physics. That Explorer/Expedition got totally destroyed and K.I.T.T. didn't even budge an inch!!! AMAZING!
Reply to this comment
by orim181 February 20, 2008 9:12 PM PST
i think it was a CHEVY SUV..like a Tahoe or Suburban. if i recalled correctly, it's kinda funny how the Ford slaughtered the Chevy.
by MrGadgetman February 21, 2008 9:32 PM PST
Now..., don't go ruining the ride with all that fangled fisicks talk. Take your fancy book-learnins elsewhere!! ;-)
by sonymaster101 February 20, 2008 8:24 PM PST
why did they have to use a mustnag of all things? It would have been a lot cooler if they used something like a mclaren f1, or a lambo, or something like that. Or a big truck. that would be even better! I was a little surprised in watching the show that a plain jane ford could keep up with a supercar that could supposedly go 200+.
Reply to this comment
Showing 1 of 2 pages (46 Comments)

Search Car Tech

advertisement

About The Car Tech blog

CNET's Car Tech blog covers the latest developments in the automotive industry, with commentary on car stereos, hybrid and concept cars, GPS, and much more. The Car Tech blog offers the latest news and reviews from CNET's Car Tech reviews channel.

Add this feed to your online news reader

The Car Tech blog topics

Reviews & advice
Site map
Editorial policies
Meet the editors
How we test
Forums
Internet speed test
Popular topics
Apple iPhone
Apple iPod
Cell phones
Dell
GPS
LCD TV
CNET sites
CNET Site map
CNET TV
Downloads
News
Reviews
Shopper.com
More information
Newsletters
CNET Mobile
Customer Help Center
RSS
CNET Widgets
About CNET
sponsored