jiunjie.com

The iconic KITT car from ‘Knight Rider’ has been put on sale.

The modified black 1982 Pontiac Trans Am vehicle - made famous in the hit 80s TV show starring David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight - is available to buy for £76,000 ($150,000) from a California dealership.

The ‘talking’ car - which could reach speeds of 300mph, soar 50 feet in the air and throw smoke bombs in the show - has two working video screens on the dashboard. One is connected to a camera in the front of the car, while the other is linked to a DVD player with speakers hidden under the nose.

KITT - which stands for Knight Industries Two Thousand - also has a glowing red scanner on the nose and colored buttons emblazoned with the words eject, rocket boost, oil slick and ski mode.

Car dealer Johnny Verhoek admits most of the buttons don’t actually do anything.

KITT has a V8 engine and just 2,393 miles on the clock.

It was one of the original Pontiac cars used in the show.

Unfortunately KITT can’t really speak or drive itself.

The vehicle reportedly isn’t even street legal, because it doesn’t have smog equipment.

In the movie, Knight Rider,

KITT is loaded with special features such as the commonly-used Turbo Boost, which allows quick bursts of speed or jumping over obstacles. KITT could also drive himself, but perhaps his most distinct and recognizable aspect was his front mounted scan bar which, among other things, allowed KITT to “see”. KITT’s body panels were coated with an advanced “molecular bonded shell” armor coating which would resist conventional weapon fire as well as most artillery and explosive blasts although a strong direct hit by those attacks could cause severe damage.

KITT underwent a major modification during a refit in 1985 which included the addition of “Super Pursuit Mode” and a convertible top.

KITT had many features, most of which had an activation button associated with them that were on panels mounted on either side of the steering wheel or on a console mounted on the ceiling of the interior. Many of these button functions seem to change around, appearing and disappearing, or rearranging from episode to episode. Some were used once and never seen again.

This is the first time one of the 10 ‘Knight Rider’ cars has been sold publicly, although two cars are on display at UK and US museums.

It is thought the car will be bought by a private collector or a museum - chat show host Jay Leno is said to be interested.

Tim Russo bought the car at a San Diego auction in 1997 and has spent the last decade sourcing parts to restore it - just in time for ‘Knight Rider’s’ 25th debut anniversary.

[Source] here & here

Technorati Tags: David Hasselhoff, KITT, Knight Industries Two Thousand, knight rider, Michael Knight, Pontiac Trans Am, sale, talking car