Knight Rider Gets a Turbo Boost

NBC Unveils New "Attack KITT" at Comic-Con

The cast of NBC's rebooted '80s classic Knight Rider, appeared at Comic-Con International in San Diego last week to introduce their star automobile's new look. Dubbed the "Attack KITT," the 3.0 version of the artificially intelligent car has been given a serious upgrade.

For those who might not remember the original series, the first KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand) was a Pontiac Trans Am driven by Michael Knight (David Hasslehoff) on his never ending quest for justice and a clean roadside bathroom. When NBC premiered its two-hour telemovie/backdoor pilot in February, the familiar KITT had undergone a radical transformation: the new KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand) had become a Ford Mustang Shelby.

With the new show slated to premiere in September, the makers of Knight Rider decided to pull out all the stops for the Comic-Con crowd. Not only did they host a panel to discuss the series and show an amazing one-minute preview, they also brought out the big star.

NBC has re-engineered KITT once again. Part Transformer, the new KITT has been shown in previews morphing from one form to another. One of its new looks is the "Attack KITT." The supped-up "attack mode" unveiled at Comic-Con, was custom-built for the show by Smart Car designer Harald Belker.

Gary Scott Thompson, the new executive producer and show runner of Knight Rider, said in a recent interview that the main thing fans missed in the telemovie was the turbo boost. "No turbo boost," Thompson said immediately. "No turbo boost. That was a million times: No turbo boost."

But the new car is also influenced by cutting-edge, real-world technology. As cars become more heavily integrated with computer technology, it makes sense that KITT could be upgraded on a weekly basis. Need the car to do something for this week's episode? Upload a new program into the car's system.

Of course, it takes more than one good mechanic to keep the new KITT running. One of the changes in the show is the team of automotive technicians, headed by Sarah Graiman (Deanna Russo), that work to keep the car upgraded.

The new show has drawn me in with the same premise that engaged me in the first series. KITT is a cool car that can do cool things. I love the thought of a car that can talk, drive itself and (when necessary) hit turbo boost and fly through the air.

Oh yeah. Can't wait for the turbo boost.