K.I.T.T. (3000)
From Knight Rider
K.I.T.T., the Knight Industries 3000, is an upgrade to The Knight Industries 2000 from the original series. It first appears in the 2008 Knight Rider movie.
K.I.T.T. is a 2008 Ford Mustang GT500KR, with similar features to its predecessor and the ability to morph into a "battle mode", a new effect achieved primarily with CGI animation. In the movie, it was created by Charles Graiman. Behind the scenes, it was designed by Harald Belker, and the parts to modify the Ford were created by Ted Moser from Picture Car Warehouse.[1]
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Features
As an upgraded version of K.I.T.T 2000, K.I.T.T. 3000 contains many of the same features as its predecessor. However, due to improvements in materials science, computer miniaturization, and other technology advances, similar features may have dramatically improved effectiveness in the later car.
The known features of K.I.T.T. 3000 include:
- 1000-Watt Quadraphonic Stereo System
- 24-Hour Roadside Assistance""
- 360-Degree Video Surveillance""
- 3D Heads-Up Display""
- Anamorphic Equalizer - KITT's most obvious external modification is his dual front scan bars.
- Aquatic Synthesizer""
- Auto Collision Avoidance""
- Autopilot""
- Audio/Video In-Dash Functions""
- Biometric Analysis""
- Computer AI - KITT remains essentially an advanced supercomputer on wheels. The brain of KITT is the version 2.3 Knight 2000 microprocessor, upgraded from the previous version 1.0 used in K.I.T.T. 2000.
- Blood Analyzer
- DNA Analysis Equipment
- Electromagnetic Field Generator
- Electronic Field Disrupter
- Electronic Jamming System - This allows KITT to manipulate other electronic devices, and occasional non-electronic ones.
- Etymotic Equalizer - This system allows KITT to hear sound. An array of audio sensors were threaded throughout his interior and exterior.
- FBI database access
- Graphic Translator
- Heated Seats
- High-speed Internet
- Holographic Projection
- Infrared Tracking Scope - KITT can monitor the position of specific vehicles in the area within 20 miles.
- In-Seat Medical Diagnosis
- Interior Oxygenator - KITT could release oxygen into his driver compartment and provide air to passengers if he was ever submerged in water or buried in earth. This is also used to overcome the effects of certain drugs.
- Keyless Entry and Ignition
- Laser-Guided Missile Defense
- Laser Weapons System
- Mass Spectrometer
- Metallic paint with nanotech enhanced camouflage
- Microscanners - Microscanners are tiny audio and visual sensors embedded into the grooves of KITT's body. They allow for visual tracking and display of anything around the car.
- Microwave Ignition Sensor
- Microwave Jammer
- Military-Grade GPS
- Military satellite access
- Mini-KITT Reconnaissance Drone
- Nanotech Cloaking
- Olfactory Sensor - KITT can "smell" via an atmospheric sampling device mounted in his front bumper.
- Personal Safety System
- Power System - KITT is powered by an aluminum block/titanium head 5.4-liter V8 internal combustion with Whipple supercharger and Knight Industries liquid air cycle auxiliary turbine engine. Power output is 540 horsepower in "Hero" mode, unknown in "Attack" mode. Specifications: 0 to 60 mph: 1.77 seconds, standing quarter mile: 3.87 seconds, 12 ft. braking distance from 300mph.
- Pyroclastic Lamination - KITT is protected by a thermal-resistant coating that can withstand sustained temperatures of up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Radar
- Rocket Boosters
- Self-regeneration and damage repair
- Smokescreen
- Sonar
- Spectrograph
- Sports-tuned suspension
- Targeted Electromagnetic Pulse
- Ultramagnesium Charges - KITT can launch magnesium flares, which can also be used to divert heat-seeking missiles fired at him.
- Ultraphonic Chemical Analyzer - KITT has an anelectron scanner that can analyze the chemical properties of various materials. It could even scan fingerprints and read ballistic information off bullets and compare these with a police database. Aside from the scanning tray, the system could also analyze chemical information gathered from KITT's exterior sensors.
- Voice-activated GPS system
- Voice Analyzer
- Voice Synthesizer - KITT's Voice Synthesizer allows his logic module to speak and communicate through his Voice Modulator.
- X-Ray
- Xenon headlamps with infrared night-vision
KITT's total production cost is estimated at $45.6 million in 2008 dollars.
Versions
Three versions of K.I.T.T. are seen in the movie [2]:
- The K.I.T.T. Hero: the "everyday" car
- The K.I.T.T. Attack: a high speed version with Air-ride Suspension technology and special body parts for "Attack Mode"
- The K.I.T.T. Remote: a driverless version of the Hero
As with all of K.I.T.T.'s visual transformations, changes between the versions are done digitally with CGI animation.
K.I.T.T.'s "Attack" version has different coloring from the other versions: the gray Shelby stripes, wheels, and badging are blacked out. This is presumably part of K.I.T.T.'s nanotech camouflage stealth defenses
Casting
Originally, Will Arnett was cast as the voice of K.I.T.T. However, after he had finished recording his parts to everyone's satisfaction, a contract dispute was raised. His is the distinctive voice heard on GMC car and truck commercials, but K.I.T.T. is a Ford vehicle. As a result, Val Kilmer was cast as K.I.T.T.'s voice and the material was re-recorded. [3]
