“He’s coming. A car, a computer, a man. Knight Rider. A man and his car fight against injustice.” A whole generation grew up with these sentences. The first episode of the action series “Knight Rider” first aired on US television 40 years ago – on September 26, 1982. It turned the (human) protagonist into a global star – and the talking vehicle into a cult object.
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Turbo Boost and Super Chase Mode
Examples of KITT’s legendary prowess included Turbo Boost and Super Pursuit mode. The Turbo Boost allowed the black one Amy, jump over obstacles at the touch of a button. In super chase mode, KITT reached speeds in excess of 300 miles per hour (more than 480 km/h) on TV.
The hallmark of KITT par excellence is the pulsating red scanner in the front of the vehicle.
Any child of the 80’s can probably recognize KITT by his red scanner in the front of the vehicle wandering back and forth and the accompanying noise. When separated from his human co-star David Hasselhoff, aka Michael Knight, the two communicated via comlink, a voice link in Knight’s watch.
Molecular sealing made KITT invulnerable
KITT could run on any liquid flammable material and had a molecular seal that made it nearly indestructible. The car was serviced by Dr. Donnie Barstow and April Curtis, his personal mechanics.
Controlled other cars with Microjam
In the course of the series series, the equipment of the super car was constantly expanded. In Silent Mode, KITT dimmed its engine noise so far that it was barely audible. Microjam made it possible to manipulate electrical systems and let KITT control other cars.
Cult, but not really practical: KITT’s spacious cockpit with the stub steering wheel.
With his grappling hook, KITT was able to pull himself out of waterholes. He roped people down from rocks with a winch. With its surveillance mode, KITT could track people or objects and take pictures of areas that were not directly visible.
KITT even had an ATM on board
Its emergency brake increased drag and made braking from super chase mode possible. An invisible seat belt protected the passengers. KITT was even able to eavesdrop on telephone conversations via comlink. And even in the event that David Hasselhoff alias Michael Knight ran out of cash, provisions were made. KITT had an ATM on board.
“Knight Rider” is well remembered by Hasselhoff
“It feels like yesterday. I can still remember almost everything,” said Hasselhoff of the German Press Agency. The entertainer was 30 years old when the double episode ‘Knight of the Phoenix’ aired on cable network NBC. Curly hair, leather jacket, tight jeans: These were the trademarks of the cool, always flirty agent Michael Knight, who solved criminal cases with his talking sports car.
He can hardly do without him: David Hasselhoff on the “30 Years Looking For Freedom” tour in April 2018 in Berlin’s Friedrichstadtpalast.
Around three years after the start in the US, the cult duo also made it onto the screens in Germany – and became a huge success for what had previously been a rather small private broadcaster. “I know that ‘Knight Rider’ did very well on RTL. It made the station well-known because it was the first series they bought from America,” Hasselhoff recalls. The radio plays for the series were also a hit .
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But after four seasons, NBC canceled the series in 1986 because of high production costs. Attempts to revive the series through films and spin-off series always failed.
“I don’t think it was a vision”
With material from dpa.
