This week’s Pontiac vehicle that was featured in popular American culture comes straight out of the 1980s NBC lineup. I, being a boy between the ages of nine and 13, couldn’t wait until the crime fighters Michael Knight and KITT graced my television screen each week.
But even though Michael Knight did all the work, my eyes were glued to the sleek black Pontiac Trans Am as it sped through the streets, deserts and anywhere else it needed to go to catch the bad guy. If you’ve forgotten some of the fascinating things about this vehicle, here is a quick refresher course:
• KITT stands for the “Knight Industries Two Thousand,” the company that actually built the car with artificial intelligence for fighting crime.
• The voice of KITT was William Daniels, the same guy that rose to fame as Mr. Feeney in the 1990s TV series Boy Meets World. He was also in Quincy and many more shows over the years.
• This popular Trans Am had a revolutionary Molecular Bonded Shell, allowing it to resist any damage by a variety of weapons and even heavy artillery.
• NBC actually used a stock 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am for creating KITT. Engineers customized it into what it became in the TV show.
• There’s a rumor saying that GM sent the very first of that model straight from the assembly line to Universal Studios. While the show was popular, people would go to their nearest Pontiac dealer and ask for the Knight 2000. Unfortunately, this actual vehicle did not exist.
I don’t know about you, but I’m excited to see the new Knight Rider this fall!
