Aside from the red light glowing and pacing in the hoodscoop, we knew something was up from the pronounced blub, blub, blub idle allowed by the Power Pack mufflers. They proved plenty vocal, but not obnoxiously so for enthusiast driving. Likewise, the stock clutch and short-throw shifter combine for perfectly acceptable daily manners. We're still enjoying the improved shifting from all the '08 Mustangs, and we're pleased to say we barely noticed the KITT's short-throw transmission controller. Too many of these are cover-ups for sticky, wrist-spraining gear changes, but the Ford Racing unit is clearly designed for daily living.
A reputed 40 extra horsepower was to our KITT car's credit, but what had us smiling was the photo car's much-improved response. Stock GT 500s are anemic down low on the tach thanks to the factory tuning and 3:31 gears. With the Ford Racing recalibration, the throttle picked up with authority right away and kept building linearly across the tach. Wringing out the loud pedal definitely hoisted the bulged hood and thrust the musclecar off into the zoom zone, so call us happy. Print!
Just as improved was the handling. Again, stock GT 500s tend to the sloppy side of grip. They eventually stick when asked to corner, but in a softly rolling sort of way. On a road course, they're one-line cars, steaming battleship-like through the apexes with nearly no ability to jinx or juke to unexpected challenges. Given the slightly firmer Ford Racing Handling Kit, our KITT KR clone was willing to carve a line. Precision and poise were definitely better, and combined with more precise power, it had us admiring the black beast right away.
Credit also, we suppose, to the 20-inch Nitto NT555 rolling stock on Shelby's forged rims. The 225/35ZR20 front and 275/35ZR20 rear rubber telegraphed its grip well and did what it could to balance the weighty KITT's pavement grip. The trouble is, our KITT is clearly from the same corn-fed GT 500 stock, and all that weight, especially the high and forward blower and iron engine block, means understeer is more than desirable. While easily sensed and countered with the throttle, the whole rig simply gave up grip too soon.
In other words, the KITT was a tremendous musclecar, able to get around corners in a predictable, fun fashion, if not giving Lotus Exiges handling doubts. Our overall impression of the KITT's driving experience-which we're sure presages all high-end Shelby KR and Super Snake dynamics-is that while grip is consumed by excess weight, the tautened chassis and better power are far easier to control, handle tighter, and are ultimately in harmony.
Maybe it was the lack of bad guys on the loose-there were plenty locked-up nearby-but ours was not a crime-fighting Hollywood experience. We smoked the KITT's hides almost 100 miles east of Tinseltown in the desert in near total privacy, relishing in the KITT's sideways antics. From the driver seat, the KITT's red light is invisible (indeed, the display on our car was none too bright in daylight); the interior is stock GT 500, leaving only the bumped KR hood to sweeten the view. Personally, we looked at the car as a muscularly handsome Mustang; a real musclecar presence. If only the car had talked back...
Knight Rider is a modern western, with a high-tech horse and solo-riding hero who lives by the code. The original '82 series with David Hasselhoff set the story line of a millionaire named Knight who bankrolls David's police-investigator character from near death into a private crime fighter, free to select the prettiest damsel in distress or most action-packed syndicate opponent. For crime-fighting wheels, enter the super-tech KITT, or Knight Industries Two Thousand, a Pontiac Trans Am with a wise-cracking, nagging computer; self-driving ability; and a gnarly weapons suite.
Today's Knight Rider remake stars a new crop of young studs and beauties, along with the KITT-Knight Industries Three Thousand-a Shelby Mustang GT 500KR. As before, Justin Bruening's character, Mike Tracer, is amply financed and free to roam for trouble in KITT, which is more than amply prepped for action. Updating means KITT now sports a supercomputer, along with indestructible bodywork that morphs with nanotechnology into a vengeful Attack form-or into the camouflage of a plebian Mustang GT.
Just as your grandmother hopefully watched The Sound of Music only for the scenery and singing, Knight Rider's juvenile premise, wooden acting, and running-advertisment feel assure it fleeting TV fame, but the imaginations spurred by the inventive KITT Shelby will have lasting virtue.