Kitts speed

[Rockatteer]

Is it me or did Kitt always have the same top speed in all four series?
Wasn't Kitts top speed always around the 300mph...even in the earlier episodes?

then in season 4 they claimed a 40% speed increase, but the top speed was still the same?

of corse I could be mistaken....wouldn't be the first time...wont be the last

[Garth4ever]

Do you mean boost or normal top driving speed. If you mean the jet boost then I concur!
I'm not sure about the metric conversion but I've been playing my promotional copy of knight rider the computer game that i didn't pay for for playstation 2 with my mate zac and it only goes at 120mph so I think you've got your wires crossed somewhere. You've added on loads of miles! I think bonnie would think twice about letting you on the roads if thats the speed you'd go!!!!!!

[Newcastle knight]

I think KITT's top speed in everything apart from season 4 was around about 200mph.

in The Topaz Connection when they are going through the desert after the airplane, KITT is bottoming out at 200mph. if you look at the bar above the speedo which also indicated speed, its at the very end and i think it drops back down a bar.

KITT's only ever gone over 200, that i can remember anyway using some function, or a ramjet like in Goliath where he hits 310mph

But then again this might be a discussion that nobody can win because we know what Knight Rider is like for changing stuff and making things inconsistent.

Scott

[cornelius]

Reginald Cornelius III

Didn't this young, hip, black mechanic augment KITTS performance by 40%, I believe that would bring the top speed to within spitting distance of 300mph. I also believe that the addition of the water-cooled Cabrillo accelerators also yielded a slight increase in both acceleration and top-speed.

[Garth4ever]

If K.I.T.T had stripped down some the extra features that he doesn't use then maybe he could near around 283.5 mph but as he stands there is absolutely no way on earth he could ever reach 300, even with KARRs engine added on board, going down hill on a turbo boost.
I don't mean to take the wind out of your sails but there is a limitation to KITTS performance, even though we might sometimes think he's some sort of supercar there is a point at which it just becomes fantasy.
Half the time I reckon they used the same clip of the dashboard anyway.
Sorry, jsut feeling a little jaded today.

[cornelius]

Strapping multiple deuterium powered ramjets to KITT's bodywork would turn him into a cartwheeling ball of flame that could easily breach the discussed speed limit. KITT would in effect become the Phoenix from Battle of the Planets with a whopping top speed of 30km/s in a vaccuum (limited to around Mach 12 in the Earth's atmosphere). Still a vast improvement, I think you'll agree.

[neps]

I don't mean to take the wind out of your sails but there is a limitation to KITTS performance, even though we might sometimes think he's some sort of supercar there is a point at which it just becomes fantasy.

Isn't the whole show about fantasy? It is about a talking car with a mind of its own after all.

disclaimer: yes I understand that this may exist somewhere top secret like, and possibily one day exist in the real world, but as far as most uninformed viewers minds are concerned, nothing like this exists.

neil

[Garth4ever]

Yes neps, I concur about the whole show being fantasy but for fantasty to exist it still has to have a foot hold in the real world for it to be believable which is why knight rider is more adult and realistic than say blue thunder or street hawk or airwolf or other super vehicle shows that simply throw realism to the wind for the sake of cheap thrills. If for instance you said KITT could go 740mph and fly upside down with guns one episode then only 145 the next and KITT coudn't fly anymore and only had close combat weapons, the Knight Rider community would be up in arms as the realism and continuity would be broken. This is why this string was started in the first place - talking about kitts top speed as if it were a real car which is why this question intrigued me. I think we all know that it is a fantasy show and that why we love it. Anyway, knowing the rate technology is growing I wouldn't be surprised if the japanese people haven't already invented a KARR BETTER than KITT that DOES exist! Just Imagine that!!!!

[Michael Pajaro]

A quick internet search shows many real-life production cars that can do over 250mph, so I don't think KITT's 300mph is unrealistic at all.

2003 Dodge Tomahawk Concept 300+ mph
1987 Oldsmobile Aerotech 278 mph
1988 Callaway Sledgehammer Corvette 254 mph
2003 Bugatti 16/4 Veyron 252 mph
1994 Dauer 962 Le Mans 250 mph
(fast-autos.net)

I think it's the openning scene of Inside Out where a cop is tracking KITT's speed on radar and it goes off the scale once it passes 225 mph. Promotional material for the show also seemed to suggest KITT could always do 300mph.

If you want to make the show consistent with SPM, I'd say that SPM allowed for SUSTAINED speeds of around 300mph, but before that KITT could only get up around that speed for short bursts. There's nothing in the show that specifically says that's the difference, I'm just filling in some blanks.

Mike

[Garth4ever]

Forgive me if I'm wrong, and I think I speak for everyone here, but we're not talking about production cars, we're talking about KITT a 'FANTASY' car, that ISN't A PRODUCTION car like you've mentioned (nep will back me up on this one!!) and, having played my promotional copy of Knioght rider the game that isn't even out in the shops yet AND i didn't pay for it(no it's not pirated!!!!, I'm against that!!!! ) as I'm lucky enpough to work for a big player in the industry and WE get them FREE, and in that KITT Goes at 120mph, expect for when hees boasting over trains. I don't see how throwing around a few facts abot KARRS that AREN't KITT is doing anything other than confusing things. IT is unrealistic in as far as continuity goes. I for one know as I'm sure all of us othre car fans here on the board (and theres a helluvalot I CAN tell you!!!) that there are cars that can go fst, after all we, have put a man on the moon MORE than once! can we jsut get back to the question in hand and not start spouting about facts about irrelevant cars that aren't KItt. Sorry, it's jsut people with there irrelevant ten pences worth (Yeah, I'm a limey) that get my goat. Sorry Neps, I haven;t beenrude, I'm just passionate!!

[Michael Pajaro]

KITT's top speed in the game is irrelevant. That has nothing to do with defining what KITT's top speed in the SERIES was. The series came first. The series defines KITT's abilities, not the game.

My listing of real-life cars is there to negate your claim that "there is absolutely no way on earth he could ever reach 300". If a REAL car can come close to 300mph, then certainly a FICTIONAL car like KITT could do it.

Perhaps you are talking about the stunt cars they used while filming the show. In that case, then yes, I doubt any actual car went over 100 mph during production. We know the real car didn't go 300mph. We know the real car didn't talk. But this thread is about KITT the fictional car, and what his fictional abilities were.

Mike

[Garth4ever]

How can a game based on KITT be irrelevant? NO real fan would mock would could be one of the greatest and most important recent developments in Knight riders history - bringing young and fresh fans to this classic.
in the eighties, cars didn't go that fast and the firebird doesn't have inependent rear suspension which all the cars you have noted do.
Have YOU ever tried to go over 180mph in a car without independant rear suspension. I THINK NOT! KITT also has a live rear axle which means there, as stated on my foirst post ther is NO WAY ON EARTH that a car with such a flawed design could stay on the road.
Can't we just have a bit of fun and not get bogged down in all this realism?we're all fans so why can't we all be friends.

[Darknight]

Come on dude, you ought to know that the computer game is subordinate to the series, thus making the series the determing factor for KITT's specifications. KITT was head and shoulders about any other car on the road. KITT was a Trans Am only in name and appearance, basically. The suspension had to be independent(extensively modified), at the least, or he could never make those turboboost landings, or handle the curves as he does. Use a little common sense, eh? KITT was fictional, the 1982 1/2 Trans Am is real. No, the relatively stock 1982 1/2 Trans Am can not do what KITT did. KITT, however, wasn't limited to what we consider reality...he existed in a sort of fictional parallel universe.

These are the specs according to Universal Studios. If KITT can hit 300 in a 1/4 mile with a jet turbine engine, then his top speed must be much higher, because jet turbines perform better at higher speeds. In one mile he could probably do 350 or 400 on good terrain. I believe they never showed his top speed because they wanted to keep people guessing a little. By giving him an official top speed they'd be limiting him, and their future plans for him.


K.I.T.T. Specifications
VEHICLE MODEL: Modified 1982 Pontiac Firebird
VEHICLE TYPE: Front engine, rear wheel drive, two passenger, two door coupe
DIMENSIONS: Wheel base(101 in.) Length(189.8 in.) Width(72 in.) Height(37.2 in.)
ENGINE TYPE: Knight Industries turbojet with modified afterburners
TRANSMISSION: 8 speed microprocessor turbodrive with auto pilot(needs no driver)
STEERING TYPE: Modified rack-and-pinion
TURN-CIRCLE: 2ft. with rocket assist
BRAKES: Type- Electromagnetic hyper-vacuum disc
CHASSIS/BODY TYPE: Unit construction
BODY MATERIAL: Classified(compound is virtually indestructible)
PRICE NEW: $11,400,000 est.
ACCELERATION: 0-60mph>.2 seconds with power boosters Standing 1/4 mile>4.286sec.@300mph
BRAKING: 14ft.(70-0 mph)
ACCESSORY FEATURES: Operationally controlled by the Knight Industries 2000 microprocessor. Features include: Auto Cruise, Auto Pursuit, Auto Collision Avoidance(with over-ride option), and Emergency Eject. Knight 2000 microprocessor is equipped with a computer "voice," known as "KITT." Complete audio/video in-dash entertainment/ surveillance capabilities, including radar, sonar, and x-ray.


Darknight

[knightimmortal]

How can a game based on KITT be irrelevant? NO real fan would mock would could be one of the greatest and most important recent developments in Knight riders history - bringing young and fresh fans to this classic.
in the eighties, cars didn't go that fast and the firebird doesn't have inependent rear suspension which all the cars you have noted do.
Have YOU ever tried to go over 180mph in a car without independant rear suspension. I THINK NOT! KITT also has a live rear axle which means there, as stated on my foirst post ther is NO WAY ON EARTH that a car with such a flawed design could stay on the road.
Can't we just have a bit of fun and not get bogged down in all this realism?we're all fans so why can't we all be friends.

Ok, for starters, let me say something here.

1) Don't question Mike Pajaro's fanaticism for KR, he has been a deep bred fan in the KR community long before anybody else took KR to a cult status. There is probably only one other fanatic that is just as in depth, more detailed and more deep rooted in KR knowledge than Mike, and well, that one wrote a book about KR.

2) Everybody is entitled to their opinion, but I do suggest that you tone down the passion a bit. There are concept cars out today that have been built to compensate for what we saw on the screen back in the 80's. There have always been high speed cars that can go in excess of 300 mph, they just can't turn very well.

3) Continuing on this realism subject: a true fan can relate realism to the fantasy of the car. KITT was meant to get people to buy into the concept of a talking super car. Something that more than a few real computer engineers have aimed their realistic sights on. It's called being open to new ideas.

4) Finally, the game has many flaws to it. And since you are so high up in the industry, you would know that the Knight Rider game was released in Europe first. We around here had demos before they were officially released, we just had to convert them first. Some people from the U.S. on the board, have played the full game, and many of them do not have a real high opinion of the accuracy of the game. It has been brought up before that they didn't get the speed right. In several episodes, you can see KITT's speedometer go up over 300 mph before Super Pursuit Mode. (ok, to honor the Anti-SPMers - Silly Pop-Out Mode) There was a huge continuity problem within that, but it was just one of many, and back then, we didn't give a crap, because it was good entertainment. It is only now that we are older that we can pick it apart. Don't fool yourself, in the fantasy world, KITT had a suspension that our minds could probably never even imagine. After all, he was a supercar.

5) Bonnie would be the one who came up with SPM, RCIII and his dudes were just the ones who followed the blue prints like good little mechanics and implamented it. Because they never established an actual top speed in the show, they never established how much faster KITT could go after SPM. Be it 300 or 300+, it was still a ridiculous concept.

There, now are we all better now? Or are we going to continue to go around in circles questioning others dedication to the series? Or can we be as was suggested: friends around here?

KI

[Rockatteer]

>>This is why this string was started in the first place - talking about
>>kitts top speed as if it were a real car which is why this question
>>intrigued me.

Actually I didn't ask the question in that context at all. I never said anythign about Kitt being a real car or made any indication to the "real" world... Kitt doesn't even exist in the real world.... but don't tell my 6 year old son that!

I was simply questining the 40% increase in kitts speed in the final season....within the context of the knight rider world.
[/quote]

[Army_F_Body]

Could be nothing more than continuity error. I recall in the opening credits Kitts spedo registering over 300. Take Star Trek for example. All die hard next gen fans such as myself know that warp 10 is the universal speed limit, only the Borg have found ways around that. But, you will recall several episodes of the original series Kirk ordering the ship beyond warp ten, in one episode, the gorn one, he's doing warp 13! Gene admidts there was no continuity to be seen in TOS. Same with Knight Rider maybe. Just bad continuity. A typical 82 T/A bottomed out at about 120 mph, so maybe the writers just randomly picked high speeds beyond 120 just to show that Kitt can haul serious butt!

[Garth4ever]

Hey you guys, I can see that there ARE some fans as big as me, (and I don't mean in my david hasslehoff trouser department!!!!) and I have been intrigued in reading you're also as passionate messages. You all have some good points but, and I think I speak for everyone here, THERE is no WAY on EARTH that KiTT would have made 300mph. A human being can't withstand more than 3g and 0-60 in 1 second is 1g, 1-60 in o.2 seconds is 7g (check it, now THAT wOULD BE a SUPERCAR!!!!!). Just TRY Asking any US marine fighter pilot. And I'm not the one who don't want to be friends as I do. I have a quake Clan you can join and I've done a mod with KITT as the splash page and you can run around as michael knight ( I put a beard on my character so I can be garth) and then you can actually shoot weapons cos in knght rider you can't, which is good as it'ssafe for kids but at the same time it would be Reeeeely cool to shoot so me of the baddies. Like the people that invented Goliath as he sucks and keeps coming back, if you shot the inventor, loads of people wouldn't hav been had to run from him. I bet I'll get shot down for this too but Idon't see what Star Trek has to do with anything, we're talking cars here aren't we or am I WRONG on that too? I think not!!! Rockk!!!!

[Garth4ever]

yeah, and before you pick my argument apart I meant 8g OK!!!!???? I didn;t mean to press 7, so no need to trawl the internet on facts that an odd number isn't divisible by a prime.

[Denvor]

i agree! i think basically ist down 2 continuity , they said K1TT can do 300 but he blatantly cant due 2 aerodynamics, fuel consuption , etc.. They proberly filmed the car doin g 150 then sped the film up twice as fast ( so it looks 300 ) the changed the speedometre to 300 also so it wood match, But i still like 2 think of KiTT as doing easily 300 plus with the turbo bost, even if he cant in my head he can btw garth i would loke 2 join you clan as i also play quake ( even if u r from the UK ) i am qwite good and u can check my stats online, i would love 2 see the KR mod u also mentioned,

[Darknight]

All G's are not created equal. The effect of a given G force on the body is determined by its orientation to the body. Fighter pilots experience blacking out at 4 to 6 g's because of loss of blood to the brain. That is because in a turn the jet banks and the fighter pilot leans into the turn. His/her body is then placed in such a position that the legs are toward the outside of the turn. As you may guess, the inertia of his mass is directed toward the outside of the turn by centrifugal force, and since his body is held still, the part that can move(the blood)does so toward the legs. Loss of blood to the brain is the main hazard when dealing with large g forces. Michael wouldn't be positioned in KITT in such a way that he would lose blood to the brain. With passive laser restraint, I doubt that 8 G's would pose much problem at all. Air Force tests have proven that the body can withstand as much as 50 g's with proper support to the head. With Michael held securely inside KITT, he shouldn't have too much problem handling 8 lateral g's. If KITT were going straight up it might be different, and Michael would lose blood flow to the head. Probably the worst that would happen to Michael at 3 straight ahead lateral g's is that some blood might go to the rear of his brain, thus stimulating his visual perception.

Here's one helpful link I found quickly. There are oodles more on the web. 3 g's is not the limit for the human body, even without a suit.

http://hypertextbook.com/facts/1998/Phi ... vsky.shtml

DK

[knightimmortal]

Hey you guys, I can see that there ARE some fans as big as me, (and I don't mean in my david hasslehoff trouser department!!!!) and I have been intrigued in reading you're also as passionate messages. You all have some good points but, and I think I speak for everyone here, THERE is no WAY on EARTH that KiTT would have made 300mph. A human being can't withstand more than 3g and 0-60 in 1 second is 1g, 1-60 in o.2 seconds is 7g (check it, now THAT wOULD BE a SUPERCAR!!!!!). Just TRY Asking any US marine fighter pilot. And I'm not the one who don't want to be friends as I do. I have a quake Clan you can join and I've done a mod with KITT as the splash page and you can run around as michael knight ( I put a beard on my character so I can be garth) and then you can actually shoot weapons cos in knght rider you can't, which is good as it'ssafe for kids but at the same time it would be Reeeeely cool to shoot so me of the baddies. Like the people that invented Goliath as he sucks and keeps coming back, if you shot the inventor, loads of people wouldn't hav been had to run from him. I bet I'll get shot down for this too but Idon't see what Star Trek has to do with anything, we're talking cars here aren't we or am I WRONG on that too? I think not!!! Rockk!!!!

Ok, I see once again that your mind is stuck on trying to mix a little too much reality with the car.

First of all, ask any Air Force Pilot, and they will tell you that 8g's is nothing. Ask any astronaut, and they will tell you 'big deal'.

Second, KITT IS a supercar. Yes, in real life, you aren't going to get a car that fast. But in the show, which most of these references that you keep so passionately jumping on like a rabid beast, refer to. KITT could go that fast, and obviously had interior dampeners that kept Michael from becoming chunky salsa. Any time that you have high speeds, you generally have a counteracting system if humans are involved.

Here is a reality: nobody is truly arguing with you that KITT can't exist in real life as a whole. They are just proving points in reality that speak to the fact that some things can in fact exist. And if you keep going off in your passionate ways and coming off as a bit too aggressive, nobody is going to listen to your argument.

So, calm down.

As for Star Trek having to do with anything, read the post a little more carefully, and you will see the point that was trying to be made, rather than spewing off about it.

KI

[Garth4ever]

I simply don't understand why people keep trawling the net to DISPROVE FACTS that CLEARLY ARE FACTS when the only evidence they find ARE FACTS that BACK MY FACTS UP!!!!! And thats a FACT!
1) Sheesh you guys, Has bonnies hotpants / daytime wetsuit (you know the one hey fellares!!!!!) Made you all go bleery in the eye departments?!!! (and the trousers!!, sorry, I mean 'pants' in america isn't it? I think. not like 'fanny' which meas bum over in america, (not sure if all america) and well, it means the ladies bum that isn't ACTUALLY a ladies bum, or 'bottom' over here Or is it Devons 'pants' (not that theres anything wrong with that if you are, I'm not saying that, I'm just sying personally that Bonjie makes me Hot HOT HOT!!!!! You know, HOT!!!!! Like phwoarrr - check out darknights pic if you're not GETTING where I'm COMING from!!!
2)Personally, and I think you'll agree that I speak for everyone here, I never saw, and I QUOTE :

'with proper support to the head, Michael held securely inside KITT,'

I never saw michaels head supported as he always needed to lokk over his shoulder most of the time in case garth or goliath was after him and if he'd had his head restrained he would only have been able to move his eyes. Unless small mirrors were palced around his head in which case he might have been able to look around biut at 50 G's (Where did that come form fella? I never said 50, I said 7, then changed it to 8 as I was wrong on the first post). Anyway, at 50 gs, his eyeballs would be pushed to the back of his skull eye sockets so the mirrors would have to be REEALLY Close so as they'd have to counteract the extra skull he'd have to look around.

3) 50? Why 50 thats just FACTS gone crazy. He's look stupid with a head restrait, like he had a teenagers brace or had broken his neck when THE WHOLE POINT OF KNIGHT RIDER AND MICHAEL is that they're so cooll!!! na dnot braed up for the sake of an extra 40 gs?!!?!

Hey there Denvor, you can join the clan. I've ony got a model of michael (I did it myself and I'm garth as I've already done the beard if thats ok with you). Can you send me some stats of who you've annihal8d? as I 've got my own stats and don't want them to drop.

4) DO you remember the highwayman? that had a truck and a helicopter that cam out the front bit but it wasn;t as good as KR as I felt they cheated.

[Garth4ever]

sorry, I meant knightimmoral not darknights. If you looked at darknights and think it was bonnie you'd be PRITTEEE disaapointed I CAN TELL YOU!!! As it's not bonie, its a pic of michael draped across the bonnet of kitt and not a nice pic of the LUVVVLLEEEEE bonnieee. MMmmm. Bonnie... Not that if you like pics of michael like that that its wrong, its not, I like pics of michael and I've got a poster but I dont like him LIKE that. NOt that its wrong incase you think I think it is cos I don't. I'm fine with it and I've got a mate who knows someone that is and thats fine by me. Its just not bonniee is it?
I really should recheck my posts in case I get facts wrong. Sorry.

[knightimmortal]

I simply don't understand why people keep trawling the net to DISPROVE FACTS that CLEARLY ARE FACTS when the only evidence they find ARE FACTS that BACK MY FACTS UP!!!!! And thats a FACT!
1) Sheesh you guys, Has bonnies hotpants / daytime wetsuit (you know the one hey fellares!!!!!) Made you all go bleery in the eye departments?!!! (and the trousers!!, sorry, I mean 'pants' in america isn't it? I think. not like 'fanny' which meas bum over in america, (not sure if all america) and well, it means the ladies bum that isn't ACTUALLY a ladies bum, or 'bottom' over here Or is it Devons 'pants' (not that theres anything wrong with that if you are, I'm not saying that, I'm just sying personally that Bonjie makes me Hot HOT HOT!!!!! You know, HOT!!!!! Like phwoarrr - check out darknights pic if you're not GETTING where I'm COMING from!!!
2)Personally, and I think you'll agree that I speak for everyone here, I never saw, and I QUOTE :

'with proper support to the head, Michael held securely inside KITT,'

I never saw michaels head supported as he always needed to lokk over his shoulder most of the time in case garth or goliath was after him and if he'd had his head restrained he would only have been able to move his eyes. Unless small mirrors were palced around his head in which case he might have been able to look around biut at 50 G's (Where did that come form fella? I never said 50, I said 7, then changed it to 8 as I was wrong on the first post). Anyway, at 50 gs, his eyeballs would be pushed to the back of his skull eye sockets so the mirrors would have to be REEALLY Close so as they'd have to counteract the extra skull he'd have to look around.

3) 50? Why 50 thats just FACTS gone crazy. He's look stupid with a head restrait, like he had a teenagers brace or had broken his neck when THE WHOLE POINT OF KNIGHT RIDER AND MICHAEL is that they're so cooll!!! na dnot braed up for the sake of an extra 40 gs?!!?!

Hey there Denvor, you can join the clan. I've ony got a model of michael (I did it myself and I'm garth as I've already done the beard if thats ok with you). Can you send me some stats of who you've annihal8d? as I 've got my own stats and don't want them to drop.

4) DO you remember the highwayman? that had a truck and a helicopter that cam out the front bit but it wasn;t as good as KR as I felt they cheated.

Do the world a favor, and don't say that you speak for every one here. You plainly do not, and with the attitude you are displaying here, never will.

If I see another message in here that insults any member of this community, I will shut this thread down, and we are going to have administrative action on your part, Garth4ever.

If you can't take being proven WRONG, then you might want to just back off, and not participate in this board. It is a discussion board, not a 'just make Garth4ever feel better' board.

As for your facts? So far you have done nothing to support your facts, while everybody here has in fact supported them, and in fact has even provided links. You keep attacking their supporting statements as being wrong, yet don't seem to read and get the concept of what people are trying to say. If your only interest is to attack aggressively, then you are not welcome here.

You really should read all of the posts before you attack, because so far, you are not impressing anybody. All you are proving is that you are reacting instead of discussing. And I would have done this via email, except that you have the email blocked.

Knightimmortal

[Asp]

I just want to say for those of you claiming that a live axle car cannot do excessive speeds that I have. I have a 1986 Trans-Am GTA with a modified 350 four barrel 750 cfm carb. I have had that car up to 240 km/h, which translates to around 150 mph. Now, given Kitt's particular shell which would likely combat wind resistance, and given the much more powerful engine, and given the fact that the tires were obviously coated with the mbs as well (thus they wouldn't melt) I would say that Kitt in first season definitely had a higher top speed than 120 mph as quoted by the game.

As to the whole g force thing, do you people remember the whole laser restraint system? It held Michael in place so he COULD look cool, without even a seatbelt, but it also held him well in place even during crashes, so I think it would suffice for the few g's that would have been pulled by Kitt.

Oh, and tv is reality. At least in the minds of many who watch it is. But, even the fantasy based shows like KR have a certain amount based on reality. And that reality was that the car, a Trans Am was one of the fastest mass produced cars on the road at the time. Put a heck of a motor into it, plus the computer, and you have a supercar.

Anyway, that's my two cents worth, and now I'll disappear from the board yet again for a time.

Asp