A Real KITT car TV’S knight Rider
When Scott Harvey was nine years old, his parents moved from Matamata to Blenheim. As it was his family’s first big move, it was a fairly big deal. But what happened within a week of moving was an even more momentous event for young Scott. The star of his favourite television programme arrived in town. For the previous four years, Scott had been watching the TV programme Knight Rider (1982–’86). In its final year on New Zealand TV, Universal Studios had sent a specially built replica of the iconic Firebird for a countrywide tour.
In Scott’s opinion, the Knight Rider Firebird was streets ahead of The Dukes of Hazzard (1979–’85) Dodge Charger — it was easily the better looking and more interesting car. The new Firebird was a sensational new American car at the time and this one talked and could drive itself. Anything the Dukes of Hazzard car could do, the Knight Rider car, known as ‘KITT’ (Knight Industries Two Thousand), could do better. And it was in Blenheim.
Seeing the car with his own eyes already had Scott fizzing, but when the curator of the car let Scott sit in the driver’s seat it became a truly unforgettable day. There was no way Bo and Duke’s orange car.
