Nothing defined the era of ’80s television quite like the cool cars that were seemingly in every show, from the Ferraris used on “Miami Vice” and “Magnum, P.I.,” and even the black and gray van used by “The A-Team.” But at the top of the list sits KITT, the Pontiac Firebird Grand Am driven by David Hasselhoff on “Knight Rider.” However, KITT was nearly a very different car — it was originally supposed to be a Datsun.
When creator Glen Larson and producer Harker Wade were developing “Knight Rider,” Larson originally envisioned the Datsun 280zx as the technology-enhanced super car that would help Michael Knight fight injustice. The 280zx had been a popular car in America among sports car drivers so it would make sense to use it, but Wade wanted to know if any new cars were coming out that might be even more sporty.
In the book “Hollywood TV and Movie Cars,” author William Krause revealed Wade was interested in GM’s new Pontiac Grand Am but there were issues. For starters, there was a chance the car wouldn’t be available in time to be used for filming the first season. Second, and perhaps most importantly, a lot of Pontiac executives thought the show sounded too silly for a car like the Grand Am. Some even compared the “Knight Rider” concept to one of the biggest TV bombs of all time, “My Mother the Car.” Eventually, Wade and GM come to an agreement, and the show was able to snag the first four 1982 black Grand Ams that were produced just in time to start shooting the show.
KITT’s design was first presented on a paper napkin
Once the deal was in place, Pontiac’s chief designer John Schinella was brought in to modify the look of the Grand Am for “Knight Rider.” In an interview with Car and Driver, Schinella said he met with producer Harker Wade, who told him: “I know you guys got a new car coming. We don’t know what it looks like,” Schinella recalled. “But we got a new TV series we’re going to do, and I would like to use that new Firebird.”
According to Schinella, he sat down with Wade, who explained how he wanted the car to look. Schinella then took out a paper napkin and created the design that would go on to become an iconic image of the ’80s. Even though Pontiac was skeptical at first, Schinella said he knew “Knight Rider” wouldn’t be as goofy as other shows involving talking objects. “I think once they saw the show and how they were doing it, people liked it,” Schinella said in the same interview. “I thought it was great, especially for young people.”
