“I love Christmas! The lights, the trees, the music… the whole spirit of the season makes me feel great.” – Michael Knight, Silent Knight, 1983.
Christmas is almost here again, and if you’re reading this, the chances are you’re either a Knight Rider fan yourself, or someone desperately searching for Knight Rider gifts for that fan in your life. Listed below are some of the most popular Knight Rider items currently on the market.
Knight Rider: The Complete Original Series on DVD
For the first time in the United States, the entire Original Series starring David Hasselhoff and Edward Mulhare has been released on DVD in one set. The 24 single-sided discs include every episode, and the same bonus content as the original season-by-season releases, including 1991’s reunion movie Knight Rider 2000, and it all comes packaged in a case with a built-in “scanner light”. Press the button and it lights up with the sound of K.I.T.T.’s scanner and the classic theme tune. It’s available from various retailers from around $100. (A Region 2 version has also been available for some time, and can be found for discounted prices.)
The new series of Knight Rider starring Justin Bruening and Deanna Russo is currently unavailable on DVD, but is available for download online either episode-by-episode or via a subscription for the entire season. For more information check out Amazon.com, Hulu.com, and iTunes (all US-only). The TV movie that aired in February was released on DVD by F.Y.E., but only available as a special offer while stocks last; more information about this product can be found at F.Y.E.’s website.
Mio Portable Knight Rider GPS Unit
One of the most innovative and popular Knight Rider-related products to hit the stores, Mio Technology introduced the world’s first Knight Rider-inspired GPS. With a design inspired by the original Knight Industries Two Thousand, or K.I.T.T., this GPS brings the magic of the original series to your daily commute with voice guidance and turn-by-turn directions featuring the original voice of K.I.T.T., William Daniels. The GPS features a 4.3-inch widescreen interface, which allows for more on-screen information and additional details about upcoming intersections. More than four million points of interest will assist drivers in locating gas stations, emergency assistance, hotels and restaurants – turning every trip on the road into an adventure. Like the original K.I.T.T., which had multiple modes including normal, auto and pursuit cruising, the Knight Rider GPS allows drivers to choose routing modes including the fastest or shortest route and highway preference. It’s available from several outlets from around $260.
Hitari Knight Rider Remote Control K.I.T.T. Car
One of the more popular recent Knight Rider toys is this remote-controlled model by Hitari. The car has all the standard remote-control functions — forward, reverse, left, right and stop — and also has the voice of K.I.T.T. Press the fuel filler or button on the transmitter and you’ll hear the familiar, “I am K.I.T.T., whom you may regard as the voice of the Knight 2000.” The model is at 1:15 scale, and available from various outlets.
Shelby Collectibles 2008 Shelby Mustang GT500-KR 1/18 Scale – Knight Rider Version
As the new series settled into its Wednesday night timeslot, Shelby Collectibles released this diecast model of the Mustang, which is available from around $40. Neither the model nor the box contains Knight Rider graphics or effects.
NBC, the network that produced the original and the current Knight Rider TV series, has several products available:
Other Knight Rider items, including some highly collectible products dating back to the 1980s, can be found at the following links courtesy of eBay and Amazon. Please be aware that if ordering items from the following sites, shipping can take some time.
Knight Rider Products at Online Stores:
Knight Rider Products at eBay.com
Knight Rider Products at Amazon.com
The Knight Rider Archive will be celebrating the Christmas season shortly with a huge update of new material, so stay tuned!