Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR KITT

"When the 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR launches this spring don't be surprised if there's some confusion over what the letters "KR" stand for.

While the super car has been known to racing fans as "King of the Road" since 1968, it's about to star in a remake of the hit TV series Knight Rider making mix-ups inevitable.

"It's purely a coincidence and a nice one at that,"" said Al Uzielli a senior advisor, to Ford Global Brand Entertainment the Ford office in Beverly Hills which works to place Ford branded vehicles in movies, TV and other media. "Auto enthusiasts will know what KR stands for. But most viewers will probably think it means Knight Rider; at least at first."

The popular American television series which ran from 1982 to 1986 starred David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight, a kind of modern day "knight". His partner was an advanced Pontiac Trans Am with artificial intelligence. Not only could it talk, it could morph into an attack vehicle that accelerated to 300 mph, used a Turbo Boost to jump over obstacles and even drive itself.

In the new version, Hasselhoff returns, but the lead character is now Justin Bruening who plays Knight's long-lost son Michael Tracer. Replacing the Pontiac is the KR which in real-life is about to launch a 40th anniversary limited edition with an engine output estimated at 540 horsepower.

But Knight Rider is more than just the product integration of a Ford vehicle into a plot line; it's also a media sponsorship with commercials and promotions for Ford products interjected throughout the two hour program. If the ratings are good, NBC plans to turn the show into a weekly series this fall."

Source: NetCarShow