Category: pontiac

Feb 18

Was KITT From Knight Rider Just Sassy Siri?

KITT represented an AI-equipped, crime-fighting car of the 1980s. However, while KITT was science fiction, AI assistance in your car is a reality today.

You can probably hear the synthy theme music at the mere mention of Knight Rider. But just as memorable as the Knight Rider theme song is the black 1982 Pontiac Trans Am and its on-board artificial intelligence (AI), KITT. However, times have changed. Siri can handle several of the tasks that KITT performed to aid David Hasselhoff in his crusade for justice.

Years later, KITT from Knight Rider might just be David Hasselhoff’s first glimpse of Siri

The “Knight 2000 Microprocessor,” or the AI brain behind the 1982 Pontiac Trans Am in Knight Rider could do all sorts of crazy things for its driver, or “Knight.” Upon David Hasselhoff’s demand, KITT could use electronic jamming architecture to disable hostile vehicles. Beyond countermeasures, the intelligent muscle car had a turbo boost facility which would allow the car to vault through the air, per Volo Cars.

However, artificial intelligence isn’t science fiction like it was in the 1980s. Today, car drivers can use Amazon Alexa or Siri in hundreds of different models, from the now-discontinued Chrysler 300 to a 2023 Indian Chieftain touring motorcycle. Better yet, the AI-equipped digital assistants will do everything from finding you the next available gas station to prioritizing your favorite playlist.

A replica KITT from Knight Rider resembling the one David Hasselhoff drove in the show shows off its interior.
A KITT replica’s interior | Herencias via iStock

OK, there are a few things KITT could do that you won’t accomplish with Siri or Amazon Alexa. You’re not going to get anywhere asking Siri to use on-board flamethrowers or flares. That, and Amazon Alexa probably isn’t going to allow you to use a grappling hook in your 2023 Chevrolet Corvette. However, you could tell Siri to call you Michael Knight. I’m just saying.

“I can’t believe this. A car that talks back to me.” Thus began the relationship between David Hasselhoff and his sentient 80s muscle car. Check out the clip below to get a glimpse at the first time Hasselhoff hit the streets with KITT in Knight Rider.

Oct 18

This Forgotten Pontiac is a Cheap V8 Car Bargain

When you ask most people their favorite Pontiac models, you’ll often hear names like G8, Grand Prix, and GTO. But one of the last Pontiac sport sedans is a forgotten hero. That status makes it a cheap V8 car today, and the 2004-2005 Pontiac Bonneville GXP is perhaps the prettiest swansong model of our time.

Is the Bonneville GXP supercharged?

The Pontiac Bonneville GXP lasted just two years and was among the final Pontiac models before the brand ended U.S. sales in 2010. The base Bonneville was the halo in Pontiac’s lineup at the time, sitting above the more popular Grand Prix in size and comfort. However, the GXP debuted in 2004 with a 4.6-liter Northstar V8 engine offering 275 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque, and it did not come supercharged.

That wild, torque-heavy V8 turned the front tires from rubber to smoke on its way to a 6.9-second sprint to 60 mph. And despite a fairly miserable four-speed automatic transmission, the Bonneville GXP V8 completed the quarter-mile in 15.4 seconds at 91 mph, per FastestLaps data.

A cheap V8 car option in 2023

These days, there aren’t many Bonneville GXPs left in decent condition. Despite the relative rarity though, they’re pretty cheap V8 cars to take home. A 33k-mile version of this cheap V8 sold on Bring-a-Trailer for just over $12,000 earlier this year.

A quick perusal of CarFax listings shows a maximum price of $24,795 for a clean version with under 11,000 miles on the clock. Much above that, the price drops significantly, as a 43,000-mile model reported in great condition is up for $15,000. Of the four models currently on sale, the cheapest V8 Pontiac is available for a mere $4,900.

What killed the Pontiac Bonneville?

In addition to Pontiac’s overall struggles, the Bonneville specifically faced stiff competition both from within General Motors and outside competitors. The V8-powered Chrysler 300 came along in 2005, offering rear-wheel drive. That made it more akin to the muscle-car experience American buyers expect from their V8s. It doesn’t help that the 300 was both cheaper and faster than the Bonneville, at $33,000 for a 340-horsepower V8 version.

Furthermore, Pontiac ran over its own foot with the new Pontiac GTO in 2004. Like the Chrysler, it came with rear-wheel drive, a more powerful V8 engine, and a manual transmission. So if you wanted a fast V8, you could get a GTO or Chrysler 300 for less than a Bonneville. And if you wanted a comfy four-door sedan, the Pontiac Grand Prix GXP came with 303 horsepower, 323 pound-feet of torque, and cost just $30,000, compared to the $36,000 commanded by the Bonneville.

The Bonneville GXP makes a cheap V8 car bargain

Though there aren’t many out there, the Pontiac Bonneville GXP is among the few cheap V8 car bargains you can find today. A follow-up to the Oldsmobile Aurora, this full-size V8 sedan is quintessential GM. Enjoy some cushy comfort in one of the most stylish Pontiac models of the mid-00s.