David Hasselhoff's Stolen KITT Replica Recovered By Interpol, Now It Could Be Yours
A rock tour, a theft, and an Interpol rescue later, this KITT replica is heading to auction.
A talking car that drives by itself, accelerates like a rocket, and can jump over obstructions? Sounds like your average new BYD supercar out of China in 2026, but back in the 1980s those capabilities only existed in the fantasy world of TV's "Knight Rider," and its true star, KITT.
Up for auction in Zürich, Switzerland, the KITT replica pictured here can't jump or drive itself, and would struggle to outrun a Toyota Sienna minivan. It even looks a little shabby. But of interest to "Knight Rider" fans is its connection to crime fighter Michael Knight himself, David Hasselhoff. That and a crime backstory worthy of a "Knight Rider" script.
What started life as a humble 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am was converted to KITT specification at some point during that same decade by Hollywood Productions using original Universal Pictures plans, Broad Arrow Auctions claims. KITT's signature red scanner was added to the extended nose cone, and a blackout plastic lens was fitted to the taillights to give that authentic stealthy appearance. Inside, you get an accurate KITT replica look, with dozens of 1980s LEDs, some very wonky buttons, and that iconic yoke steering wheel.
But things are less futuristic under the hood. This car has a standard 305 cu. in (5.0L) V8 that made all of 165 horsepower (167 PS) for 1982, and came with a mandatory three-speed automatic transmission. Trans Am buyers could get a four-speed manual that year, but only if they accepted a downgrade from Cross-Fire injection to a four-barrel carburetor, and just 145 hp (147 PS). Forget turbo boost and pursuit modes, buddy. These things couldn't even break 9 seconds to 60 mph (97 kph).
David Hasselhoff and the Interpol connection
American fans know Hasselhoff for his acting roles, but he had a parallel career as a rock star in Europe, and documentation proves "the Hoff" used this exact replica to promote his 1985 Night Rocker album at concerts, and during TV appearances, across the continent.
The Trans Am was later sold to a Swiss record label, but its celebrity status didn't end when Hasselhoff's involvement did. Because the car was stolen at some point during the 1990s, and only returned with the help of the international sleuthing skills of Interpol. The listing doesn't say whether Devon, Michael, and April were also involved in the recovery.
Sadly, the car was returned minus some of its bespoke KITT dashboard electrics, but they've since been replaced, and the Trans Am now features all of Knight Industries' must-have interior gadgets, including a voice box, dual monitors, overhead console, and an illuminated accelerator pedal.
It goes under the hammer on November 7 with an estimate of CHF 250,000-500,000. That equates to $302,000-605,000, which is a considerable sum for a tatty 165-hp coupe that, unlike the handful of original KITTs still in existence, never actually appeared on TV. But then continental Europeans really do still dig "the Hoff." And replicas have sold for big bucks before, with a KITT car owned by David Hasselhoff changing hands for $300,000 in 2021.