- Appearance on NBC’s “Knight Rider” coincides with reveal of the 2010 Mustang at the Los Angeles International Auto Show
- Shelby GT500KR stars as the new version of KITT “Knight Rider,” which airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST
- Jonathan Newman named winner of the “Mustang Stories” film competition for his entry “Father’s Day”
DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 18, 2008 – The 2010 Ford Mustang is going to Hollywood.
The iconic American muscle car, which has outsold all competitors for more than 20 years, will make its TV debut on the Nov. 19 episode of NBC’s “Knight Rider,” which stars the Shelby GT500KR as the new version of KITT. The program airs at 8 p.m. EST on Wednesdays.
The 2010 Mustang will be revealed Nov. 18 at a special event in Santa Monica, Calif., and will be displayed at the Los Angeles International Auto Show, Nov. 19-30.
“We’re delighted to bring the 2010 Mustang to prime time on NBC’s ‘Knight Rider,’ ” said Mustang brand manager Fritz Wilke. “With the Shelby GT500KR already showcased as the new KITT, it’s a perfect match.”
The 2010 Mustang’s appearance on “Knight Rider” is one of several ways this week to see the highly-anticipated redesign of the American automotive icon in years. Mustang enthusiasts also can tune in at 11 p.m. EST tonight, Tuesday, Nov. 18 on the Speed network to see the reveal of the 2010 Mustang at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica.
Simultaneously, the Mustang Club of America will host nine regional reveal events at local movie theaters, where Mustang enthusiasts can see a special live feed of the broadcast. Mustang Club of America regional events will be held in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Tulsa, Okla., Detroit, Phoenix, Denver, Columbus, Ohio, and Tampa.
The 2010 Mustang will be seen in the episode “Knight of the Zodiac” inside the Satellite Surveillance Chamber, also known as the SSC or “KITT Cave.” The 2010 Mustang poses as KITT during an inspection and impresses everyone.
During the shooting, the show’s production crew maintained strict secrecy about the yet-to-be-revealed Mustang.
“The 2010 Mustang arrived in a truck which was backed into the stage. The car was unloaded, undercover and kept covered until we shot. Limited cast and crew were allowed on set. The moment we finished shooting the car was covered back up and put back in the truck and disappeared,” said Gary Scott Thompson, executive producer, “Knight Rider.”
The 2010 Mustang proudly builds on the car’s 45-year heritage with a more-aggressive, modern exterior design as well as a world-class interior. The 2010 Mustang also receives the latest in technology, including available Ford SYNC®, voice-activated navigation and a rearview camera system.
Chassis and powertrain improvements pioneered on Ford’s extensive racing and special programs have been rolled into the 2010 Mustang as well. The new pony car will deliver more power and better handling, thanks to the development work on the 2008-09 Mustang Bullitt and lessons learned through the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge series.
Also on Nov. 19, the final installment of the “Mustang Stories” film contest airs. For the previous nine weeks leading up to the Nov. 19 episode of “Knight Rider,” a 60-second trailer of a short film featuring the Ford Mustang debuts. The films, created through a partnership among Ford, worldwide advertising agency JWT Team Detroit and Filmaka, a celebrated global digital entertainment studio and online creative community, then can be seen in their entirety at www.the2010mustang.com.
Jonathan Newman has been named the grand-prize winner for his film “Father’s Day,” which chronicles a father’s deep-seated love for Mustang that finds him test-driving a rare Mustang several times until one day when the salesman informs he no longer can – for a surprising reason.
“The overall quality of the work was genuinely astounding and I am both thrilled and honored to be recognized by such an esteemed panel of industry experts as JWT Team Detroit and Ford,” Newman said.
“All films that were submitted were excellent, but Jonathan’s compelling characters and direction captured our attention,” said Caroline Pernot, Ford car communications manager. “We are thrilled to have Jonathan direct another film for the 2010 Ford Mustang. Jonathan’s film and all the other great ‘Mustang Stories’ film will be featured at Ford’s display at the Los Angeles International Auto Show.”
Nearly 400 scripts were submitted by filmmakers in 28 countries on six continents and 22 semi-finalists received the green light to produce their films. Ten winners were selected and featured during the 2010 Mustang launch.
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Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 224,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.
FILMAKA
Filmaka ( www.filmaka.com) is an on-line global creative community and marketplace, committed to inspiring, celebrating and rewarding creativity and talent by providing professional opportunities for directors and writers from all around the world. The unique mechanism is a series of competitions which are juried by industry leaders. Each month, Filmaka challenges its community to create original, professionally produced high-quality scripted and unscripted films and branded entertainment. Rewards range from cash prizes to the opportunity to create series for traditional and digital media. Filmaka will also produce at least one feature film and documentary directed by community members.