‘Entourage’ Makes Cars Stars

Auto buffs consider movies as an extension to their fetish. I, for one, is not an exception. Cars in movies are stars. They are awesome. They are up for speed and elegance - not to forget fame.

Sure, cars have always been a secret ingredient in coming up with captivating movies that stay in the mind of the viewers. Think James Bond's Aston. Fabulous and uber refined! Or Steve McQueen's 1968 Mustang GT 390 in "Bullitt". Or maybe the trio of Mini Coopers in "The Italian Job." Or Thomas Magnum and his Ferrari. Think Bumble Bee and the yellow Chevy Camaro. If you are a movie fanatic slash auto buff, the list could be endless…

Cars have always been big stars in movie and television shows. The latest awesome attempt in TV is espoused by HBO series ‘Entourage’. The multiple car placements in the TV series could make my head spin like uber fast road machines. Unfortunately, the thing could also make your bank accounts spin.

Los Angeles Times writes:

In its four seasons to date, the show has burned through a pimped-out 1961 Lincoln Continential convertible, a Maserati Quattroporte, three Aston Martin DB9s, a BMW 745, a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, a Lexus LS 600h, a Hummer H2 and a Bentley Continental GT convertible. Oh, and four Ducati motorcycles.

Does it make the cash register ring? Aston Martin Vice President and General Manager John Walton said yes but added that the company was really looking to the future. "We manufacture only a few thousand of these cars per year, so sales numbers don't factor into the equation. It's more about gaining cachet for the brand with a younger audience," he said.

The ask: Whether the members of the Y generation drivers would ever be able to pay for a DB9, which arrives with a $180,000 sticker price.

"Public Enemies" Seeks Vintage Cars

The movie adaptation of Brian Burrough’s book titled Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-43 is seeking vintage cars.Public Enemies, having the Depression-era as setting, will require a throng of vintage cars for filming. As such film officials will come to Miller Park on Sunday to negotiate with local vintage car owners.

Howard Bachrach, the picture car captain for Universal Pictures, will be in Milwaukee to scout potential cars, trucks and buses to be used as background vehicles, according to GM Today.

"They (car collectors) are a bunch of great people and because they’re passionate about what they’re doing, they’re willing to help us out," he said, adding that he has contacted local car clubs in the area inviting them to bring their vehicles made from 1930 to 1935 to the stadium for consideration.

Public Enemies, which is directed by Michael Mann, stars Johnny Depp playing the legendary American bank robber John Dillinger. Dillinger was one of the most well-known crime figures from the early 1930s, responsible for a string of daring heists before eventually being shot dead by police in a Chicago ambush in 1934 aged 31, reported Reel Suave.

Other notorious criminals in the story include Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd. Christian Bale, meanwhile, plays Melvin Purvis, the one tapped by FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover to lead a manhunt.

Public Enemies’ production is set to begin later this winter in Chicago and other Midwestern locales.

500+ For The Mustang

If the all-American pony car Mustang is a human being, it would probably be like a multi-awarded actor like Anthony Hopkins or Tom Hanks. Why? Here’s a trivia for all of you…

In its 40 years of glorious existence as America’s much loved pony car, the Mustang has starred in over 500 starring roles on the silver screen more than any other vehicle model in the history of Hollywood! Now that's really something.

Oh yeah… Check out some of the popular movies which featured the legendary Mustang or to view all movies! I know you’ll be surprised by this list (and it's not even complete yet!):

• Amityville: The Demon (1965-6 Mustang coupe)
  
• Batman and Robin (1964 Shelby 289 Cobra)
  
• Beverly Hills Cop III (1966 Mustang convertible)
  
• Bullitt (1968 Mustang Fastback)
  
• Curse of the Black Widow (1968 Mustang convertible, 1967 Mustang coupe)
  
• Fast Food (1966 Mustang coupe)
  
• Fast Lane Blues (1966 Mustang convertible)
  
• Fatal Beauty (1965 Mustang convertible)
  
• Gas Pump Girls (1966 Mustang coupe)
  
• General's Daughter, The (1965 Mustang coupe)
  
• Hitchhiker Vol. 3, The (1971 Mustang Convertible)
  
• Hollywood High (1968 Mustang coupe)
  
• Immortal, The (1968 Shelby GT500KR Mustang)
  
• Implicated (1966 Mustang convertible)
  
• In a Cat's Eye (Classic Mustangs)
  
• In Crowd, The (1966 Mustang coupe)
  
• Incubus, The (1967 Mustang coupe)
  
• Independence Day (1965 Mustang convertible)
  
• J. F. K. (1965 Mustang convertible)
  
• Jocks (1967 Mustang convertible)
  
• Last American Hero, The (1967 Mustang Fastback)
  
• Last Boy Scout (1965 Mustang convertible)
  
• Last Don, The (1965 Mustang coupe)
  
• Le Mans (1965 Shelby 427 Cobra)

Knight Rider’s 15-Second Clip Released

Finally the long wait is over. NBC network in America has released a 15 second clip of the upcoming remake of the 1980’s iconic television show Knight Rider. The 540 horsepower Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR is officially the new KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand) with the artificial intelligence voice provided by Will Arnett. NBC network will air the Knight Rider TV movie at 9pm ET on February 17, 2008 Sunday.

Knight Industries Three Thousand: 2008 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR

Vehicle Type: Front engine, on-demand all-wheel drive, two-door coupe
Engine Type: Aluminum block/titanium heads 5.4-liter V8 internal combustion with Whipple supercharger and Knight Industries liquid air cycle auxiliary turbine engine. 540 hp in Hero mode. Power output can’t be measured in Attack mode.
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission with infinite power band
Price New: $45.6 million, as tested
Acceleration: 0 to 60 mph: 1.77 seconds. Standing quarter mile: 3.87 seconds
Braking (300 to 0 mph): 12 ft.
Fuel Economy: Not testable

Special Features as KITT:

Knight Industries 2000 microprocessor: Version 2.3
Auto Cruise
Auto Pursuit
Auto Collision Avoidance
Voice Interaction
Emergency Eject
Audio/Video In-Dash Functions
Radar
Sonar
X-Ray
Autopilot
Voice Analyzer
Infrared Tracking Scope
Range: 20 miles
Pyroclastic Lamination
Blood Analyzer
Microwave Jammer
Interior Oxygenator
Rocket Boosters
Smokescreen
Olfactory Detector
Spectrograph
Electromagnetic Field Generator
Microwave Ignition Sensor
Aquatic Synthesizer
Electronic Field Disrupter
Ultra Magnesium Charges
Ultraphonic Chemical Analyzer
Graphic Translator
Anamorphic Equalizer
DNA Analysis Equipment
Mass Spectrometer
Targeted Electromagnetic Pulse
Military-Grade GPS
Heated Seats
3D Heads-Up Display
Laser Weapons System
Holographic Projection
Keyless Entry and Ignition
Personal Safety System
Nanotech Cloaking
360-Degree Video Surveillance
Laser-Guided Missile Defense
Mini-KITT Reconnaissance Drone
24-Hour Roadside Assistance
1000-Watt Quadraphonic Stereo System
In-Seat Medical Diagnosis
Biometric Analysis

A Striped KITT

The new Knight Rider will have stripes on it basically since it’s going to be a Ford Mustang specifically a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR that will portray the role of Knight Industries Three Thousand.

This will surely disappoint purists that are hoping to see a rebuilt Trans Am or another GM-made car such as the new Camaro or a Z06 Corvette. And also earlier pictures of the new KITT circulated on the web shows a Koenigsegg CCX which quite fits the role.

For the show, three versions of the car will be used the everyday KITT Hero, KITT Attack, and the driverless KITT Remote. The nanotechnology allows the KITT to shape shift and change color. The KITT’s super computer can hack into any computer and electrical system.

The voice of KITT will also be change instead of using the voice of William Daniels comic actor Will Arnett will become the new voice of KITT. However some feels that Arnett is somewhat miscast in the role.

Anyway that is no longer our concern (LOL). David Hasselhoff will remain as Michael Knight only older this time. He will be the personal trainer of All My Children star Justin Bruening who will play as an ex-Army Ranger Mike Tracer who will help in tracking down the original KITT creator, Charles. The other characters on the show include Deanna Russo as Sarah Graiman, Bruce Davison as Charles, and Sydney Tamiia Poitier as an FBI agent.

The Knight Rider to be shown at the NBC network on February 17 at 9pm ET will be a two-hour movie that will serve as a sneak peek of the coming new Knight Rider series and if the show is successful new episodes of the Knight Rider may be ready by the next fall season.

Aston Martin DBS to Star in New James Bond Movie

The British manufacturer of luxury performance cars and favorite car brand of James Bond, Aston Martin has recently announced that the DBS which is the brand’s new flagship model will once again co-star with Daniel Craig in another James Bond movie to be produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli for EON Productions and directed by March Forster.

The DBS has made its first appearance in Casino Royale where it was able to smash its way into the Guinness World Record books for “The Most Cannon Rolls in a Car”. The record-breaking stunt was accomplished by stuntman Adam Kirley and has become as one of the most spectacular in movie history when the DBS rolled seven times.

Dr. Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer said, “Aston Martin is proud of our long association with James Bond. The DBS has its own unique character which equals that of James Bond. It is explosive power in a black tie. It is the perfect car for James Bond as it delivers the complete driving experience and bridges the gap between our road and track cars – the DB9 and DBR9. It is equally at home on a twisting mountain circuit as on the open road and we are all very excited at the prospect of seeing it on the big screen again.”

The working title of the new James Bond movie is Bond 22 and is scheduled for international theatrical release in November 2008.

2007 Shelby Mustang GT500 Cast in I Am Legend Movie Starring Will Smith

A year after the all-new version Ford Mondeo has grace the James Bond film Casino Royale another Ford vehicle will get its share of the limelight in a holiday blockbuster entitled I Am Legend starring Will Smith.

The movie will cast the 2007 Shelby Mustang GT500 in red with signature white stripes. Brian Daly of Ford Global Brand Entertainment (FGBE) which places Ford vehicles in movies, TV, and other media said, "There is no doubt that the Shelby Mustang GT500 is the costar of the first part of this story. Smith plays the sole survivor of an apocalypse who races around the deserted, gray, empty streets in this fantastic bright red Mustang. The sequences are incredible. The producers knew they wanted an American-made vehicle and the Shelby Mustang was perfect casting. But I also knew Chrysler and GM were making pitches. I kept imagining the folks at Camaro piecing together all kinds of prototypes to get those scenes."

It was in the spring of 2006 when Daly has started talking with Warner Bros. on the possible casting of Ford vehicles on the movie and thanks to his long working relationship with several studio executives he was given the chance to take a peak at the script.

I Am Legend is a movie adapted on the 1954 Richard Matheson science fiction novel that features a red Ford vehicle. The First adaptation of this novel is the movie The Omega Man which was released in the year 1971 and has featured Charlton Heston behind the wheel of a bright red 1970 Ford LTD.

For the I Am Legend, Smith will not only be seen driving a Ford convertible but will also be sharing scenes with a Ford Expedition and a Ford Escape Hybrid.

For this year, Ford vehicles have starred in some of the most exciting movies ever released including The Kingdom that featured a Range Rover and starred Jamie Foxx; Dan in Real Life wherein Ford starred with Volvo and Steve Carell; Rush Hour 3 that showcase a Jaguar XK and starred Jackie Chan; and Nancy Drew that featured a Ford Escape and Land Rover LR3 and starred Emma Roberts.

And next year, 2008, it’s still going to be a busy year for Ford vehicles on the screen as it joins the casts of the movie Nights in Rodante starring Richard Gere driving behind a 2008 Jaguar XK. Hopefully there would still be some more announcement after.