Here are some of the lawsuit checkpoints, via Jalopnik:

1. According to the lawsuit, Shelby was so anxious to get the new carbon fiber hood for the GT500KR they offered Plasan Carbon Components (the supplier) a bonus of $50 per set if they were delivered early. It wasn’t possible so they, the suit claims, agreed to half the amount when the products were delivered a week after the deadline. The hoods arrived but they were never paid.

2. Plasan created five Knight Rider hoods, of cheaper quality for stunt work, and were never paid for these.

Shelby can explain this up-charge by claiming they had to not only purchase these hoods but also test them. Still, $16,000 a pop each test? Have fun in court fellas.

1966 Shelby Cobra

Ford’s Shelby Cobra was a hit during its heyday in the 60′s, and continues with success from car kits fans can purchase and build themselves at home.

Shelby has toyed with the idea of a new Cobra concept, hopefully one that won’t diminish the legendary reputation of the original.

Shelby Mustang GT350 and GT500

You can’t talk Shelby without mentioning the famous Ford Mustang. Old-school GT350′s and GT500′s still own the classic car shows. An original GT500 costarred with Nick Cage as “Eleanore” in 2000′s Gone in 60 Seconds remake.

But do not cast out the new Mustang Cobra’s so soon – a GT500 can be seen weekly on TV as KITT on NBC’s Knight Rider.

None of this stardom could have been achieve without Carroll Shelby and his engine. His foresight and ingenuity made owning your own personal piece of automotive history easy.

Shelby Engines, Motorcycles & Ford GR-1 Super Cars

Mustangs are only a chip off the old enhancement block. Other enticing Shelby products include the GR-1 Super Cars (introduced at 2005′s International Auto Show) along with a Shelby Motorcycle.

The motorcycle is powered by a X-Wedge 128 C.I.D. engine, with the capability to give it’s rider 150 bhp.

 There may be more surprises in store for the Shelby Cooperation and Ford down the road. Car lovers and race fans from around the world will continue to check out and drive off in whatever Carroll has to offer.

2010 Ford Fusion SmartGauge LCD Panel

SmartGauge is an all LCD instrument panel ready to launch in Ford’s 2010 Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrids. These dash boards are lean, mean and green! Check out the leaves flowing to the right of your fuel gauge! SmartGauge comes with “EcoGuide” – which helps prompt drivers on good driving habits by displaying a greenery for good behavior. What happens if you accelerate too quickly, does the animated tree whither? Your gauge displays can be customized, so be ready to upload funny dancing frogs or naughty internet strippers to congratulate your good driving techniques.

Knight Rider – Val’s KITT’s New Dash

The new Knight Rider features a Ford GT500 KR Mustang, with a control panel that looks more like a submarine than a car. KITT’s dash includes a holographic screen projector, every piece of seeking and spying technology you can imagine, and his signature voice module. The US Government, not Ford, probably would have designed this instrument panel, if it were real, but we give props to the production company that fit it all into an existing Ford Mustang interior. Hey, have to get that product placement in somewhere! And speaking of Mustang…

1967 Ford Mustang Dash

Mustang noy only brings you power under the hood, she deliver style behind the wheel. Circular gauges become standard in many Ford cars up until the 1970′s.  Sadly, not too many vehicles these days have a MPH or RPM gauge that go up as high as the ones above.

1982 Commodore Computer Dash

In the early 1980′s Ford wanted to be the first automotive company to have a computerized dash board GPS panel. In coordination with Commodore Computers, Ford designed a concept, which featured a small road map, radio and environmental readout (including internal and external temperatures). At the time, Ford’s Chief electrical engineer was quoted as saying “Ten or 15 years down the road, the sky’s the limit. You can envision radar systems, sonar, infrared, heads-up displays.” Someone should have given this guy a gig with Amazing Kreskin.

Circa 1990 Ford Taurus Dash

Design gave way to functionality in the 1980′s and 90′s (back then no one knew how to combine both!) giving us many bland panel designs from many auto makers. Ford’s Taurus, as well as Mercury’s Sable, had large, bulky dash boards in order to allow for both driver and passenger air bags, as well as all the new computer technology now included in every person’s vehicle. The Taurus always gave us a good ride, but once you pass a decade be careful, some Taurus dash boards would shake after you surpased 50 mph.

Knight Rider Pros

Obviously, we love all the Ford vehicles featured in the new Knight Rider series. The star is a Ford Mustang GT500 KR (King of the Road, not Knight Rider) which transforms into a technologically advanced Super-stang, as well as a Ford F-150 FX4 Pickup. All of these vehicles (though one is bordering on ugly as sin) are voiced by the talented Val Kilmer. Kilmer brings a dry, intelligent and witty side to the Knight Industries Three Thousand.

The series also prominently features many Ford vehicles – both as the rides of heroes and villains. Ford’s Flex and other concepts have been used in both the TV movie and in the series pilot.

One positive we can all agree on about Knight Rider – even those non-Ford fans (savages!) – is the abundance of half nude cast members. Men and women can enjoy the guaranteed topless and underwear clad male and female, straight and bisexual characters on each episode.

Knight Rider Cons

As we said – we love the fact that KITT, in all their forms, always looks beefed up with both top of the line computer graphics and the latest in military and automotive technology. The down side – it looks like NBC has used all their budget for each episode on KITT. This leave human cast members secluded to one-shot takes and badly lit, poorly designed sets. In the first five minutes of Knight Rider’s one hour premier episode, Mike can be seen running down a white, non-descript hallway while talking to KITT (which looks like he is talking to himself). The entire scene looks as if it was set up and executed by the high school audio video club.

Budgeting not only harms the look of a series, it can bring down the story. If you can’t afford good writing or script editing, your show may be on the fast track to cancellation. Already in the second episode we find Mike and KITT trying to go undercover in a prison to help break someone out, or find someone for information, or…well to be honest we are really not sure what’s going on in this episode.

And sadly, even series executive producers have commented on the over-abundance of Ford vehicles in the series. Fords are great, but not every car on the planet is produced by the motor company. Suspension of disbelief is needed when you watch a scifi action series, but you have to give the audience some credit. We haven’t seen product placement this hardcore since all the Chrysler/Dodge vehicles on Viper.

As the season continues and the budget (hopefully) grows, fans will see an improvement of Knight Rider, and the new Ford Mustang GT KITT will keep on cruising, keep on fighting…because one man can (if given enough cash) make a difference.

2008′s KITT is not ordinary Mustang. He’s a fully worked-up Shelby GT500KR Edition (early reports from Ford claimed the “KR” did not stand for “Knight Rider” and was just a coincidence. Maybe there are no coincidences in the world of “product integration” – but the KR does go back to a 1968′s Shelby Mustang King of the Road edition, sorry to crush your speculation kids.

Knight Rider’s Shelby boasts more than just a hunky driver and movie-star voiced Artificial Intelligence system. The vehicle can pump 540 horse power out of it’s 32-valve V-8  engine. Not bad for what is essentially a “prop” – no disrespect KITT. Ok, we know the car is just as much a star of the NBC series as actor Justin Bruening is portraying Mike Traceur.

Some of KITT’s new systems for the upcoming season (premiering September 24th on your local NBC affiliate) include overhead holographic displays, a “Super Pursuit” Mode, and even some Turbo Boost.

There is no reason to hold a grudge, classic Knight Rider fans – as you can see this updated version is Hasselhoff Approved!