Geek Syndicate Issue 7 | Page 35

Geek Syndicate 7) The Landmaster (Damnation Alley, 1977) Back in 1977, this was the closest thing to what Judge Dredd used to cross the Cursed Earth in: a twelve-wheeled amphibious articulated vehicle. A working version was actually built for the movie at a cost of $350,000 in 1976, about $1.5 million in today’s money. The ultimate mobile home, armed to the teeth and able to go pretty much anywhere, this would make you feel safe crossing the set of The Hills Have Eyes. GS Rating: Horrendously expensive to buy and fuel up. Parking would be a nightmare. In a post-apocalyptic world? Who cares? ... 6/10 6) K.I.T.T. (Knightrider, 1982) When you think about it, twenty-five percent of a modern car’s value is made up of its high-tech electronics. Voice-directed SatNav, mobile internet access, info-tainment systems, multiple seat-comfort motors, anti-trap windows, GSM modems that dial emergency services upon access, parking cameras - they are all here today and the self-drive car using Google Maps is just around the corner. So, in truth, the Knight Industries Two Thousand is now sadly passé – but back in the nineteen eighties, that black T-top was what every teenager wanted! GS Rating: purely for nostalgia and the fact that it’s ninety percent already here ... 7/10 5) Something in Pink (The Pink Panther Show, 1969 / Thunderbirds, 1965) What do you give the fashion victim who has nearly everything? Either the Pink Panther’s roadster or Lady Penelope’s Rolls-Royce. Outrageously flamboyant and elaborate, these two cars epitomise the expression “Pimp My Ride!” GS Rating: guaranteed to turn heads (and indeed a few stomachs), they are indeed, one-of-a-kind icons ... 7/10 35