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It was P. T. Barnu who built a fortune on the proposition that “[t]here’s a sucker born every minute.

A man whose mother apparently gave birth as the minute hand reached twelve paid $300,000 at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Palm Beach for a pair of “KITTt” Mustangs.

KITT, in case you’ve missed it, is the car that was the soul of the television show “Knight Rider,” long ago. The real KITT was a Pontiac. Though they’ve been offered on eBay, the real KITT cars have, so far, gone unsold at their asking prices, which have been less than was paid for the imitations.

But, the movie industry lacks for original ideas. So, the scions of imagination are bringing back the TV show as a film. This time Ford got the nod for the car job. (Apparently, they heard in Dearborn that GM had gotten the deal for “Transformers,” and thereby had secured its future in the marketplace.)

Now, it may have escaped you, but Ford has been doing a lot of special edition Mustangs. Roush may have reached the outer limits with the P-51 Mustang commemorative edition, but Roush has also been responsible for one done in Gulf racing colors and he’s probably going to do one in pink. Ford, at least, managed to avoid competing with Mary Kay when it did the breast cancer Mustang. That one was black, with a pink stripe South of the skeg line.

The demise of a car is generally preceded by myriad special editions. When it ain’t selling, putting a tape and trim package on it, a few more dollars on the sticker and then discounting the dickens out of it to the dealer is the solution.

And that’s exactly what Ford’s doing with the Mustang.

But, $300 grand for two clones of a car that’s really nothing more than an overdone Roush Mustang with a rear wing from a WWI Spad?

Barnum was right.

But wait – they sold because Jack Roush also sold his hat as part of the deal.

Wonder if Jack appreciates the irony:

His hat is worth more than his cars.