Batmobile

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The Batmobile is the fictional personal automobile of comic book superhero Batman. The car has followed the evolution of the character from comic books to television to films.

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[edit] Technical description

For more details on this topic, see Equipment of the Batmobile.

The standard features of the vehicle include a chassis with heavy armor plating and a high performance engine, sometimes with rocket boosts for increased speed, special devices to improve maneuverability, and mounted weapons to disable vehicles and remove obstacles. In addition, the vehicle typically carries a computer that is remotely linked to the Batcave's main computer, a remote control function, a field forensic kit and a personal small helicopter held in the trunk called a whirlybat.

The vehicle has changed frequently over the decades. In the early stages of Batman's career, he modified a sedan, with armor, technologically advanced automotive customization, and has turned the Batmobile into the sleek street machine he currently drives.

The Batmobile is also frequently referred to as being powered by nuclear generation of electricity, both by Robin in a launch checklist from the 1966 television show ("Atomic batteries to power. Turbines to speed!"), and by The Penguin in Batman Returns, where one of his schemes to kill Batman is to turn the Batmobile into "a H-bomb on wheels."

[edit] Early history

Originally in the comic books, Batman drove only a simple red automobile with nothing special in its functions. The car's design gradually evolved. It became a "specially built high-powered auto" by Detective #30, and in Batman #5 it began featuring an ever-larger bat hood ornament and an ever-darker paint job.

The Lincoln Futura concept car
The Lincoln Futura concept car

Eventually, the predominant designs included a large, dark-colored body and bat-like accessories, including large tailfins scalloped to resemble a bat's wings.

[edit] 1966 TV Batmobile

Although vehicles for the Batman films have been custom built for the purpose, perhaps the most famous Batmobile, the one from the 1966-1968 live action television show, began life as a Ford concept car called the Lincoln Futura, built over a decade earlier in 1955. The body of the Futura was fabricated by Ghia of Italy, whose artisans hammered the car's panels over logs and tree stumps carved as forms to create the sleek manta ray-like car. In 1959, the Futura was featured sporting a fresh red paint job in the film, "It Started With A Kiss", starring Debbie Reynolds and Glenn Ford. In 1965, ABC-TV chose famed Hollywood customizer George Barris to design a "Batmobile" for their soon-to-go-into production BATMAN show. With only three weeks, Barris decided that rather than build a car from scratch, it would be best to transform the Lincoln Futura (bought from Ford for $1.00) into the famous crimefighting vehicle of TV's caped crusader. Barris hired Bill Cushenberry to do the metal modifications to the car. When filming for the series began, several problems arose due to the age of the car: the steering rack snapped constantly, it overheated, the battery went dead, it had engine problems, and the expensive Mickey Thompson tires kept blowing. By mid season, the transmission and the chassis were replaced with a Ford Galaxie.

Barris built three fiberglass copies of the original Batmobile for exhibition on the car show circuit (one of which was used for exhibition drag racing). Eventually, the three copies were covered with a black velvet "fuzz" paint, presumably to hide stress cracks in the fiberglass bodies. Later, all three were restored to their gloss black paint job. The 3 replicas are all based on a 1965-1966 Ford Galaxie. Barris has retained ownership of the original TV car, which is currently on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California. The three Barris copies all reside in private collections.

According to The Sun, one of these three Batmobiles will go on sale by Coys Auctions on the 27th of February at the Royal Horticultural Hall in London. Coys Auctions says it expects that the car is likely to fetch more than £75,000.

Members of the Ford Motor Company
Daimler | Edsel | Ford | Jaguar | Land Rover | Lincoln | Mazda | Mercury | Merkur | Volvo

[edit] Later history

In Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, the Batmobile has been modified into a tank-like armored riot control vehicle, complete with machine guns shooting rubber bullets, and large tank treads in place of tires.

A Batmobile replica on display at Six Flags Great America, in front of Batman: The Ride.
A Batmobile replica on display at Six Flags Great America, in front of Batman: The Ride.

Later versions of the famed Batmobile would be built off the stretched-out platforms of other cars, such as the Chevrolet Caprice and Buick Riviera. This style was used in the two Batman films directed by Tim Burton. Reputedly, every gadget seen on the Batmobile used in these films was fully functional, including the jet engine, which consumed fuel at such a high rate that there was only enough fuel capacity to run it for the approximately fifteen seconds of the longest shot in which you can see it operating. This version of the Batmobile was later seen in the Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman episode called "Don't Tug On Superman's Cape," an episode which shows that some collectors had apparently stolen the Batmobile. This would explain why a new Batmobile replaced the old one in Batman Forever.

This long, sleek design was later adapted for Batman: The Animated Series, wherein the vehicle was a long, low machine inspired by art deco design style of the film series. As the 1990s Batman films were handed over to director Joel Schumacher, the design for the Batmobile became increasingly implausible, as decorative lighting was added to the vehicle's rims and front edge, and the wing-shaped fins reached further into the air. Batman Forever was originally supposed to have a Batmobile designed by famed designer H. R. Giger, but Giger backed out of the project when Warner Brothers rejected his design.

The animated series Batman Beyond had a flying vehicle referred to as the Batmobile (in the show's future era, flying cars had become commonplace).

In the Batman: Hush storyline, a splash page by Jim Lee shows all the previous Batmobiles (from comics, movies, and all TV series) in storage in the Batcave. A sample of dialogue between Batman and Nightwing supports this point: Batman: "We'll take the car." Nightwing: "O.K. Which one?" In addition, some incarnations of the character, such as Batman: The Animated Series, establish that Batman has a large ground vehicle fleet of various makes and models as well as utility vehicles to use when the Batmobile would be too conspicuous.

A collection of original Batmobiles are on display at the Cars of the Stars Motor Museum located in Keswick, northern England. A Batmobile from Batman Forever can also been seen on the Warner Bros. VIP Studio Tour. Replicas of the Tim Burton-era Batmobiles are on display in front of several Batman: The Ride roller coasters.

[edit] Batman Begins

The Batmobile in Batman Begins
The Batmobile in Batman Begins

The Batmobile depicted in the 2005 film Batman Begins owes more to the tank-like vehicle from Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns than to the sleek automobiles seen in previous incarnations. The film's production designer described the machine as being a cross between a Lamborghini and a Hummer. In that film, Bruce Wayne modifies a military vehicle known as the Tumbler, and the vehicle that he creates is never referred to as the "Batmobile." When Batman asks Gordon to aid him in stopping Ra's al Ghul, he asks "can you drive a stick?". However, in the various interior sequences of the Batmobile/Tumbler being driven, it appears to drive not like a manual transmission automobile, but rather, a boat, based on throttle placement, use, and construction. Six individual Batmobiles were built for filming in the movie, each with a special purpose to meet the various stunt needs of the film: two regular, full-size driving Batmobiles for exterior shots; one full-size model with hydraulics for the jump sequences; one full-size functional vehicle with propane tanks to fuel the rocket blast out of the rear nozzle and a 1/3-scale radio-controlled electric model for the most involved stunts in the film (e.g. the roof-top chase sequence). These scenes were filmed on a massive set built on a stage at Shepperton Studios over the course of 9 weeks.

[edit] The Batman

In the animated series The Batman, the Batmobile resembled a sports coupe with multiple jet exhaust slits protruding from the back bumper. In the third season episode "RPM", this Batmobile was wrecked beyond repair, and Batman completed a prototype design that included a Wayne Industries 'EXP' power generator. This Batmobile was longer and had a lower profile with only one triangular jet exhaust coming from the rear of the car. At the end of the episode, Batman remarks that due to the Batmobile EXP's success, it's a "keeper". In the fourth season, an episode will explore Gotham City in the year 2027, complete with a new tank-like Batmobile reminiscent of Frank Miller's design for the Batmobile in The Dark Knight Returns.

[edit] The Batmobile in popular culture

  • The 1970's BMW CSL Touring Car Racers were dubbed 'Batmobiles'.
  • the Panoz Esperante GTR-1 was also nicknamed the Batmobile due to its similar appearance to the car seen in the 1990s movies.
  • In the movie Rock Star, Mark Wahlberg's character is given to extravagant spending; one of his first purchases is the original Batmobile from the TV Series.
  • In the TV Series The Drew Carey Show, Drew Carey won the Batman Forever Batmobile as a prize.
  • A series of TV advertisements for OnStar featured a Batmobile equipped with the system, which allowed Batman to call various Gotham characters, summon police, remotely unlock the vehicle's doors and find the nearest jet fuel station.
  • In the cartoon Transformers: Cybertron, the Decepticon leader Megatron looks similar to the Joel Schumacher version.
  • In the movie Looney Tunes: Back in Action, Daffy Duck drives the Batmobile into the water tower on the Warner Bros. studio lot, causing it to fall over and nearly crush Jenna Elfman's character.
  • On the TV series Tiny Toon Adventures, Hamton the Pig is working as a parking valet at a restaurant when the Batmobile drives up. Batman exits, tosses him the keys, and says "Be careful with it -- I just got it detailed." Hampton accidentally activates the rocket boosters, and the car flies off, punching a hole through the Moon that resembles the famed Batman symbol.
  • On the TV series Animaniacs, the Tim Burton version of the Batmobile approaches the WB studios front gates, the guard at the door greets the driver by saying "Good afternoon Mr. Keaton."
  • Also on Animaniacs, one episode depicts Dr. Otto Scratchansniff pleading with Batman: "I don't want to drive the Batmobile, I just want to sit in it!"
  • In a third Animaniacs appearance, Dot Warner's interpretation of a Puck soliloquy from A Midsummer Night's Dream renders the line, "And Robin shall make amends ere long" as "And the Boy Wonder will save us." The Tim Burton version of the Batmobile then drives up to the Warner siblings and opens its canopy; Robin pulls the trio into the car, which departs, saving them from an angry fairy.
  • Yet another Animaniacs cartoon features a parody of the poem 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. As the WB studios empty out for the Christmas break, the Tim Burton version of the Batmobile pulls up to the gate, and Ralph the Guard waves it through, saying, "Goodnight, Mr. Keaton, that's a lovely sedan."
  • Still another Animaniacs appearance of the Batmobile occurs in the cartoon Video Revue, with the Warner siblings entering the box art for a videotape copy of the 1989 Batman movie and stealing the Batmobile, leaving behind a bemused Batman who was working under the car.
  • A parody of the Christmas tune "Jingle Bells" states that the "(the) Batmobile lost its wheel / and (the) Joker got away". Mark Hamill, in character as The Joker, performed this song alteration in an episode of Batman: The Animated Series entitled Christmas with the Joker. This parody also appeared in a very early episode of The Simpsons, sung by Bart Simpson (the song predates both shows by many years).
    • On the TV Series Justice League Unlimited, The Flash has to make an excuse for Batman's absence, and says the last lines of the Jingle Bells parody, adding "Well that's what I heard."
  • An episode of The Simpsons guest-starred Adam West with the Batmobile. Another episode featured the Batmobile in a museum of famous cars next to Herbie the Love Bug and a car from Mad Max. The latter episode featured a live Batman and Robin in the vehicle, who had both tried poorly to conceal the fact that they were not dummies.
  • Batmobile is the name of a psychobilly band. A Riot Grrl band named itself Bratmobile.
  • On an episode of The Man Show, a lucky guest won a ride in the Batmobile with Adam West in the "Wheel of Destiny" segment.
  • The car is seen in an episode of Brotherly Love.
  • The Lincoln Futura version of the Batmobile is seen in the movie The Benchwarmers, driven by Jon Lovitz.
  • House music producer Todd Terry had a minor club hit in 1988 with Bango (To The Batmobile). It contained a sample of Batman saying "To the Batmobile - let's go". The debut album from The Todd Terry Project, which contains the song, is also named after that sample.

[edit] Batmobile images

The Batmobile as seen in the 1943 Batman serial.

The Batmobile as seen in the 1949 Batman and Robin serial.

The Batmobile as seen on the live-action Batman television series.

The Batmobile as seen on the Filmation produced television series, The Batman/Superman Adventure Hour.

The Batmobile as seen on Super Friends.

The Batmobile as seen on Challenge of the Super Friends.

The Batmobile as seen in the 1989 Batman film.

The Batmobile as seen in Batman Returns.

The Batmobile as seen on Batman: The Animated Series.

An earlier Batmobile as seen in the Batman: The Animated Series episode The Mechanic.

The Batmobile as seen in Batman Forever.

The Batmobile as seen in the 1997 film, Batman & Robin.

The Batmobile as seen on The New Batman Adventures television series.

The Batmobile as seen on Batman Beyond.

The Batmobile as seen on the television series, The Batman.

The Batmobile as seen in Batman Begins.

The Batmobile "EXP" as seen on the television series, The Batman.


[edit] Batmobiles in other media

[edit] External links

 v • d • e Batman
Creators: Bob Kane • Bill Finger • Other writers and artists
Supporting Characters: Robin (Tim Drake) • Nightwing (Dick Grayson) • Batgirl • Batwoman • Alfred Pennyworth • Lucius Fox • Barbara Gordon • Commissioner Gordon • Harvey Bullock
Villains: Bane • Catwoman • Clayface • Harley Quinn • Joker • Killer Croc • Mr. Freeze • Penguin • Poison Ivy • Ra's al Ghul • Red Hood (Jason Todd) • Riddler • Scarecrow • Two-Face • Other villains
Locations: Arkham Asylum • Batcave • Gotham City • Wayne Enterprises • Wayne Manor
Miscellanea: Batarang • Batmobile • Batsuit • Popular media • Publications • Storylines • Alternate versions of Batman
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