Batmobile (Batman & Robin (film))
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As the 1990s Batman films were handed over to director Joel Schumacher from Tim Burton, the design for the Batmobile became increasingly fanciful, as decorative lighting was added to the vehicle's rims, sides and front edge, and the wing-shaped fins reached further into the air. New abilities included a grappling hook allowing the Batmobile to drive up walls, as well as the speed to perform large jumps from surface to surface during chases across Gotham City's elevated freeways and gigantic statues.
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[edit] Features
The second Shumacher era Batmobile (as seen in the 1997 film Batman & Robin) also did not feature either a passenger seat nor a canopy. Like the Batman Forever car, this Batmobile (which was designed by Harald Belker[1]) featured light-up wheels and engine panels. The displays were much more involved with this car, however, with red, orange, yellow, and blue lights, as well as special pulsating lights in the counterrotating turbine intake. The nozzles were canted away from the centerline of the car slightly, so the final effect was that the six exhausts made a "V" pattern to keep the car pointed straight ahead. A bat mask was incorporated in the nose of the car, though the sculpted lines made it somewhat difficult to make out at first. The fins were unmistakable, though, and remain as the largest set ever built into a real-world Batmobile.
[edit] Role in Batman & Robin
It is somewhat unclear as to whether or not this Batmobile[2] was destroyed during the film (or there are backups). As Batman and Robin were in pursuit, Mr. Freeze shot the underside of the car for several seconds with his freeze-gun, before the car crash-landed. However, in the next scene in the Batcave, the Batmobile is sitting back on its pedestal appearing to be in perfect condition.
[edit] Fictional technical summary
[edit] Specifications[3]
- Length: 33 feet long; 10 meters long. The six flame columns formed a V-shaped output of 1,80 m length.
- Height: 1.5 m
- Maximum Speed: 230 mph on open road, 350 mph with afterburner thrust; TFX road tested the Batmobile at 140 mph. 350 km/h and the additional jet propulsion brings the cars to 530 km/h.
- Engine[4]: Chevy 350 ZZ3 (off-road racing motor). Instead of a single jet exhaust, this Batmobile had a "boattail" rear flanked by separate fenders, each with three smaller exhaust nozzles.
- Axle Base: 388 m
- Tires: It rode on custom 22" wheels with prototype, 55 m GoodYear tires.
The aeronomical chassis design and "T" axis wheelbase provided the Batman & Robin Batmobile counter-balance gyrometric stability, allowing for high velocity 90-degree turns at speeds greater than 70 mph without losing momentum.
[edit] Gadgetry[5]
Its arsenal of weaponry and gadgets is controlled by an onboard voice-activated computer which surrounds the single-seat cockpit. From behind the wheel, the driver has access to a multifunctioning key command response system which delivers immediate weapon activation during attack and defensive procedures.
The Batman & Robin Batmobile was equipped with dual-mount, subcarriage rocket launchers, front and rear grappling hooks, multipoint infrared and laser scan tracking units, anterior/posterior wheel-based axle bombs, catapult ejection seat, and disguised central carriage, which detaches to become an emergency road vehicle.
The single-seat cockpit[6] featured a two-way videoconferencing screen, radar unit, and Redbird cutoff switch.
[edit] Full list
- Rocket launcher
- Grappling hooks in front and in the back
- Infrared and laser beams for pursuit
- Tire bombs
- Ejection seat
- Independent suspension in the back
[edit] The Bathammer
The Bathammer[7][8] is in essence, a Batmobile for travelling on large icy surfaces (e.g. a hockey rink). It is 33 feet long & 6 feet high. The top speed is 100 mph on ice. Initial plans had the Batmobile being able to transform into this vehicle, but such plans were abandoned and the designers came up with a unique vehicle.
[edit] Role in Batman & Robin
In Batman & Robin, the Caped Crusader uses the Bathammer to battle Mr. Freeze and his henchmen through the frozen streets of Gotham City. The Bathammer can move over enormous skids underneath. It also carries vertical stabilizers (3 m long) that can be directed upward in an emergency and used as shield.
[edit] Fictional technical summary
[edit] Technical specifications
- Size: 1.80 m high; 10 m long; 3.88 m on conditions
- Jet drive: propulsion
- Maximum speed: Over 160 km/h on ice
[edit] References
- ^ The Cat's car was designed by Harald Belker, who also did the futuristic red Lexus that Tom Cruise drove in Minority Report. Born in Germany, Mr. Belker went to the Art Center College of Design and worked for Porsche and Mercedes-Benz before turning to movies, video games and comic books. He designed the Batmobile for Batman and Robin; a muscle car for the Vin Diesel-powered film XXX; cars for Battlefield Earth and Inspector Gadget; and electric bikes for Lee A. Iacocca.
- ^ Batman then climbs into a stupidly long convertible Batmobile, Robin jumps on his "Redbird" motorcycle, and both speed off out of the Batcave. "I'll cancel the pizzas," says Alfred. Why didn't they just cancel this friggin' movie?
- ^ Clooney Car - Specifications
- ^ Clooney Car - Batmobile Turbine
- ^ Clooney Car - Batmobile Gadgets
- ^ Clooney Car - Batmobile Dashboard
- ^ BATMAN-NEWS - Bathammer
- ^ Batman: Yesterday, Today, and Beyond - Bathammer
[edit] External links
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