In last month’s unusual cars episode, we counted down our 5 all time favourite Bond cars, and for this month’s (belated) episode, we’re headed to the batcave and some of Bruce Wayne’s badass weaponised rods. We give you: the Batmobile!
Batman Forever (1995)
Starting off our list is Batman Forever, the third Warner Brother film, and the very first Batman film directed by Joel Schumacher. Starring Val Kilmer, this Batmobile was very much different from previous versions of the car.
It was designed by Barbara Ling, who wanted a more organic aesthetic, thus felt the car should look more like its namesake. As such, ribs were added to the car as well as 3 wings, while the undercarriage and wheels were lit blue to accentuate its intricate lines.
However, no Batmobile is complete without some Bat-gadgets; the wheels were designed to lock into place perpendicular to the center-line to allow for quick sideways movement. Furthermore, it could reverse its jet exhaust to launch grappling hooks, allowing the car to climb vertical surfaces, a pretty awesome way to avoid danger.
Sadly the car didn’t last very long seeing as the Riddler decided to deposit a bag of explosives in the cockpit. To be fair, the car would probably have been totaled at the first low hanging bridge thanks to that ginormous tail wing.
Batman Vs Superman (2016)
Next on our list is the more recent Batman vs Superman. Directed by Zack Snyder and starring Ben Affleck, this particular Batmobile took heavy inspiration from the Nolan films, prioritizing a more realistic take on its predecessors.
Designed by Patrick Tatopoulos, it was a low flat machine, 6m long, 3.7m wide and weighing in at 3175kg. This version, unlike the Tumbler, wasn’t an adapted version of Wayne tech repurposed for Bat use, but a specifically built piece of tech designed to be Batman’s ultimate ground vehicle.
This is evident in those Batgadgets we mentioned before; sporting a variety of weaponry, such as harpoons, spiked coils, twin .50 caliber retractable machine gun turrets, sonic repellent, and oh yeah it also had a kryptonite transit wave emitter and krypnonite vapor trajectory system, because he wouldn’t be Batman if he wasn’t completely prepared.
It wasn’t all offence though. Smokescreens, stealth-friendly and equipped with a scatter shield, were part of its anti-ballistic measures, while NV mode, sonar and a toxin scanner led its surveillance capabilities. Not a bad defence, unlike last season’s Chelsea side.
The DK Trilogy (2005-2008)
Keeping it noughty, next up has to be the Dark Knight Trilogy, directed By Christopher Nolan, starring Christian Bale. This Batmobile, aka the Tumbler, was designed by Nathan Crowley and Nolan, both of whom went for realism as a primary design focus.
4.6m long, 2.74m wide and weighing in at 2.5 tons, the car was capable of 0-96kph in under 6 seconds and a top speed of 177kph while still being capable of jumps up to 9 meters without assistance.
After a long absence, Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham ready to begin cleaning it up. He teams up with Lucius Fox, head of Wayne Enterprises Applied Science Division, who shows Bruce a variety of tech that would end up being useful in his goal. After noticing a set of tires poking out from under a tarp, Fox introduces the Tumbler, an experimental bridging machine that due to its inability to do the ‘bridging’ part, was scrapped.
Alright Badgadget time; offensively, it had a pair of nose mounted machine guns and canons, however what made this Batmobile special was it’s adaptability. It was Pre-programmed with remote control, that included routines such as ‘Loiter’ and ‘Intimidate’ allowing it to be both an asset and a distraction when Batman needed it, and in perhaps one of the most iconic moments in the trilogy, it is capable of shedding the bulk of itself to become a motorcycle-like vehicle.
This Batmobile was capable of rotating itself and possessed a grappling hook, allowing for some extreme maneuvers and, as mentioned before, Batman always comes prepared; a self destruct sequence is initiated when it takes on this form, ensuring that no one could reverse engineer his tech. It also comes in black.
Batman (1989)
Our penultimate entry is the Batmobile in ‘Batman’, directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton. It was designed by Anton Furst, and this version truly captured the essence of the comic Batmobile.
Unlike previous versions, this one removed the Batman image from the front, replacing it with a large jet turbine intake, with sweeping mandibles on either side. Towards the rear, cold air intakes for the afterburner were placed, while the large heavyset rear was reminiscent of vehicles from the 30s.
As for gadgets, there were surprising few, with focus set on the potency of the gadgets rather than the number. Offensively it was armed with spherical bombs, side mounted disc launcher, mounted Browning machine guns, and some shin-breakers for good measure.
Defensively it possessed the ability to cocoon itself in heavy armour on top of its already solid armour plating, an oil slick dispenser and a smoke emitter. Furthermore it came equipped with grappling hook launchers, a ‘foot’ that allowed the car to 180 on the spot and, in real emergencies, the ability to shed most of its body beyond the central fuselage allowing it to pass through narrow openings.
It’s fair to say that 1989 was the year where the blend between the fantastical and realistic versions of the Batmobile and, in the opinion of this author, is perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing version of the car in Bat-film history.
Batman The Movie (1966)
As usual, we save the best for last, and what better finale than the one that started it all. And yes, for the most informed of our readers, there was a 1943 theatrical serial, but this was the first feature length movie of one of comic books’ most beloved heroes.
Directed by Leslie Martinson and starring the great Adam West, this Batmobile, designed by George Barris, was very much different from the Batmobiles we’ve come to see decades later.
Barris used Ford’s Futura concept car as a basis for it, something that would make the Futura one of the most famous cars in the world. Chosen for its ‘bat-like’ features, and with the additions of a bat mask on the nose of the car, as well as modifications to the fins to become more prominent, and finally gloss black paint with red lining, the car finally looked the part.
All I can say is James Bond eat your heart out, because this Batmobile came equipped with…deep breath; nose mounted chain slicer, lasers, rockets, radar, dash monitor, a police beacon, rear mounted parachutes to allow for quick turns, a smoke emitter, a battering ram and nail spreader. I mean seriously, it’s a toss up between the moon landing in 1969 or this beauty in 1966.
So there you go from East to (Adam) West, these are our top 5 picks for arguably one of the greatest vehicles to feature on the big screen. Stay tuned for this month’s episode! What’s your favourite Batmobile? Let us know in the comments section below.
In the meantime, we’re eagerly anticipating The Batman coming out next year.
