While collectors may fawn over high-end supercars or classic racecars, they also have to make some room in their collections for more “interesting” vehicles. One of those could be the actual Batmobile driven by the caped crusader himself in the 1992 film "Batman Returns."
This Batmobile has the potential to be the most expensive ever sold of the lineage as it was used for the movie and has been well maintained since. It has also has one of the most visually striking Batmobile designs.
The car will be auctioned on Nov. 23 in Los Angeles by Julien's Auctions.
What makes this specific Batmobile so special?
Out of all of the cars seen in Hollywood films, the Batmobile is one of the most iconic. While there is a different Batmobile and Bruce Wayne actor every few years, each car holds a firm place
in film and automotive history. This Batmobile was driven by Michael Keaton, who played Batman in the movie.
There were three Batmobiles commissioned to be built in 1989 when the original Tim Burton Batman film released. The specific model being auctioned was the exact car seen in the 1992 movie and was brought to life by ”Legendary Automotive King” Carl Casper, who was responsible for many iconic movie cars such as KITT from “Knight Rider,” General Lee from “Dukes of Hazard” and the van from the “A-Team.”
How was the car built?
At first glance you can tell this car is massive, as it sits at 19 feet, 8 inches long. It was built using two Chevrolet Impala chassis spliced together and a custom-made fiberglass body. It uses a Chevy V8 engine and a 3-speed automatic transmission. The interior houses two seats and a wide array of buttons that resemble a fighter jet.
The car remained in storage for many years before becoming a part of the Marconi Automotive Museum. The flames that shot from the exhausts in the movie were done with a special blend of kerosene and pressurized air for strictly cinematic purposes. But it's likely a collector car this expensive won't be driven many miles anyway.
Is the Batmobile road legal?
Each car that is legally allowed to drive on public roads in the United States has to meet strict requirements involving lights, airbags, visibility, size and other things. This Batmobile was made for a movie so it didn’t have to meet those road legal standards. So while it is a drivable car, it’s not meant for road use.
How much will the car sell for?
Julien’s Auctions believes the car can sell for between $5 million to $7 million, according to a news release. The previous record for the most expensive Batmobile ever sold was $4.6 million in 2013 for the car from the original 1966 “Batman” movie starring Adam West.
For more information on the auction go here.
Keenan Thompson is a car culture reporter for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Keenan at kthompson@freepress.com. Follow him on Instagram at @keenanautos. To sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 'Batman Returns' Batmobile heads to auction with $7M estimate
