The original screen-used Batmobile from Tim Burton’s 1992 blockbuster Batman Returns starring Michael Keaton will be offered November 23 in Los Angeles.
One of Hollywood’s most recognizable automobiles is heading to the auction block.
The original screen-used Batmobile from Tim Burton’s 1992 blockbuster Batman Returns starring Michael Keaton will be offered November 23 in Los Angeles through Julien’s Auctions in partnership with Turner Classic Movies.
The estimated selling price is $5 million to $7 million.
It’s The Real Thing
This isn’t a replica or a promotional vehicle. It’s the Number One Hero Batmobile, the actual machine used in most of the film’s driving sequences. Three examples were constructed for the production, and this was the first delivered to the set.
A Chevrolet Beneath The Bat Wings
Despite its exotic appearance, the Batmobile has surprisingly ordinary American automotive roots.
Built by legendary custom-car builder Carl Casper and Hollywood Productions, the vehicle rides on a specially fabricated frame created by joining two Chevrolet Impala chassis. Beneath its enormous fiberglass body sits a Chevrolet V8 engine connected to a three-speed automatic transmission.
Measuring approximately 19 feet/eight inches long, the Batmobile features an aggressive turbine-style nose, sculpted fenders, enormous rear fins and a two-seat cockpit filled with aircraft-inspired instruments.
Flaming Exhaust
It’s most spectacular feature is the flaming exhaust, though, created using a pressurized mixture of air and kerosene activated through radio-controlled equipment.
The design originated with the 1989 Batman film, under production designer Anton Furst and concept illustrator Julian Caldow. Its dark menacing appearance helped establish the visual identity of Burton’s signature Gotham City.
The car retains its original glossy black paint, meaning both Adam West and Burt Ward are bound to have put their hands all over it. During filming, the production crew applied a removable matte coating to minimize unwanted reflections.
Could Break A Batmobile Record
The auction estimate could establish a new benchmark for the superhero’s famous wheels. In 2013, the original George Barris-built Batmobile from the 1960s television series sold for approximately $4.6 million. Should Keaton’s machine reach its upper estimate, it would comfortably surpass that figure.
Following filming, the 1992 car appeared at promotional events before returning to Casper’s company. It subsequently spent years in storage and was eventually exhibited at California’s Marconi Automotive Museum.
Not Street Legal
There’s one catch for aspiring crime fighters/cosplayers – the vehicle is not street legal. Its mechanical components have received only limited testing since filming, and ownership carries restrictions governing public display, operation and commercial use. You’d have to go after it with tools to bring it up to code.
The auction also includes Batman costumes, cowls, original artwork and other superhero memorabilia spanning decades of cinematic history.
Bidding is already open, with the live auction scheduled for November 23.
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