The Batmobile, in any of its iterations, is one of the most iconic vehicles of all time. But these are mere make-believe.
There are, as it turns out, some very real cars that could easily substitute for the glorified props we've come to love on the silver screen. Here are but a few of the best.
The original Batmobilewas a modified version of the 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car. The original car was the brainchild of Lincoln Mercury's postwar chief stylist William M. Schmidt.
The original Batmobile has customized by George Barris from a 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car into the now-iconic vehicle. He spent around $15,000 on the project and the car featured in the 1966 to 1968 series of Batman.
Barris kept the car following the conclusion of the TV series for many years until he sold it in 2013 for a whopping $4.6 million.
"The iconic vehicle was purchased by a car collector who lives near Phoenix, and he may want to consider going into the superhero (or supervillain) business himself—with a name like Rick Champagne, it would be a crime not to. Champagne said he plans to showcase the car in his living room, not use it—but isn’t that exactly what a good guy in disguise would say?" - mentalfloss.com.
What real cars look like the Batmobile?
So, without further ado, here are 7 examples of real cars that could easily pass for a Batmobile. Trust us when we say this list is far from exhaustive and is in no particular order.
1. The Lamborgini Vision GT looks a bit like a Batmobile
The iconic Lamborghini Vision GT is one real-life car that could probably pass as a Batmobile. Unveiled late last year, this car is a true testament to the workmanship the manufacturer brings to the world of automobiles.
"This visionary design study was created by Lamborghini Centro Stile in Sant’Agata, Italy, as a single-seat sports car that embodies the pure joy of driving. Powering the car is the same V12 hybrid engine as the Sian FKP37 unveiled in September." - gran-turismo.com.
All it needs now is a coat of jet black coat paint to really complete the look. Quite an impressive machine we must say.
2. The Bugatti La Voiture Noire also looks like a candidate for a real Batmobile
The Bugatti La Voiture Noire is yet another real car that looks like it could be inspired by the design of the Batmobile. With its combination of elegant curves and sharp edges, you could be forgiven for thinking Batman was real.
"With its homage to the fourth, all-black Atlantic, missing since the Second World War, BUGATTI is bringing the speed, technology, luxury and aesthetics of an icon into a new era. But the customized creation of “La Voiture Noire” is far more than a modern interpretation of the ghost of the Gran Turismo. “La Voiture Noire” is a tribute to BUGATTI’s own history, a manifesto of the BUGATTI aesthetic and a piece of automotive haute couture." - Bugatti.
3. The NASA Mars Rover concept vehicle also looks like a Batmobile-of-sorts
Millenium ENNasa’s Mars rover looks like it was taken straight out of Mass Effect! 🤔 . . #videogames #videogame #gaming #masseffect #nasa #instagamer #mars #marsrover #rover #rpg #pcgaming #xbox #playstation
While not technically a real car, we simply couldn't resist including this amazing concept vehicle.
Unveiled a few years back, the NASA Mars Rover concept vehicle is another "car" that you might expect Batman to rock up in. The vehicle's concept is to be able to transport up to four astronauts at a time around the "Red Planet's" surface in style.
It comes with a handy detachable lab and uses solar power to charge its 700-volt battery. The rover was designed by Parker Brothers Concepts who are famed for their "outlandish" vehicle designs for films and TV shows.
The entire vehicle was built from scratch between November 2016 and April 2017.
"Me and the guys, we averaged about 80 to 100 hours a week, each," Marc Parker of Parker Brothers Concepts told Business Insider. "We worked 10-, 12-, 14-hour days, seven days a week since late last year. If I thought about how many hours we put into this thing, I'd probably cry. It's way too many."
4. The Nissan BladeGlider looks suspiciously familiar
Yet another car that resembles the Batmobile is the Nissan BladeGlider. A concept car from Nissan, it has some interesting design features and engineering quirks that would make Batman himself blush.
"More than a concept, Nissan BladeGlider is both a proposal for the future direction of Nissan electric vehicle (EV) development and an exploratory prototype of an upcoming production vehicle from the world's leading EV manufacturer.
BladeGlider was developed with form following function. Nissan crafted the vehicle's unique architecture to give the driver and passengers 'sustainable exhilaration' -- a fresh electric vehicle driving experience based on peerless technology and exotic styling." - Nissan.
5. What about the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento?
The iconic Lamborghini Sesto Elemento is yet another real car that could easily pass as a Batmobile. Built as a special edition, the Elemento is undoubtedly a masterpiece of engineering and car design.
"Boasting an extremely lightweight construction thanks to advanced carbon-fiber technology, the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento has an overall curb weight of just 999 kilograms (2,202 lb) - including the V10 power unit and the permanent all-wheel drive. With its sensational power-to-weight ratio of only 1.75 kilograms per CV, this limited-edition super sports car offers unrivaled performance: from 0 to 100 km/h in a record time of only 2.5 seconds." - Lamborghini.
6. Have you seen the RAESR "Tachyon Speed"
Yet another real-life car that resembles the Batmobile is the RAESR "Tachyon Speed". This 1250-HP all-electric monster was the first offering from South California's Rice Advanced Engineering Systems and Research (RAESR).
An incredibly powerful-looking vehicle, you could easily envisage it in the next Batman flick. Currently, in its prototype stage, the company hopes to bring it to market in the not too distant future.
7. Lest we forget the Lykan Hypersport
And finally, how could we forget the Lykan Hypersport? Designed and built by W Motors (a United Arab Emirates-based company), it is the first sports car to be produced in the region.
"The first hypercar created by W Motors, the Lykan HyperSport, catapulted the company to international stardom when it took center stage in Universal Studios’ Furious 7. It was featured as the hero car in the movie and is the most expensive car ever to be featured in The Fast & The Furious Franchise." - W Motors.
Intended as a very limited production, the first pre-production model was unveiled at the Qatar Motor Show in 2013.
