The Batmobile: The 7 best variants over 70 years

By Hardik Singh | Updated Nov 26 2014
The Batmobile: The 7 best variants over 70 years

Batman Arkham Knight

In the latest game trailer of Batman: Arkham Knight we saw how the fabled Batmobile plays an important part in the gameplay. The Batmobile has gone through various iterations over the years from its inception in 1941. Here are our top picks out of the countless Batmobiles we have seen over the decades.

The Batmobile: The 7 best variants over 70 years

Batman (1989 film)

The first Batman film of the modern era brought a dark version of the Caped Crusader to the big screen. Director Tim Burton wanted a car which would be combination of brute force and classic design aesthetics and thus this iconic Batmobile was conceptualized. Made from spliced Chevrolet Impalas and powered by a Chevy V8 engine, the Batmobile featured machine guns, spherical bombs, side mounted disc launchers and everything worked with voice-commands.

The Batmobile: The 7 best variants over 70 years

Batman: TV series (1966-1968)

In the late sixties Batman came to the television with a red accented Batmobile. It was based loosely on a 1955 Lincoln Futura. The car featured an array of gadgets such as chain slicers, lasers, rockets, a telephone, on-board computer and parachute brakes. Back in the day this Batmobile was powered by a Atomic turbine engine (Ford V8).

The Batmobile: The 7 best variants over 70 years

Batman Begins (2005-2008)

The ‘Tumbler’ was the comeback vehicle of the Batman when Christopher Nolan took over the movie franchise. This Batmobile looked more like tank rather than a car giving the Dark Knight a more menacing appearance. It featured front mounted guns, big 44-inch tires and an ejectable single-seat escape vehicle.

The Batmobile: The 7 best variants over 70 years

Batman: The Animated series

The most famous Batman animated series in our opinion was the debut platform for one of the most iconic Batmobiles ever. This Batmobile had a long bonnet and helped Batman serve justice with gadgets like oil dispensers, wheels slashers, missiles, tear gas and was powered by a jet engine at the back.

Image credits: Chris Souto

The Batmobile: The 7 best variants over 70 years

The Dark Knight Returns

Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns is one of the best alternative storylines starring the Caped Crusader. In this comic series an old Batman makes a comeback with the largest Batmobile we have seen thus far. This Batmobile is large and take almost three lanes while driving around. It fires rubber bullets from chain guns and also has a huge medical bay at its back.

The Batmobile: The 7 best variants over 70 years

Batman: The Killing Joke

The iconic bubble domed Batmobile has been featured in other comic issues as well but the Killing Joke would easily be the one to remember. The car featured fat fenders, a large bat insignia on the front and that almost new-age like Bubble dome.

The Batmobile: The 7 best variants over 70 years

Batman Forever (1995)

The 1995 Batman movie forever Batman Forever directed by Joel Schumacher brought a Batmobile to the big screen. The organic, more Bat like perception of a Batmobile led to the design of this car. This Batmobile had blue accentuated lights all around the car and a roof with a big wing running over the cockpit.