The Evolution of the Batmobile

From GraphJam:

Awesome, but missing the SUV-like Batmobile.

wow. Didn't realize that Batman's car garage looked like Jay Leno's on crack!

Nice find!

Good stuff. My favorite Batmobile is the one from the '92 animated series. I think it's recognizably a Batmobile without being outlandishly over the top. Plus it's got that art deco aesthetic that I love.

Some cool designs, plenty of goofy ones, and the world's largest Porsche 550. They call it a 356, but it's totally James Dean's Porsche. I also think the 1970 "Corvette" is actually inspired by the Ferrari 365/Daytona.

my favorite ones have always been from TAS and BB.

The 1972 Mustang model makes me laugh for some reason.

I think the Batmobile from the 89 Batman and Batman returns will always be the definitive batmobile to me. Unique, stylish, sleak, unforgettable lines. It was just perfect in my opinion, it oozes "batman" to me.

The ones by Barbara Ling on the other hand, for Batman Forever and Batman and Robin movies, got those things are an eye sore, the Batmobile should be aerodynamic, sleek, a reasonable chance of being stealthy, neon lights all over it for pure decorations is not only not stealthy, it's just not Batman's style.

The animated series one was nice. And I like the 2004 one in the middle picture, it looks like a newer version of Burtons. Some of them are cool I just never realize how many versions there were or how often it changes.

Edit: Wanted to add. I like the tumbler but it always seemed to me more like the "Bat Tank" than the Batmobile.

Huh. That was an interesting look. Not being a big batman fan I have no favorite. On the other hand the '92 one with the face and the '93 one with wheels way below the chassis I don't like at all.

With about 60% of those, I think Bruce Wayne should fire his car designer. I mean, really some of those are awful.

I do love the 2004 Comic Book model, it's basically a carbon copy of the '89 movie Batmobile except it's got the bat "face" in place of the air intake? With a cowl induction right above that, me like!

'88, '89, and 2005: Those were Batman's ****** bag years.

I've always been fond of the Adam West TV one. I used to imagine getting one if I won the lottery.

I loved the Tumbler, mainly because it had such bad-*** screen presence. Shame it blew up.

They forgot one. The Dark Knight Returns

Okay, am I the only one that really likes that '44 Studebaker?
And yeah, the 2004 comicbook one in the middle is a nice job, in my opinion.

Very fun lookover (although, way too many awful ones in there... did they really need a new ugly rendition every couple of months? Then again, looking at the designs, I guess so!).


Thanks for sharing this!

A couple of things I learned:

The mid 70's through the 80's were a horrible, horrible time for The Batmobile. Untill Tim Burton Saved it, and that is my 2nd favorite, I think.

The Tumbler is the most Bad A** looking batmobile ever, imo. Definitely my favorite.

The one thing the original TV batmobile had over all the others:
Atomic Turbine Engine.

K, Let me repeat that.

Atomic Turbine Engine.

Seriously? An Atomic engine, and it went like, top speed of 120? 150 maybe?
That is awesomely hilarious.

Thanks for the graphic.

The Tumbler reminds me somewhat of the Bat Tank from Miller's The Dark Knight Returns.

The latest Batman and Robin comic went back to the 1989 movie's Batmobile.