While iconic movie cars have been crafted from Deloreans, Aston Martins, and even Country Squire station wagons, few fictional automobiles have carved out their own imagery from scratch. Celebrating its 85th anniversary in the lexicon, the Batman universe has hosted some of the most indelible vehicles of all time. And now, you can take home a real-life working replica of the de facto Batmobile of the 21st century — as long as you have $3 million to spend.
A Brief History of the Batmobile
Batman has had a vehicle to drive for as long as we’ve seen him in the comic books. However, his generic red ride in Detective Comics #27 from May 1939 didn’t have a name yet. It wasn’t until 1941 that the Batmobile moniker was born. The design has evolved throughout the years and has consisted over everything from bubble domes to gullwing doors.
On the live-action side of things, the ‘66 Batman TV show created its own look, utilizing a Ford concept car called the Lincoln Futura and adding some “Bat” elements with a black body and red trim. This would arguably be the most “standard” silhouette for any live-action Batmobile ever again.
Tim Burton’s series, debuting in 1989, had the version many millennials consider the de facto example of the Batmobile, with the long front end and the curvaceous swoop up to the wings in the back.
The pressure was on Christopher Nolan for his own Batman universe. He needed something fresh and iconic, yet fitting in with his more “grounded” take on the Caped Crusader compared to the expressionistic interpretation by Burton which seemed to take place inside of a snow globe. For the job, Nolan and his production design team opted for a military-looking vehicle made in actuality from parts previously used for airplanes, cars, and boats. Throughout his three installments — Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012) — this Batmobile has come to be known as the Tumbler.
Wayne Enterprises Tumbler Basics
Wayne Enterprises is a luxury retail brand sanctioned by Warner Bros. and DC that makes products, many of which would be used by Bruce Wayne himself. They collaborate with high-end menswear brands on items like an $80k tourbillon watch with Kross Studio, formal shoes with Ron Donovan, and fragrances with Eleventy. However, the Tumbler replica is inarguably their most unprecedented release yet.
For this fully functional — though not street legal — vehicle, Wayne Enterprises got the blessing from Warner Bros. itself. They’ve equipped the ride with a 6.2L LS3 engine delivering 525hp and 486lb.ft of torque, alongside a GM 4L85E transmission with paddle shifters. Other features include imitation gun turrets and a smoke screen deployment system, just like the movie car. There’s even a flameless jet engine simulation you can activate.
Weighing an eyebrow-raising 5,511lbs, the Tumbler replica stretches 15.25ft and is made up of Kevlar, carbon fiber, and sheet metal fiberglass over a tubular aeronautical steel frame.
Seating two, the inside is just as impressive designed for screen-accurate authenticity with bespoke seating trim, a 5-point racing car seat harness, black Alcantara headlining, and even one-way mirrored glass screens. You can also customize your vehicle with a choice of left-hand drive and metric/imperial gauge units.
Spec Sheet
Model: Tumbler
Engine: 6.2L LS3
Power: 525hp
Torque: 486lb.ft
Transmission: GM 4L85E with paddle shifter
Limited Edition?: Yes, 10
Pricing & Availability
Only 10 examples of the Tumbler replica were made, and buyers will be hand-picked by Wayne Enterprises following a series of allocation requests. Also, something tells me this list will be short since the vehicle has a sticker price of $2,990,000. Head over to Wayne Enterprises to learn more.
Recap
Wayne Enterprises Tumbler Batmobile Replica
Wayne Enterprises has made a $3 million replica of the Tumbler Batmobile from Batman Begins, and only 10 are being made.
