Warner Bros.
The Batmobile has come a long way since Adam West hopped behind the wheel of a jazzed-up Lincoln back in the 1960s, and it’s hard to think of a more fearsome version than the one Christian Bale’s Batman piloted in the trilogy helmed by Christopher Nolan—which some people with more money than they know what to do with will soon be able to add to their garage.
The Batmobile made its grand debut in a Batman comic book that came out in 1939, although the red vehicle that was simply described as a “specially built high-powered auto” wouldn’t be referred to by that specific moniker until a couple of years later.
The depiction of the Batmobile has constantly evolved in the various comics, television shows, and movies it’s been featured in over the decades, but it’s historically been a pretty sleek vehicle defined by aerodynamic curves and tailfins.
However, that was not the case with the “Tumbler” that made its grand debut in Batman Begins and served as The Caped Crusader’s primary form of transportation in The Dark Knight before it self-destructed after he harnessed its built-in escape pod during a showdown with The Joker.
Four versions of that particular Batmobile were constructed for the first movie in the trilogy and cost $250,000 apiece to build, and while that’s certainly not a tiny number, it’s a downright bargain compared to the limited run of pricey collectibles being produced with the blessing of the folks at Warner Bros.
Earlier this year, the studio launched what was dubbed the “Wayne Enterprises Experience” to give fans with some disposable income the chance to channel their inner Batman (as well as the billionaire who created the alter ego), and that exercise in corporate synergy has led to a new opportunity for anyone who has around $3 million to drop on a fully-functional Batmobile.
According to the website, Warner Bros. is overseeing the production of 10 Tumbler-style Batmobiles with a $2,990,000 price tag (potential buyers must be approved via an application process) that will take 15 months to construct and deliver once the initial deposit is placed.
The Batmobiles will pack a 6.2-liter, 525-horsepower engine, weigh in at 5,511 lbs, and while the gun turrets and jet engine on the back are just for show, it does appear drivers will be able to take advantage of a “Smoke Screen Delivery System.”
If you are rich enough to secure one through the application process, you’ll also need to have access to some facilities where you can drive it, as the vehicle lacks all of the required safety features needed to meet the definition of “street legal.”
However, if you can afford a $3 million Batmobile, you can probably afford to have it towed to a racetrack.