There have been so many attempts in recreating the Batmobile Tumbler as seen in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy. There was the crudest one crafted from a minivan, an electric-powered example from Vietnam, and the most accurate replica yet from Marc Irvin. But nothing will beat one that has been officially licensed by the studio and one money can buy. You heard right. A Batmobile Tumbler that you can buy—if you have 3 million dollars to drop.
The real-life Tumbler is being engineered and built by California-based Action Vehicle Engineering. Action Vehicle Engineering is best known for its work for turning 1:64 scale Hot Wheels die-cast models into real, driveable rides. Back to this wonderful crimefighting machine… this real-life, driveable but totally not street-legal (duh! Neither was Bruce Wayne’s!) Batmobile measures 15.25 feet long, 9.25 feet wide, and 5 feet tall (or around 4.65 m long, 2.82 m wide, and 1.52 m tall), and yes, it comes in black. In fact, black—specifically Vanta Black—is the only option.
Don’t expect it to stand up to lead fire its way, though. This big guy is not armored. It only looks like it is heavily armored. Built around a tubular aeronautical-grade steel frame is a body made up of a blend of Kevlar, carbon fiber, fiberglass, and steel. It rolls on a pair of ultra-wide 15-inch wheels and four beefy 18.5-inch wheels with Interco Super Swamper tires. According to reports, this real-life Tumbler isn’t just about looks; it rocks some of the same features as in the film, including a smoke screen, and a “Jet Engine Simulation”. Unfortunately, it will not spew fire out from the back.
Under the hood, this big guy is powered by a General Motors-sourced 6.2L LS3 V8 and mated to a four-speed automatic. But I don’t believe the 525 horsepower engine with a peak torque of 486 lb-ft (660 Mm) would enable this 5,511-pound (2,500 kg) to pull off ramp-less leaps. But that’s probably not as crucial as the creature comfort it provides on the inside. Inside the cabin, there is a pair of 10-inch infotainment displays, air-conditioning, two seats, and a headliner upholstered in black Alcantara. Batsuit not included, and neither is a waterfall-concealed Batcave.
Now for the good news. As mentioned earlier in this post, this Officially Licensed Batmobile Tumbler is something money can buy. There’s a catch. Only 10 examples with be built, each costing a cool US$2.99 million.
Images: Warner Bros. Discovery.
via The Drive.
