Batmobile (Batman Forever)

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As the 1990s Batman films were handed over to director Joel Schumacher from Tim Burton, the design for the Batmobile became increasingly fanciful, as decorative lighting was added to the vehicle's rims, sides and front edge, and the wing-shaped fins reached further into the air. New abilities included a grappling hook allowing the Batmobile to drive up walls, as well as the speed to perform large jumps from surface to surface during chases across Gotham City's elevated freeways and gigantic statues.

[edit] Features

This Batmobile sought to accentuate its intricate lines. To do this, the filmmakers equipped it with engine panels, wheels, and undercarriage were indirectly lit so that they appeared to glow blue. The Batman Forever car also had a split cockpit^[1][2] canopy, separate fenders, and jet exhaust. The roof fin could be opened into a "V" shape for a more contemporary look. The wheels were made to keep the bat emblems upright when the wheels are turning. The bat-emblem hubcaps was a counter-rotating gear that transferred into a stationary point. The two-seat cockpit featured a rear-view monitor, system diagnostics display, and custom gauge cluster.

H R Giger was chosen to design the Batmobile in the very early stages of production. He left due to creative differences. His designs are on his official website in illustrated and 3D Graphic Art form.

[edit] Role in Batman Forever

As previously mentioned, this Batmobile possesses the ability to drive up walls, as Batman alludes a dead-end provided by Two-Face and his henchmen. Later on, we see Dick Grayson (unbeknowest to Bruce Wayne) take the Batmobile for a joy ride. Finally, it was destroyed when the Riddler deposited a sack full of explosives in the cockpit. Batman Forever is also notable for the phrase uttered by Batman (portrayed by Val Kilmer) to Dr. Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman) "It's the car, right? Chicks love the car."

[edit] Fictional technical summary

[edit] Gadgetry

There were two primary avoidance/defense features^[3][4]. First, it had the ability to lock all four wheels perpendicular to its centerline, to allow for quick sideways movement. Second, for more dire circumstances, the Batmobile could reroute the jet exhaust to under its front end and launch grappling cables at overhead anchors. With the nose up and the lines in place, the car could climb sheer vertical surfaces like building walls as if it were driving on flat ground.

[edit] Specifications

The Batman Forever Batmobile had a Chevy 350 ZZ3 high-performance motor. It had high compression, 345 horsepower, aluminum heads, angled plugs and a good valve grind. The body is made from a high-temperature epoxy fiberglass laminate. All of the air was extracted though vacuum bagging.

The wheel base is 118 inches, the average car wheel base measures around 103 (USDOT Data 1980-2000) inches. In all, its size was 7.62 m long and 3.20 m in height.

Carbon fiber was used to build the body of this particular Batmobile. Carbon fiber is the same material that's normally used for Formula One racing cars and F-16 jet fighters.

• Length: 7.62 m
• Width: 94.4 in
• Height: 3.20 m
• Maximum Speed: 530 km/h with booster
• Engine: Off-road running engine
• Wheelbase: 118 in
• Tires: Pivotable

[edit] In other media

• In the TV series The Drew Carey Show, Drew Carey won the Batman Forever Batmobile as a prize.

• In the cartoon Transformers: Cybertron, the Decepticon leader Megatron's vehicle mode looks similar to the Joel Schumacher version.

• In "Legends of the Dark Knight", an episode of The New Batman Adventures, three teenagers discuss their ideas about what Batman is really like. They briefly meet an effeminate youth called Joel (in front of a shoemaker's shop, no less) whose idea of Batman consists mainly of a fascination with the tight rubber suits and a Batmobile that can drive up walls (as seen in Batman Forever). The other three kids treat Joel's ideas with utter disdain. The piece received mixed reviews from Bat-fans; some love what was done, while others consider it a "low blow" from the producers of the animated series. Joel has since reaffirmed that he wanted to produce an adaptation of Batman: Year One. The animated series' creator Bruce Timm stated in the DVD commentary for the episode that Batman Forever is one of his favorite Batman films, however this is said as a joke, as he has stated elsewhere that he dislikes the film.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Batmobiles 1995
• Toys & Replicas
• Batman Forever Concept Drawings
• The Batcave - Kilmer Car
• The Batmobile of 1995
• Click on the title to see die-cast vehicles from that movie or TV series.
• Batman Forever Batmobile Spec