Born in Gotham
Batman may not be able to fly, but the hero has had plenty of cool Batmobiles through the years. Most Batmobiles look aggressive and dramatic, in contrast to the traditional, old-school, muscle-car-esque iteration from the 2022 installment starring Robert Pattinson. One prime example is the Batmobile used in Tim Burton’s 1992 Batman Returns, which is now breaking out of Gotham and heading to auction.
This particular Batmobile features a dragster-like shape, a long hood, hot rod appeal, flowing wheel fenders, and, in Batman fashion, oversized rear fins. It also comes with a turbine-inspired nose and jet-like rear exhaust. Underpinning this movie car is a custom frame built from two spliced Chevrolet Impala chassis, powered by a Chevy V8 paired with a 3-speed automatic transmission. But perhaps its most interesting bit is that the vehicle could surpass the previous auction record for a Batmobile, with an estimate between $5 million and $7 million.
Bruce Wayne Money
That record belongs to the original Batmobile from the 1966 TV series, which sold for $4.62 million in 2013. At the high end of its estimate, the Batman Returns Batmobile would also surpass the $6.38 million paid in 2019 for a 1965 Aston Martin DB5 known as the “Bond Car.”
Depending on how loosely a movie car is defined, a 1970 Porsche 917K used extensively in Steve McQueen’s Le Mans can also be considered the record holder. The Porsche sold for $14.08 million in 2017, but to be fair, it was a genuine, fully functioning prototype race car with considerable motorsport history of its own.
This Batmobile from the 1992 film isn’t a replica; it’s the screen-used hero car, appearing in most of the film’s driving sequences. It is a functioning vehicle, but given the eye-watering estimate and its movie provenance, it is safe to assume the future owner will likely put it on display.
Looking for a New Batcave
Whoever gets to keep the Batmobile will be determined on November 23, 2026, when Julien’s will hold a live and online auction not only for the car, but also for other Batman collectibles, such as costumes, props, and production artifacts.
Once sold, it will follow another Burton-style Batmobile sold last year, though the latter was built circa 1992 for the Batman Stunt Show at the Six Flags Great Adventure amusement park. That car was sold through Bonhams along with other movie cars, including a replica of the enthusiast-favorite 2001 Nissan Skyline R34 from The Fast and the Furious franchise.
