Batman, The Dark Knight

The Batmobile depicted in Christopher Nolan’s trilogy of Batman films owes much to the tank-like vehicle from Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, has a more ‘workhorse’ appearance than the sleek automobiles seen in previous incarnations and does not have a front axle. While the films never refer to the vehicle as the ‘Batmobile’, it is still referred to as such in the scripts. The film’s production designer described the machine as a cross between a Lamborghini and a tank.

In Batman Begins (2005), Bruce Wayne utilizes the prototype vehicle known as the Tumbler designed by Wayne Enterprises’ Applied Sciences Division as a bridging vehicle for the military. It includes weaponry and the ability to boost into a rampless jump. The Tumbler’s armour is strong enough to break through concrete barriers without sustaining significant damage. Two full-sized driving versions were used in exterior shots while another full-sized model with hydraulic enhancements was used in jump sequences. A further full-sized, functional version carried propane tanks to fuel the rocket blast out of the rear nozzle. A radio controlled, 1/3-scale electric model also performed stunts in the film including the roof-top chase sequence. Six vehicles were built for the production of the film.