Holy smokes, Batman! They just sold your car. On Saturday January 19, 2013 the original Batmobile sold for 4.62 million U.S. dollars. The Batmobile was sold at the Barrett-Jackson Auction Co. in Scottsdale, Ariaona. Barret-Jackson is well known for selling high profile automobiles. Rick Champagne is the new owner of the Batmobile after a fierce bidding war. Mr. Champagne is the owner of Champagne Logistics based out of Phoenix, Arizona. The car had been owned by the Batmobile's original auto customizer George Barris. It was Barris who turned a 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car into a super hero icon. George Barris customized several other well known vehicles including the Munster Koach from the television series the Munsters.
First appearance of the Batmobile occurred in Detective Comics #27 in May of 1939 although it was not called the Batmobile until Detective Comics #48 in February of 1941. Originally the Batmobile was a red Sedan but gradually transformed into a black car filled with super hero gadgets.
Technical specifications of the original Batmobile:
Technical specifications
Curb weight: 4500 lb
Wheelbase: 126 in
Length: 226 in
Width: 90 in
Height: 48 in
Fins: 84 in
Engine: 390 in³ Ford FE V-8
Transmission: B&M Hydro Automatic
Secondary power plant- rear mounted turbine, capable of propelling it for 15 seconds.
Super hero gadgets on the original Batmobile:
Emergency Bat-turn Lever
Bat-ray
Automatic fire extinguisher
Mobile Batcomputer
Bat Beam
Emergency tire inflator
Bat Smoke Screen
Bat-tering Ram
Voice Control Batmobile Relay Unit
Bat-photoscope
Batphone
Police band cut-in switch
Mobile tracking scope
Remote Bat Computer Switch
Anti-theft switch
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