Alex has written for Vanity Fair, Barrons, Bloomberg and Condé…
The original 1966 Batmobile is expected to go under the hammer on January 19, the Barrett-Jackson auto auction house said Thursday. The iconic vehicle, which was featured in the Batman TV series as well as the movie adaptation starring Adam West, is capable of a quick 180-degree “bat-turn” thanks to two rear-mounted parachutes, the auctioneers said.
“The 1966 Batmobile by George Barris is one of the most famous Hollywood cars in history and it has become a true icon that has been carried from generation to generation of Batmobiles to follow,” Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson, said in a statement.
“This vehicle not only marks the significant Bat logo that sits on the middle of its door, but a time in television history where they defied the odds of making a car the real star of the show.”
The Batmobile, a 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car adapted by customizer Barris, features the Batphone, a Bat Eye Switch, Bat Smoke “and many other Bat gadgets,” according to Barrett-Jackson. The auction will take place in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Jackson has reportedly said it could fetch millions of dollars.
Alex has written for Vanity Fair, Barrons, Bloomberg and Condé Nast Traveler.