As we had originally reported in Original 1966 Batmobile Heads to Auction:
“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.”
And with the shocking price of $4,620,000, the winning bidder was Rick Champagne, a businessman and car collector from the Phoenix area who has been attending Barrett-Jackson auctions for 15 years. Reuters reports that Champagne owns Champagne Logistics based in Tempe, Arizona. “I really liked Batman growing up and I came here with the intention of buying the car,” Champagne, 56, told Reuters in a brief interview moments after he bought the car. “Sure enough, I was able to buy it. That was a dream come true.”
The Batmobile design was based on a 1955 Lincoln Futura, a concept car built in Italy by the Ford Motor Company.
Press Release from Barrett-Jackson:
There are only a few items in life that are able to capture the soul of an era. Not many people can say they own a pinnacle point in history that revolutionized a particular genre and an entire industry that followed in its footsteps. Maybe it was the catchy theme song that played in the beginning or the comedic/action-packed acting that was followed by “POW”/”BANG” in this TV show, but then there are the real fans that will strongly advocate, till this day, that coming home to watch the Batmobile soar out of the batcave in the Batman TV Series defines a lot of their first childhood loves to hit the television screens. The 1966 Batmobile by George Barris is the most recognized and popular piece of entertainment history, worldwide, that has become an icon, an icon that has been carried from generation to generation of Batmobiles to follow. 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 become the star. Still as beautiful as when it first came out of the paint shop, this 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car has been apart of the personal collection of George Barris since he first bought it from the Ford Motor Company for $1. After having a meeting with the producer of the TV Show, William Dozier, George was left with the challenge of 15 days and $15,000 budget. Before George knew it, the Lincoln Futura was underway to becoming what others will always remember to be the Original Batmobile. Besides seeing the likes of the infamous, Adam West and Burt Ward (Batman and Robin), this car has been on a variety of television/movie sets, car shows and museums around the nation. To go even further, this car is exclusively featured in Christopher Nolan’s Batmobile Documentary, which is one of the major bonuses in the Dark Knight Rise’s DVD. History is being made here at Barret Jackson. This is the 1st TIME that the original Batmobile has been up for sale, since George bought it for that $1. Whether you’re a car collector, entertainment enthusiast, or an average Joe looking to buy his dream car, don’t miss out on adding this to your very own batcave. Included with the Batmobile will be historical memorabilia and documentation from George’s personal archive.
