Hollywood Gallery

1989 BATMOBILE
Driven by Michael Keaton in Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992)

Almost 20 feet in length, the Batmobile driven by Micahel Keaton in the 1989 and 1992 movies was based upon a 1967 Chevy Impala found in a London junkyard. It was powered by a 327-cubic inch V-8 Chevrolet engine mounted low in the frame in order to drop the hood line and enhance the cars' sleek profile. Rolls-Royce jet engine components were used to form the hood-mounted intake, and turbine blades in the nose piece were scavenged from a British Harrier fighter jet. Two Batmobiles, the featured car and a stand-in, appeared in Batman and Batman Returns. Three additional studio-authorized Batmobiles, of which this is one, were constructed for publicity and promotional use after the film's release.

Collection of Margie and Robert E. Petersen