Summary
Highlights
Five different Tumbler Batmobiles were made for the movie, with the initial prototype taking a year and $1 million to design. Unlike previous Batmobiles, these were 100% custom-made, not built on existing car chassis, featuring a two-piece design with 56 fiberglass body panels inspired by The Dark Knight Returns Batmobile and the F-117 Nighthawk jet.
The Tumblers are fully functional vehicles powered by a custom-built Chevy 350ci engine producing around 400 horsepower, coupled with a racing-grade automatic transmission. Its independently controlled hydraulic wing plate body panels provide downforce at high speeds and additional stability during jumps. Despite weighing 2.5 tons, it has a top speed of 105 mph and accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in six seconds, with speeds of 90 mph reached during filming chase scenes.
The Tumbler's exceptional maneuverability, despite its 15-foot by 9-foot width, is due to its unique axle-less front-end design, allowing independent braking of each front wheel for precise control during sharp turns. Its custom long-travel suspension and massive cushioning tires enable it to ramp jump long distances of up to 30 feet and absorb landings without damage. The jet-like afterburner effect was created using a propane burner sourced from a hot air balloon.
Batman Begins was the first movie to sponsor an entire NASCAR event, the Batman Begins 400, where the Tumbler served as a pace car. All five Tumblers survived filming with no major damage and were reused in subsequent Dark Knight films. One screen-used Tumbler is now on public display at the Warner Brothers lot in Burbank, California. As a bonus fact, a more civilized, all-electric production version called the Van Daryl Electric Batmobile can be purchased for around $35,000, offering good handling for a track car.