-
Home
- TV Shows
- TV Schedule
- NASCAR
-
Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Games
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
- Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
- Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
VINTAGE: Batmobile Sale Broke Record
The Barrett-Jackson auction of the original ‘Batman’ TV car is verified as the highest-ever price for a TV or movie vehicle.
The crowd-pleasing sale of the original Batmobile at Barrett-Jackson has broken a world record for TV and movie cars. (Photo: Bob Golfen)
The remarkable $4.62 million sale of the original 1966 Batmobile at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction this month has been verified as the world-record highest price ever paid for a TV or movie vehicle, Barrett-Jackson announced today.
The Batmobile, created by legendary car customizer George Barris for the Batman TV series, beat the record previously held by the spy-gadget Aston Martin DB5 driven by Sean Connery in the movie Goldfinger, which sold for $4,608,500 in October 2010 at RM Auctions’ London event.
The Batmobile holds a slim margin of $11,500, but it’s a record nonetheless. Both prices include auction fees.
Barrett-Jackson waited until now to announce the Batmobile’s record so that it could be thoroughly verified, the Scottsdale auction house said, adding that they are working with the Guinness Book of World Records to include the sale in their famous listings.
“The 1966 Batmobile is a true piece of Americana and fans around the world were curious to see what it would sell for,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “We are so proud of the record it set, but more importantly, we couldn’t be happier to help find a new home for such a significant and legendary piece of TV and movie history in front of a record crowd for a Saturday auction and the SPEED TV audience.”
The Batmobile also stands as the second highest-selling vehicle of any kind sold at a Barrett-Jackson auction, behind Carroll Shelby's own 1966 Cobra Super Snake sold in 2007 for a total of $5.5 million.
The Batmobile was given star treatment during the Jan. 19 auction as it rolled onto the darkened stage accompanied by flashing lights and the raucous Batman theme song, with the standing-room-only crowd in the huge auction tent loudly cheering their approval. The surging audience went wild as George Barris stepped out, and famed motorsports model Linda Vaughn danced on stage in a Batgirl costume.
The crowd reaction climbed in pitch as the bidding quickly soared into the multi-millions. The last two determined bidders finally decided to flip a coin to determine the victor. The coin toss was won by Rick Champagne, a businessman from nearby Ahwatukee and a Barrett-Jackson regular.
The Batmobile was hammered sold at $4.2 million, which comes out to $4.62 million with the 10 percent bidder fee.
“It was exciting to see such an exciting bidding war, definitely something we will remember for years to come,” said Barrett-Jackson president Steve Davis.
The original Batmobile started its life as the 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car, an auto-show design study designed by Ford and built by Ghia of Italy. The Futura, which Barrett bought for a total of one dollar after its show career ended, was in his collection when studio executives presented him with a rush order to create a crime-fighting car for the upcoming Batman TV show.
Barris and his crew built the Batmobile in just over two weeks, using the Futura as the basis. After the Batmobile was used in the TV show and a movie adaptation, Barris kept it in his collection for more than four decades, offering it for sale for the first time ever at Barrett-Jackson in January.
The Batmobile features a 390cid 1965 Ford Galaxy engine and a B&M Hydro Automatic transmission. All the make-believe Batman gadgets are on board, including the Cable Cutter Blade, Bat Ray Projector, Anti-Theft Device, Detect-a-Scope, Batscope, Bat Eye Switch, Antenna Activator, Police Band Cut-In Switch, Automatic Tire Inflation Device, Remote Batcomputer, Emergency Bat Turn Lever, Anti-Fire Activator, Bat Smoke, Bat Photoscope and of course, the Batphone.
The Batmobile was fictionally capable of a quick 180-degree Bat Turn thanks to two 10-foot drag-racer parachutes mounted on either side of the faux turbine outlet in the rear.
Although Barris pulled molds to create several fiberglass copies of the Batmobile for shows and displays, the car sold at Barrett-Jackson is the authentic original used in the TV series.
“The Batmobile revolutionized an entire custom industry that followed in its TV footsteps, and you could tell that both Barrett-Jackson fans and Batman fans share an intense passion for this car,” Davis said.
For complete results from the Scottsdale auction, see Barrett-Jackson.com
Bob Golfen, Automotive Editor for SPEED.com, is a veteran auto writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, with a passion for collector cars, car culture and the automotive lifestyle. SPEED.com fans can email Bob Golfen at
The Batmobile, created by legendary car customizer George Barris for the Batman TV series, beat the record previously held by the spy-gadget Aston Martin DB5 driven by Sean Connery in the movie Goldfinger, which sold for $4,608,500 in October 2010 at RM Auctions’ London event.
The Batmobile holds a slim margin of $11,500, but it’s a record nonetheless. Both prices include auction fees.
Barrett-Jackson waited until now to announce the Batmobile’s record so that it could be thoroughly verified, the Scottsdale auction house said, adding that they are working with the Guinness Book of World Records to include the sale in their famous listings.
“The 1966 Batmobile is a true piece of Americana and fans around the world were curious to see what it would sell for,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “We are so proud of the record it set, but more importantly, we couldn’t be happier to help find a new home for such a significant and legendary piece of TV and movie history in front of a record crowd for a Saturday auction and the SPEED TV audience.”
The Batmobile also stands as the second highest-selling vehicle of any kind sold at a Barrett-Jackson auction, behind Carroll Shelby's own 1966 Cobra Super Snake sold in 2007 for a total of $5.5 million.
The Batmobile was given star treatment during the Jan. 19 auction as it rolled onto the darkened stage accompanied by flashing lights and the raucous Batman theme song, with the standing-room-only crowd in the huge auction tent loudly cheering their approval. The surging audience went wild as George Barris stepped out, and famed motorsports model Linda Vaughn danced on stage in a Batgirl costume.
The crowd reaction climbed in pitch as the bidding quickly soared into the multi-millions. The last two determined bidders finally decided to flip a coin to determine the victor. The coin toss was won by Rick Champagne, a businessman from nearby Ahwatukee and a Barrett-Jackson regular.
The Batmobile was hammered sold at $4.2 million, which comes out to $4.62 million with the 10 percent bidder fee.
“It was exciting to see such an exciting bidding war, definitely something we will remember for years to come,” said Barrett-Jackson president Steve Davis.
The original Batmobile started its life as the 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car, an auto-show design study designed by Ford and built by Ghia of Italy. The Futura, which Barrett bought for a total of one dollar after its show career ended, was in his collection when studio executives presented him with a rush order to create a crime-fighting car for the upcoming Batman TV show.
Barris and his crew built the Batmobile in just over two weeks, using the Futura as the basis. After the Batmobile was used in the TV show and a movie adaptation, Barris kept it in his collection for more than four decades, offering it for sale for the first time ever at Barrett-Jackson in January.
The Batmobile features a 390cid 1965 Ford Galaxy engine and a B&M Hydro Automatic transmission. All the make-believe Batman gadgets are on board, including the Cable Cutter Blade, Bat Ray Projector, Anti-Theft Device, Detect-a-Scope, Batscope, Bat Eye Switch, Antenna Activator, Police Band Cut-In Switch, Automatic Tire Inflation Device, Remote Batcomputer, Emergency Bat Turn Lever, Anti-Fire Activator, Bat Smoke, Bat Photoscope and of course, the Batphone.
The Batmobile was fictionally capable of a quick 180-degree Bat Turn thanks to two 10-foot drag-racer parachutes mounted on either side of the faux turbine outlet in the rear.
Although Barris pulled molds to create several fiberglass copies of the Batmobile for shows and displays, the car sold at Barrett-Jackson is the authentic original used in the TV series.
“The Batmobile revolutionized an entire custom industry that followed in its TV footsteps, and you could tell that both Barrett-Jackson fans and Batman fans share an intense passion for this car,” Davis said.
For complete results from the Scottsdale auction, see Barrett-Jackson.com
Bob Golfen, Automotive Editor for SPEED.com, is a veteran auto writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, with a passion for collector cars, car culture and the automotive lifestyle. SPEED.com fans can email Bob Golfen at
Shake and Bake: Recent Posts
-
Race Day Blog: Sights and Sounds From the All-Star Race »
-
Daryl Wright Breaks It Down With Pit Road Rapper Kenyatta Houston »
-
Daryl ' Vodkatime ' Wright Takes To Charlotte Motor Speedway »
-
Brad Keselowski's All-Star Car Features Awkward Kyle Busch Photo »
-
Kyle Busch Kicks Off All-Star Weekend With Trucks Win »
-
Dale Earnhardt Sr., Father of the All-Star Paint Scheme »
-
Charlotte Television Schedule: Sprint All-Star Weekend »
-
Trickle Was A Legend »
LATEST HEADLINES: NASCAR
-
CUP: Saturday Charlotte Notebook (UPDATE 5)
Matt Kenseth is one of the favorites to win tonight’s Sprint… -
EXCLUSIVE: Kahne Says He And Kyle Busch Are Cool
Kasey Kahne spun out racing Kyle Busch for the lead at Darlington… -
CUP: JGR Heavily Favored, But No Slam Dunk
Joe Gibbs Racing is five-for-five on intermediate-length tracks this… -
CUP: Earnhardt Fond Of 'Home' Track
Dale Earnhardt Jr. grew up a few miles from Charlotte Motor Speedway...… -
TRUCKS: It’s Kyle Busch – Again
Kyle Busch rallied from a pit-road problem to win Camping World Truck… -
CUP: Friday Charlotte Notebook (UPDATE 14)
Kyle Busch wins the North Carolina Education Lottery 200... -
CUP: Edwards Wins All-Star Pole
Carl Edwards has good speed and a good pit stop to win All-Star pole…… - More News
