The original Batmobile sold for $4.6 million at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale – Photo: ABC
The first Batmobile created for the 1960s Batman television series sold at auction for $4.6 million at the Barrett-Jackson event in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The 1966 Batmobile designed by famous Hollywood car builder George Barris was sold to car collecting businessman Rick Champagne on Saturday, revealed Hollywood Reporter, who paid $4.6 million for the vehicle that was used in ABC’s Batman, starring Adam West as Batman/Bruce Wayne and Burt Ward as Robin.
The $4.6 million price tag tied the record for Hollywood cars at auction after the Aston Martin DB5 used in the James Bond film Goldfinger sold for the same amount in 2010.
As reported, Barris created the Batmobile out of a 1955 Lincoln Futura before it was later used for two seasons in Batman from 1966 to 1968. Until the original Batmobile went to auciton this weekend at the Barrett-Jackson event in Scottsdale, Barris had the car in his private collection.
Last summer, The CW aired a special documentary about the history and evolution of The Batmobile in which Christopher Nolan, director of The Dark Knight Rises, talked about growing up with the Batmobile before directors Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher also discussed what The Batmobile meant to them throughout the years.
It appears that new Batmobile owner Rick Champagne was also a fan of the original Batman series and was hell bent on landing the classic vehicle at this weekend’s Barrett-Jackson auction.
How much would you pay for the first Batmobile?