The Batmobile first appeared in the Batman series in 1939 and evolved as the years went by, with advanced technologies being added as they became available or known. Like James Bond’s Aston Martin, the Batmobile had many weapons to take on the bad guys, as well as defensive features to protect from attack.
The drivetrain of the Batmobile was never really known in the early years. One videogame showed it having a hybrid electric powertrain and many modern versions used powerful combustion engines, with one even having an afterburner!
In the 21st century, Bruce Wayne (the other side of Batman) has commissioned modern ‘Batmobiles’ as part of a collaboration between Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products and Relevance International, and Automobili Pininfarina. The company (owned by the Mahindra Group) which is related to the original Italian design house is now a specialist luxury electric vehicle manufacturer with headquarters in Germany.
For this project, Automobili Pininfarina has curated a collection of bespoke pure-electric vehicles inspired by DC’s Bruce Wayne. As a visionary (and very rich) entrepreneur with a passion for cutting-edge innovation and sustainable technology, Wayne’s elegant and refined taste would have drawn him to Pininfarina’s bespoke Italian design and luxury customer experience. The artisans and Design team in the Cambiano Atelier co-curate with clients for their ‘dream car’.
As a result, Bruce Wayne’s on-screen persona has inspired two new highly exclusive versions of both the Pininfarina B95 hyper Barchetta and the Battista hyper GT. Every element of the two unique specifications, named ‘Gotham’ and ‘Dark Knight’, has been curated to complement the luxurious lifestyle of a pop culture icon, who has appeared in numerous forms of entertainment and media since his debut in 1939.
The two versions have many unique and previously unseen technical specifications. All the cars are powered by a high-capacity 120 kWh lithium-ion battery and 4 motors to generate the equivalent of 1,900 bhp. That’s enough to propel each pure-electric hypercar from 0-100 km/h in a time quicker than a current Formula 1 car, it is claimed.
The Battista models also offer entirely new performance-enhancing specifications. These include tailgate shark fins and louver openings in the front and rear carbonfibre wings to improve overall aerodynamic efficiency towards the rear airbrake and vehicle side body.
The exterior is completed with Wayne Enterprises logos on the side skirts and roof, and all models display a unique aluminium chassis and door plate, inspired by Bruce Wayne. Inside, they have an all-new Wayne Enterprises-inspired HMI (human-machine interface) display with enhancements that feature an instruction voice inspired by Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler and assistant, Alfred Pennyworth.
To further emphasise the ‘Dream Cars Made Real’ philosophy, the interiors of both the Battista Gotham and Dark Knight cars benefit from a completely new door and roof design where a large portion of the roof is curved glass, which lightens the ambience within.
“Wayne Enterprises stands as a beacon of innovation, and a testament to an unwavering dedication to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. The B95 Barchetta and Battista hyper GT vehicles already successfully capture this visionary spirit, reflecting the tireless efforts and brilliant minds of our technical teams at Automobili Pininfarina,” said Andrea Crespi, Chief Technical Officer at Automobili Pininfarina.
