2. The original Batmobile
Appeared in: Batman (1966 – 1968), Batman: The Movie
We’ve spent a lot of time appreciating the big screen’s Batmobiles, but the very first Batmobile to explode onto it actually first made its presence felt on the small screen. And that is just one of the reasons why it might just be the most iconic representation of the vehicle.
Designed by George Barris, the Batmobile used for the 1966 Batman TV series was a modified Ford Lincoln Futura. If you have seen the original car, you can see why it served as the perfect base for Batman and Robin’s ride, with its unusual winged shape, the curved fins on the back, and the eye-like headlights all making it a great fit for the live-action Batmobile.
The black and red look is nothing short of iconic, and the nose-like fixture on the bonnet really finished it off beautifully (which was a nice nod to the face-like Bat shields the vehicle often featured in the comics). The siren was also a nice touch since this version of Batman was a duly-deputized agent of the law. And perhaps its coolest attribute was the Emergency Bat-Turn lever overhead, which would allow the Dynamic Duo to make a complete 180 turn in the middle of the road and chase down enemies behind them.
The classic ’66 Batmobile served Batman and Robin well throughout all three seasons of the show (as well as the movie) and it’s easy to see why it’s still so beloved to this day. The first real live-action Batmobile, it remains one of the greatest iterations we’ve ever seen.