Makes › Lincoln › Futura Batmobile (George Barris, Batman TV series 1966–1968) · Historically significant · Film & TV · 1955–1966
Lincoln
Futura Batmobile (George Barris, Batman TV series 1966–1968)
The one-off 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car, rebuilt by George Barris as the original Batmobile for the 1966–1968 Batman television series.
Still being researched: full specifications. Everything shown is checked against the cited sources. Know more? Send us a source.
Contents
01Overview
At a glance
- Built
- 1 Built
- Years
- 1955–1966
- Engine
- Not yet verified
- Power
- Not yet verified
- Top speed
- Not yet verified
- Body
- Not yet verified
- Designer
- Bill Schmidt, Doug Poole Sr. and John Najjar (Futura concept, Ford); built by Ghia; Batmobile conversion by George Barris
- In this archive
- Not yet verified
- Surviving
- 1 (confirmed)
Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.
Why it matters
The Barris Batmobile is the original television Batmobile and one of the most recognised cars in popular culture. It began life as a unique Ford Motor Company concept car, so both its show-car past and its screen role make it a true one-off; its 2013 sale set a record for a TV or film car.
How rare is it?
Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.
Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.
02Production & history
Production
Every figure says what it counts.
| What is counted | Figure | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total model productionthe original car survives in a private collection | 12 | Surviving examples | Confirmed |
| Total model productionthe original Batmobile, converted from the one-off Futura concept (later fibreglass copies not counted) | 11 | Factory production | Independently researched |
Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.
History
The Lincoln Futura was styled by Ford's Bill Schmidt, Doug Poole Sr. and John Najjar and built by hand by Ghia in Turin in 1954 at a cost of $250,000, then shown at the 1955 Chicago Auto Show in pearlescent white. George Barris, who had bought the car for a nominal $1, was contracted by 20th Century Fox Television and William Dozier's Greenway Productions to turn it into the Batmobile.
The car was used in the Batman series from 1966 to 1968 and stayed with Barris for some 47 years. Barrett-Jackson sold it in Scottsdale in January 2013 for $4,620,000 including commission, together with Batman memorabilia and documentation from Barris's archive; it is now in a private collection.
Variants
How each version differs from the standard Futura Batmobile (George Barris, Batman TV series 1966–1968).
No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
03Specifications
Technical specifications
Engine
| Engine family | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Engine code | Not yet verified |
| Layout | Not yet verified |
| Displacement | Not yet verified |
| Bore | Not yet verified |
| Stroke | Not yet verified |
| Compression ratio | Not yet verified |
| Fuel system | Not yet verified |
| Power | Not yet verified |
| Power at | Not yet verified |
| Torque | Not yet verified |
Transmission & drivetrain
| Gearbox | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Gears | Not yet verified |
| Driven wheels | Not yet verified |
Chassis, body & dimensions
| Chassis | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Front suspension | Not yet verified |
| Rear suspension | Not yet verified |
| Brakes | Not yet verified |
| Steering | Not yet verified |
| Body construction | Not yet verified |
| Wheelbase | Not yet verified |
| Length | 5,790 mmFactory: 19 ft · converted2 Independently researchedApproximate figure. |
| Width | Not yet verified |
| Height | Not yet verified |
| Front track | Not yet verified |
| Rear track | Not yet verified |
| Kerb weight | Not yet verified |
| Dry weight | Not yet verified |
Performance
| Maximum speed | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| 0–100 km/h | Not yet verified |
| Fuel tank | Not yet verified |
“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.
04Colours & options
Factory colours & interiors
Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Factory options & codes
Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
05Individual cars
Chassis register
Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Competition history
Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Auction & sale history
Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
See one in person
Museums where an example of this car can be seen.
No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
06Reference
Identification guide
How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.
Being verified against factory or registry sources before it is published. Have a source? Contribute it.
Sources
Each number links to the exact facts it supports.
-
1
Barrett-Jackson 2013: Original 1966 Batmobile auctioned for $4,620,000 (GTspirit) Level C
- 1 the original Batmobile, converted from the one-off Futura concept (later fibreglass copies not counted)
-
2
Original Batmobile Auctioned for $4.62M Level C ABC News · 2013-01-20
- auctioned Saturday for $4.62 million
- 19-foot
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