The Definitive Rankings of All the Batmobiles

We’re sure the Internet will not argue with this at all.

Cameron Berkman

Oct 20, 2014

After we recovered from a full-body fanboy spasm from hearing the news that the last title in the Arkham video game series will feature the amazing drive-able Batmobile pictured above (in fact, a Batmobile so full of awesome goodies that its memory would fill up a complete Xbox 360 game), we got to thinking about all the Batmobiles across Batman’s long and jaw-breaking history, from the Bat-shittiest to the Bat-best…

6. Arkham Asylum‘s Batmobile

What a tease. You start off the game inside this beast, taking the Joker back to his cell, but you can’t even drive this thing. Hell, a group of thugs almost destroy it with baseball bats. This is the Batmobile, not your shitty Uncle Tony’s Hyundai – it should be able to repel henchmen attacks at the very least.

5. Shumacher’s Batmobile

(Photo: Everett Collection)

Look at this monstrosity. It’s not enough to sully the cinematic history of the Dark Knight with a nipple-equipped batsuit, you also have to roll in a Batmobile that looks like Ed Hardy vomited on a party limo?

4. The Animated Batmobile

Getting a little bit warmer with the ride from the stellar animated series. The car matched the gothic style of the cartoon, but the single seat really hurt the whole crime-fighting “duo” thing, and probably presented a bit of a pickle if ever he had to bring in a villain.

3. Adam West’s Batmobile

(Photo: 20th Century Fox / Everett Collection)

Sure, this thing was all show, providing little or no protection for our heroes, but it was the blueprint for the gadget-filled Batmobiles we’ve seen on screen ever since. Also, there was no need to worry about pesky sharks.

2. Burton’s Batmobile

(Photo: Warner Bros. / Everett Collection)

This polarizing Batmobile is either loved or hated by most – but its impact is inarguable. It inspired the previously mentioned animated Batmobile as well as many iterations of the ride in the comics. It also broke down to a small escape pod. Too bad that didn’t happen in the Schumacher movies; we had a killer “wheels coming off” joke.

1. The Tumbler

(Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros.)

Christopher Nolan gave the world’s greatest detective an upgrade in every conceivable way (even in his vocal cords!) and his reimagining of the Batmobile was no different. Ditching the tired fins and long body for a compact and badass military-inspired wrecking machine was the best thing he gave to the franchise. Well, the second best.

Mentioned in this article: Cars cool Entertainment movies Rides Tech

The Definitive Rankings of All the Batmobiles

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