Real, driveable examples of one of the most iconic movie vehicles of all time – Batman’s ‘Tumbler’ – have been produced to celebrate the crime-fighter’s 85th anniversary.
The Tumbler played a starring role in director Christopher Nolan’s award-winning Dark Knight trilogy as an ex-military vehicle, designed to create bridges in hard-to-reach areas by ‘jumping’ over obstacles and rivers while towing cables. After a brief test drive, Bruce Wayne – played by Christian Bale – asked the immortal line ‘does it come in black?’.
While the Tumbler may have been resigned to a life on the silver screen, Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBDGCP) and Relevance International’s Brand Experience & Partnerships have launched 10 ‘authenticated’ Tumblers allowing superfans to get behind the wheel of a fully working version of the vehicle.
Though not street legal, the Tumbler – which is priced at $2.99 million, or around £2.3 million – is powered by a 518bhp 6.2-litre V8 engine with a paddle-shift automatic transmission. With a two-seater configuration, the Tumbler is crafted from a mix of rugged kevlar, carbon fibre, sheet metal and fibreglass, while large disc brakes can ensure that the whole vehicle is brought to a stop effectively.
While there might be a jet engine simulation at the rear this Tumbler won’t produce flames, though the flaps on the wings can move independently – and a fully working smoke screen system means that the Tumbler can make a quick getaway. It’s all coated in Vantablack paint – one of the darkest man-made coatings ever created.
Suzanne Rosnowski, founder and CEO of Relevance International, said: “During Batman’s 85th Anniversary year, we produced the Wayne Enterprises Experience with WBDGCP to unlock and celebrate new possibilities for the collector economy—and the Tumbler is the ultimate rare collectors’ item.
“The Dark Knight trilogy redefined Batman and Bruce Wayne for new generations and made the Tumbler an instant icon. This is the first time Warner Bros. has sanctioned the official Tumbler vehicle for sale and some very lucky buyers will enjoy owning a piece of history.”
The Tumbler is being sold via invitation only, requested through the Wayne Enterprises Experience’s BruceWayneX website.
