For its “Batman Live” stage show in Europe, DC Comics commissioned former Formula 1 designer and McLaren maestro Gordon Murray to fashion a new set of wheels for the caped crusader. Formula Hydrogen Fuel Cell with lasers, anyone?
Given the dozens of vehicles designed for the Dark Knight over the past several decades, Murray and company kept the exterior fairly realistic, going instead for an subtler overall shape than the Tim Burton-era or Chris Nolan Tumbler that reflects some knowledge of downforce. Despite the nod to environmental consciousness on behalf of Wayne Industries from the hydrogen-powered fuel cell, the new Batsled still has an afterburner.
Other features from Murray’s crew: front-mounted lasers, sonar and “virtual wheels” — diodes in the wheel that would create a high-voltage field lifting the car 40mm off the ground. That’s all nice and good, but this thing wouldn’t look too bad with more pedestrian forms of motive force. Someone should introduce Mr. Wayne to Hayabusa-san.
If you’re in England and Europe, you can catch the Batmobile in the live stage show this summer in a converted warehouse, featuring a 100-ft bat-shaped LCD video wall and 3D Gotham City set. Meanwhile in New York, the TKTS booth has an excellent array of half-price seats for “Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark.”