Page 74 - Experience Magazine Winter 2023

Mustang is a great example of a car that has HERO
LOT #1324 - 1989 BATMOBILE RE-CREATION - NO RESERVE
Successful cars frequently get redefined for
new generations of buyers. If done right, these
remakes preserve the soul of the original. Ford’s
A similar process takes place with important CAR
been reimagined several times without losing its
fundamental appeal.

movie properties. Stories get retold and updated THIS NO RESERVE
TURBINE-POWERED 1989 BATMOBILE RE-CREATION
for new generations of fans. One of the biggest
in recent times is the Batman franchise. Batman IS READY FOR A STARRING ROLE ON THE BLOCK
first appeared in Detective Comics in 1939,
inspiring countless spin-off comic books, movie
serials, feature films, live action and animated Putsch taught himself about turbines so he
TV shows, and video games. could rebuild and install the car's power plant.
The turboshaft engine is teamed with a 4-gear
In the 1980s, the Batman story was due for
a retelling on the big screen. As the movie semi-automatic, sequential-shifted transmission.
producers set out to update the Batman story for The bodywork is comprised of fiberglass and
a new generation, part of that process included aluminum pieces, with a steel cockpit chassis.
reimagining the Batmobile. And reimagine they The suspension is fully controllable, able to
did, creating a vehicle that was a star of the raise or lower as needed. The 20-foot-long
movie in its own right. This new flame-throwing Batmobile weighs 2,800 pounds.
Batmobile burned its way across the screen like As a fully functional car, it is also equipped with
a ground-bound fighter jet. a stereo, air horn and approved turn signals,
Audiences ate up this new vision of Gotham taillights and headlights. Should any villains
City’s heroes and villains. Starring Michael attempt to waylay the driver, there is a racing-
Keaton as the Dark Knight, “Batman” was the approved on-board halon fire-extinguishing
top grossing film of 1989, and its set designs and system. The top-mounted guns are functional,
aesthetic were influential for years afterward. although in true Hollywood fashion, fire for
sound effects only. The flamethrower in the rear
One man who was influenced by the Batmobile
was artist, historian, master craftsman and will further deter any criminal miscreants.
fabricator Casey Putsch of Putsch Racing. He Technologically, today’s world has advanced
built the 1989 Batmobile re-creation shown rapidly since 1989, and so this Batmobile uses a
here, offered with No Reserve at the 2023 dash-mounted iPad to control vehicle systems.
Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction, January We think Bruce Wayne would approve.
21-29 at WestWorld. No mere display piece, it The world’s only turbine-powered Batmobile
is a fully functioning and driving one-of-a-kind made an appearance on June 12, 2022, in
custom with approximately the same power- Cincinnati, Ohio, at the Ault Park Concours
to-weight ratio as a Dodge Viper and similar d'Elegance, where it picked up three
performance, according to Putsch. awards. Visually it is a stunner, but even
Much like Bruce Wayne himself might have more impressive is the dedication, skilled
done, Putsch built his Batmobile re-creation craftsmanship, attention to detail and pure
out of race car and military parts. It is powered audacity that went into its creation. If any car
by a jet engine of the type typically used in is worthy of a spot in the Bat Cave, it’s this
helicopters. The military Boeing turbine engine one. Register to bid today for a chance to park
produces 365 horsepower and runs on jet it in yours.
fuel, kerosene or diesel. To give an idea of the – Steve Statham
dedication behind this custom showstopper, For up-to-date information on this vehicle, visit Barrett-Jackson.com

74 BARRETT-JACKSON EXPERIENCE WINTER 2023