The hero Batmobile from Tim Burton’s Batman Returns (1992) — the car used for most of the film’s driving scenes — will be sold by Julien’s Auctions with Turner Classic Movies on 23 November 2026, live in Los Angeles and online. The estimate is US$5–7 million, and this is the first time the car has been offered at auction.
AUCTION AT A GLANCE
The Ultimate Batmobile Auction · Julien’s Auctions × TCM · 23 November 2026, Los Angeles + online · Estimate $5,000,000–7,000,000 (about €4.5–6.2M)
Which Batmobile Is for Sale?
It is the number-one hero car built for Batman Returns, one of the cars made by Carl Casper’s Hollywood Productions for the 1992 sequel. The design itself comes from Tim Burton’s Batman of 1989: production designer Anton Furst and illustrator Julian Caldow drew it, and John Evans’ special-effects team built the first cars at Pinewood Studios. For the sequel, the producers asked for more reliable cars, because the Batmobile would spend more time on screen (Silodrome).
After filming, the car appeared at the film’s premiere and at the Warner Bros. wrap party, was stored for years, and in 2021 went on display at the Marconi Automotive Museum in Tustin, California. It still wears its original gloss-black paint (GM Authority, Silodrome).
Built on Two Chevrolet Impalas
Under the hand-sculpted fibreglass body is a chassis made from two Chevrolet Impala frames spliced together, which is how the car reaches its length of 19 ft 8 in (about 6 m). Power comes from a Chevrolet V8 with a three-speed automatic. The nose is built around a large intake styled after a jet turbine, the cockpit seats two with aircraft-style instruments, and the flame effect at the rear used a pressurised mix of air and kerosene, fired by radio control, that could produce a flame of more than 20 feet (Silodrome).
| Specification | Batman Returns hero Batmobile |
|---|---|
| Film | Batman Returns (Warner Bros., 1992), directed by Tim Burton |
| Role | Number-one hero car, used for most driving scenes |
| Design | Anton Furst and Julian Caldow (from the 1989 Batman) |
| Built by | Carl Casper’s Hollywood Productions |
| Chassis | Two spliced Chevrolet Impala frames |
| Engine / gearbox | Chevrolet V8, three-speed automatic |
| Body | Hand-sculpted fibreglass, original gloss black |
| Length | 19 ft 8 in (about 6.0 m) |
| Auction | Julien’s Auctions × Turner Classic Movies, 23 November 2026 |
| Estimate | US$5,000,000–7,000,000 |
Could It Become the Most Expensive Batmobile Ever?
The record belongs to the original 1966 TV Batmobile built by George Barris on the Lincoln Futura concept, which sold for $4.62 million including fees ($4.2 million hammer price) at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in January 2013 (Barrett-Jackson). Even the low estimate for the Batman Returns car is above that figure, so a sale inside the estimate would make it the most expensive Batmobile — and one of the most expensive movie cars — ever sold at auction.
The sale will also include other Batman costumes and props, among them Michael Keaton’s Batsuit and Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman cowl from the same film, with more lots to be announced (Julien’s Auctions). For every other Batmobile and what each has sold for, see our complete guide to every Batman car.
Burton Batmobile at a Glance
The Burton car is the one many fans still call the definitive Batmobile: a long, low, art-deco shape with a turbine nose and bat-wing fins, very different from the military Tumbler of the Nolan films or the muscle car of The Batman (2022). Screen-used examples rarely come to market — a 1989 car listed in 2022 asked $1.5 million, but that was a battery-electric display prop, not a driving hero car.
Batman Returns Batmobile — Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Batman Returns Batmobile auction?
Julien’s Auctions and Turner Classic Movies will sell the car on 23 November 2026, live in Los Angeles and online.
How much is the Batman Returns Batmobile expected to sell for?
The estimate is US$5–7 million. That would beat the US$4.62 million paid for the 1966 TV Batmobile in 2013, the current Batmobile record.
What is the Batman Returns Batmobile built on?
It uses two Chevrolet Impala frames spliced together under a fibreglass body, with a Chevrolet V8 and a three-speed automatic. It is 19 ft 8 in long.
Is this the same Batmobile as in the 1989 Batman film?
It is the same design, created by Anton Furst and Julian Caldow for the 1989 film. This specific car is the number-one hero car built for Batman Returns (1992).
Has the Batman Returns Batmobile been sold before?
No. According to Julien’s Auctions it has never been offered at auction. It was displayed at the Marconi Automotive Museum in 2021.
Sources & Verification
Auction name, date, estimate, builder and other lots from Julien’s Auctions. Chassis, engine, length and museum history from GM Authority and Silodrome. 1966 Batmobile record from Barrett-Jackson. Euro figure converted at the ECB rate of 2 October 2026 ($1.1225). Photos show the Tim Burton Batmobile design on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum and other exhibitions; they are not necessarily the auction car. Hero photo: TaurusEmerald / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), cropped.
