Over the last 70 years, Batman has driven all sorts of vehicles, with a wide array of Batmobiles, planes, bikes and boats appearing in the various comic books, television series and movies. Arguably none have been as wickedly exciting, however, as the Tumbler which the superhero drove in the most recent Batman Begins. But with the sequel swooping into theaters this week, we're in store for a new piece of kit.
Called the Batpod, we've been bringing you details of the new motorcycle as they've become available. The Batpod is driven by a pair of motors hidden within the giant 20-inch wheels and steered by the shoulder, allowing the Caped Crusader to operate an arsenal of machine guns and grappling hooks.
Remember the 2006 Monaco Grand Prix? How about a refresher – Fernando Alonso took the checkered flag, but all eyes on the podium weren't focused on the Spanish champion...they were on David Coulthard, who stood on the third step of the podium in a red cape. (Yeah, seriously.) The scarlet accessory was part of a commercial agreement that saw Red Bull Racing promoting Superman Returns. Few expected DC to score that podium finish (it was the first for the new team) but there he stood.
This year, it appears that the Justice League has switched allegiance, as Toyota has announced a similar arrangement to promote the upcoming Batman movie The Dark Knight. No word yet on whether Jarno Trulli (who took third in last week's French Grand Prix) and Timo Glock (last year's GP2 champion) will have to wear black capes if they make it onto the podium, but their racing suits are tipped to feature a Batman theme, as will the cars themselves. But that's not all: during this coming weekend's British Grand Prix, the new Batmobile and Bat-Pod will be on display at Silverstone, and the Batmobile is reportedly scheduled to hit the track this Thursday evening for a run around the circuit alongside the Toyota TF108.
It seems that motorcycle manufacturers are finally starting to see the value in product placement, as big budget films like Indiana Jones 4 and the upcoming Transformers sequel can attest. While the Italian motorcycle maker MV Agusta has been making noise as it searches for a new owner, it has also apparently been hard at work getting its products the screen time they deserve. In The Dark Knight, Batman will have his very own custom bike to ride, but Bruce Wayne will be seen riding a new F4 superbike from the Italian manufacturer. To celebrate this achievement, MV Agusta will be teaming up with The Hershey Company to give away a new Dark Knight themed bike valued at $35,000. We clearly want to win this item very badly.
