As somebody who hasn’t seen a majority of the old Batman films, has never read the comics, and only dressed up as Batman for Halloween once as a kid, I can confidently say that The Dark Knight trilogy is the best set of Batman movies ever made. Not because they were partially filmed in Chicago where I live, not because of Heath Ledger’s emotional performance, and not because of Morgan Freeman’s voice, but because it showcased possibly the most unique Batmobile of all, the Tumbler. Or, as a cop in Batman Begins described it, “black … tank.” Except it’s not slow like a tank, it’s a speedy rocket car with a built-in detachable motorcycle, and it will soon be imprinted in history as one of the coolest Lego cars ever.
Batman is one of the most well-represented fictional characters in the Lego universe. He’s been the hilarious star of one of the best Lego movies, and a quick search on Lego.com nets pages and pages of toy results. The products vary from a disco-themed Batman on roller skates to a Batman-shaped luggage tag, but car enthusiasts will notice the wide array of Lego Batmobiles and other rides like the Batwing or Batboat. The newest additions, large and small versions of the Tumbler from The Dark Knight, look even more ferocious with studs all over.
The large Batmobile Tumbler, which is made of 2,049 pieces, looks quite similar to the “real” movie model. The angles, hard edges, and cuts of the Lego pieces work better on this type of layered armor design as opposed to the usual curvy cars that end up looking a bit blocky in toy form. Plus, the studs that protrude from the body actually make the Tumbler look even more aggressive, as if it’s a type of textured skin with a purpose.
Though not surprising from Lego, the amount of detail is impressive. Measuring six inches high, 17 inches long, and nine inches wide, the Tumbler features a removable roof, so you can take the included Batman and Joker figurines out of the car, reenact the police station interrogation scene, and put them back when you’re finished. Then there’s the offset pairing of four off-road truck tires on the back and two Hoosier dirt racing tires on the front. The fact that those designs carry-over to the toy makes it all the better. A few other features include an interior control panel, windshield wipers, contrasting suspension parts, gun turrets, and a jet exhaust, among others. The fact that the tires look nearly identical to the movie car set the
When the vehicle is completely built, it can be displayed on a small stand included in the package. This Batmobile is not labeled as a Technic like the Bugatti Chiron or the Lamborghini Sián FKP 37, but it’s priced like it at $229.99 before taxes. If that’s too expensive, or the toy is too big, you’re in luck. There’s a smaller version too.
The small Batmobile Tumbler drops the Joker for a “Scarecrow Showdown” theme. This scaled-down version only uses 422 pieces and retails for an affordable $39.99 before taxes.
The design on the tiny Tumbler is still fairly close to the movie, and only minor sacrifices were made to accommodate the difference in size, with this model listed at 2.5 inches high, 7.5 inches long, and 4.5 inches wide. The tires have slightly different designs, but it still has an opening roof and a few features the big one doesn’t include: two “stud shooters,” a swappable “nightmare” Batman head, and a grappling hook.
Neither of these Batmobiles can be had in hand today, but they are both available for preorder. The large model will start to ship on November 1, 2021, while the small model ships from October 1, 2021. If you want something right this second, the classic TV show Batmobile is available for $29.99 before taxes, or the ’89 Batwing is available for $199.99 before taxes. To the Batwallet!
