A “Batman” Tumbler replica is going on the Gumball Rally
The uber-glamorous Gumball Rally will include a "Batman" Tumbler replica, a reproduction of the car from the Christopher Nolan "Batman" films. Photo Credit: Dan Taylor/Wikimedia Commons/CC-BY
There’s an annual race called the “Gumball 3000,” a 3,000-mile road race usually undertaken by people with seriously fast casr, held in various locations. Among more typical entrants such as supercars in an upcoming Gumball rally, one vehicle will be a Batman “Tumbler” replica.
There’s a race coming, Mr. Wayne, and the Batman Tumbler is in it
Some people have watched “Cannonball Run” a few too many times. There’s an annual race, held since 1999, called the Gumball 3000. Mostly it’s an advertising vehicle for celebrities, as rich and famous people pile into fast and usually very expensive vehicles for a 3,000-mile jaunt. Some have been held in Europe, some in the United States and a few in Asia, Africa and so on.
The 2013 Gumball Rally is taking place in Europe, according to Fox News, starting in May in the city of Copenhagen, up to Helsinki, down through St. Petersburg and through Austria, Switzerland and France to the finish in Monaco for the Monaco Grand Prix on May 18.
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Among the cars slated is a Batman “Tumbler” replica, a full reproduction of the vehicle Christian Bale used in the “Batman” films he starred in.
When Gotham is ashes, you have my permission to drive
The Batman Tumbler replica is being entered by Team Galag, a Saudi Arabian team. Last year, they used a Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 and a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. They are also going to run in a custom-built supercar of some sort, totally bespoke from the ground up.
The Tumbler is being constructed by Parker Brothers Concepts, a Melbourne, Fla. fabrication and special effects company that specializes in building far out vehicles. Some of their work aside from one-offs for rich clients, according to The Herald-Bulletin, an Anderson, In. newspaper, includes the “shredders” in the film “Battleship” and a “Tron” lightcycle, a fully-working electric-powered version of the one in the “Tron: Legacy” film, according to Gizmag.
The Parker Brothers were even subject of “Dream Machines,” a reality show on the SyFy channel. Other builds include, according to Popular Mechanics, totally custom vehicles for rapper 50 Cent and professional wrestler John Cena.
Not much is known about how they plan to build a Batman Tumbler, but if it’s by Parker Brothers Concepts, it’s going to be good — and require some pretty hefty automobile financing.
Agent of chaos… and horsepower!
The Parkers might have their hands full making a Batman Tumbler. At least one other Tumbler replica has been made; Engadget, among others, reported a homemade replica being constructed in 2008 by one Bob Dullam, though it set him back upward of $70,000 to do.
The original was a real piece of work. They weren’t terribly complicated as they were constructed, according to Jalopnik, using a tube chassis, covered by carbon fiber body panels, a lot like a race car. Power comes from a Chevrolet V-8, mounted in the middle. Each one weighs 2.5 tons, but is capable of 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 5 seconds and has a top speed in excess of 100 mph.
Each cost about $250,000 to produce, however and Christopher Nolan had four constructed, just for the first film, “Batman Begins.”
Sources
Gizmag: http://www.gizmag.com/electric-lightcycle-parker-brothers/19897/
Engadget: http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/06/home-built-batman-tumbler-invades-the-suburbs/
Jalopnik: http://jalopnik.com/400114/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-batmans-tumbler