Caresto is a Swedish company that specializes in automotive design, development, and building prototype cars. If you could do all those things, and you told me you wouldn’t at least want to try building a Batmobile, I’d have trouble believing you, especially now that Caresto has built what may be the most amazing actual, drive-able Batmobile ever.
Built for the 2016 Gumball 3000 rally, this is also the first real-world Batmobile to be built based on the Batmobile design seen in the Arkham Knight video game. Here’s some in-game footage of it; it’s bonkers.
Unlike many real-world-drivable Batmobiles, this one actually comes close to the performance suggested by its exotic looks. Caresto’s Batmobile is based on a Lamborghini drivetrain, a 560 HP V10 with a custom chassis. It’s mid-engined, with very minimal overhangs, and a custom-molded, absurdly intricate all carbon-fiber body.
The company was founded by the man responsible for Koenigsegg’s development department, Leif Tufvesson, which might make this the first Batmobile produced by a car-related company as opposed to a movie studio (or talented/dedicated fan) since the first Batmobile, which was a former Lincoln Futura concept car.
Here’s what Caresto says about it:
The design is based on the car from the Arkham knight game but has been redesigned and manufactured with drivability and full functionality in mind. The car is BIG. The wheel base is 3.40 meters and the width of this special car is 2,5 meters. The special high rigid tubular frame is manufactured to provide good handling and give a solid feeling.
Front and rear suspensions are fully independent and made with double wishbones connected to the coil over shock absorbers, up front through a special designed aluminum push rod. To power the car, we have used a 560hp V 10 engine connected to a paddle shift gear box affecting the 26" wheels. To stop the car we have used ABS supported 8-pot Brembo calipers in front and 6-pot in rear all connected to big brake discs.
The complicated all carbon fiber body has been made from full scale moulds which are milled out from the CAD drawings. A lot of effort has been made to the design of the drawings and moulds. This to get the correct stance with full working systems and parts that will work together. Inside the car the driver and the passenger can enjoy the interior in a combination of black soft leather and “see trough” fabric, all kept together by golden stitches. The interior lights up in seats, floor and pedals when the cockpit opens up fully electrical operated. All comfort functions such as climate system, power steering, fantastic sound system, etc helps to make this car a comfortable driver, even that the look is hard as steel.
The car was built for Team Galag, a group that (based on their name and some guesses) must be who designed and built the ship from Galaga that saved Earth from those bee-like aliens back in the 1980s.
The Arkham Batmobile has a full-opening canopy, and what appear to be the independently-articulated front fenders of the video game car.
This thing is delightfully ridiculous and a welcome addition to the real-world Tumblers and 1989 Batman movie cars that are out there. It’ll be pretty exciting to see how this beast looks tearing ass around streets during the rally.