Object of Desire Swarovski Batmobile

Few (fictional) cars can come close to the legendary status of the Batmobile, the Dark Knight’s primary mode of transportation while fighting crime in Gotham City. Unlike your classic Bond cars that add ridiculous gadgetry to ritzy makes from famous marques, the Batmobile is wholly fictional .

That said, it’s a vehicle that’s actually gone through quite a few revisions throughout the character’s history. It’s even spent time resembling a darker, edgier Bond car – complete with inexplicable orange highlights – in the original Lincoln car concept used in 1955 for the early Batman TV series. It’s no wonder then, that Swarovski have decided to pay tribute to its illustrious history by added some of their own: in the form of 16,000 hand-set crystals.

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Naturally, the Batmobile version they’ve chosen isn’t the tank-like, jumpjet-equipped tumbler made famous by Christopher Nolan’s trilogy; nor is it the hyper-campy Batman Forever Batmobile, complete with glowing bat-emblazoned wheels and a giant batwing sticking out of the trunk. It’s not even Matt Reeves’ muscle car-esque version we’re going to be seeing in theatres come 2021.

They’ve gone for the Burton-era Batmobile, one of the most recognisable versions of the iconic car, that’s a good mix of everything that encompasses the superhero. It’s dark without going overboard, theatrical without crossing into camp, and just realistic enough to conceivably be driven by someone actually looking to fight crime.

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As a tribute to the legacy of the crime-fighting superhero, Swarovski have entirely covered a scale model of the iconic vehicle with previous crystals – never mind that it’d be somewhat antithetical to the purpose of the Batmobile’s dark exterior. To that end, Swarovski’s meticulous attention to detail and proprietary Pointiage methodology imbue the model with elegance, power and beauty.

The scale model also comes with black rubber tires and finely polished details. Naturally, it only comes in black. Swarovski’s created quite a collector’s item – a trophy, perhaps, worthy of being added to the Dark Knight’s famed collection in the Batcave.

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Available at Swarovski Takashimaya. $12,900.

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