Skip to main content

Jay Leno may not be Batman, but he got to drive his car

Jay Leno knows cars. He has more vehicles in his garage than most car dealerships have in stock, and many of them are incredibly rare. And while he hasn’t managed to add it to his garage (yet), Leno can now add the Batmobile to the list of cars he has driven.

The late night host owns just shy of 200 vehicles. He frequently writes about cars and motorcycles in various publications, including Popular Mechanics, and he created his own website called Jay Leno’s Garage, which also has a popular YouTube channel with over 500,000 subscribers and dozens of regularly updated videos. For the latest video episode, Leno met up with two of Warner Bros. transportation experts and got a chance to check out Batman’s whip from the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy.

Recommended Videos

Along with showing Leno behind the wheel, the clip also highlights a few cool tidbits about the car itself, and through it the movie-making process. In the case of the Batmobile, or the Tumbler as it was called in Batman Begins (the script does label it as the Batmobile, even if it is never called that in the trilogy), the prop is a fully functioning car, one of seven created for various purposes. One is specifically for jumping, another is for background shots only and doesn’t have an engine, while another was built for speed.

The one Leno drove was built to be functional. It weighs about the same as a Chevy Suburban, and although the top speed hasn’t been recorded, it can go at least 85 mph. Everything in it was custom built by a garage that specializes in special effects cars, and everything works – including the dual fire suppression systems. Sadly though, it is revealed that the Tumbler is not actually jet powered as it was suggested in the film. The flame coming out the back is actually part of a helium-based controlled burn similar to what you would see on a hot air balloon.

The cost of the prototype is difficult to put an exact figure on, but it falls somewhere between $500,000 and $1 mil. Each model after that would have cost less to build, but not much less. But even if you are in a position to afford one, say you are, just for example, a wealthy comedian and talk show host with a penchant for vehicles, you’d still be out of luck. Six of the remaining Tumblers are back in England, while the one in the video below is now part of a Warner Bros exhibit, which is open to the public.

Ryan Fleming
Former Gaming/Movies Editor
Ryan Fleming is the Gaming and Cinema Editor for Digital Trends. He joined the DT staff in 2009 after spending time covering…
The Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 gaming monitor is 55% off, but there’s a catch
Samsung's Odyssey Neo G7 on a desk.

The 43-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 gaming monitor is an excellent display for gamers, but it's not always available with a discount from monitor deals, and it's pretty expensive at its original price of $1,000. However, we've found a way for you to get it with a 55% discount, and that's to take advantage of Samsung's open box pricing so that you'll only have to pay $450. That's a massive $550 in savings, and you don't have to worry about the quality of the gaming monitor -- open box products still look brand new and are tested to be working properly. You need to hurry though, as stocks are limited!

Why you should buy the 43-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 gaming monitor

Read more
What is Wordle and how do you learn to play it?
Woman playing Wordle on her smartphone.

If you've seen those green squares flooding your social media feed or keep hearing your friends and family talk about keeping their Wordle streaks alive, you're probably curious what this game is that has the world hooked. Wordle hit the mainstream in 2022 and has since become part of most people's daily routine. What makes it so addictive is how challenging it can be to solve a puzzle, which makes it important to know the best Wordle starting words or to check out some Wordle answers and hints for any given day's game. Wordle isn't as complicated as Connections, Strands, NYT Crossword, or the Mini Crossword, but it is a little tricky if you've never played it before. I'll go over all the rules and information you need to become a Wordle pro in no time.

What is Wordle?

Read more
I wasn’t a fan of Mario Kart World’s free roam mode until I changed my perspective
Daisy rides a jetski in Mario Kart World.

Long before Mario Kart World was announced, I theorized what Nintendo's next spin on the franchise would be. Mario Kart 8 introduced anti-gravity, and Mario Kart 7 brought us hang gliders, so I was curious what angles were left to explore that would keep the core kart racing experience intact. As we know now, that turned out to be one giant interconnected map that players are free to explore with no boundaries or time limits.

As interesting as that idea was on paper, I remained a little skeptical due to the lack of details Nintendo gave about what exactly I would be doing in this world. The last trailers showed off a few challenges and collectibles, but I wasn't convinced that was enough to justify the new open-world design. My first week with the game only reinforced that feeling. However, I realized my own expectations were at fault -- not the game -- and have come to appreciate Mario Kart World's world for what it is.

Read more