Holy Huffmobile, Batman!…
From the first appearance of the Caped Crusader’s wheels…
Before the familiar bat-finned cars, the title "Batmobile" was first used on a red convertible in Detective Comics #48 in February 1941. Most of the design was based on the 1936 Cord, though the nose of the car looked more like that of a Lincoln or similar car. The bat mask did not exist yet, but the car did sport a small "bat" hood ornament. Several "Proto-Batmobiles" had appeared in comics by this point, though this was was the first to use the name. It was also the last car used before the now famous Batmobiles with the bat-masks and roof fins.
…to the most recent…
From Batman, The Return (2011, though reminiscent of "The Tumbler" from Christopher Nolan's 2005 film Batman Begins)
… there have been 110 different models of The Batmobile (so far). One can explore them all at BatmobileHistory.com. (And check them out in infographic form at SyFy’s Blastr.)
As we search the night skies for the Batsignal, we might pause to celebrate the most popular Batmobile of all– Adam West’s regal ride in the hit series which premiered on ABC on this date in 1966:
Custom car builder George Barris decided to use the Ford Motor Company's abandoned Futura concept car as a basis for what would go on to become one of the most famous cars in the world. The car featured an impressive array of bat-gadgets. In addition to the "atomic turbine engine" (the car was actually powered by a blueprinted Ford V8), the car had a nose-mounted chain slicer, lasers, rockets, an on-board telephone, radar, dash monitor, on-board computer, and police beacon. If needed, the Batmobile is capable of a quick 180° "bat-turn" thanks to two rear-mounted 10' parachutes, and the it is equipped with a smoke emitter and a nail spreader to discourage pursuit.