If you're a very rich man whose parents were brutally murdered when you were a child and you have vowed to fight crime in your corrupt city for the rest of your life, there is only one car that can assist your need for justice with a side of vengeance: the Batmobile.
But what would you drive in your daily life as an incredibly wealthy man with soirees to attend? Bruce Wayne, Batman's daytime alter ego, has chosen to drive the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 in The Dark Knight, the sixth in the Batman movie franchise. It turned out to be a smart choice, as Wayne has to do a good bit of fast, fancy driving during a daytime car chase filmed on Chicago's Lake Street, which runs under the El.
"Much More Subtle"
In the last installment, 2005's Batman Begins, also starring Christian Bale, Wayne drove a prototype Lamborghini Murcielago roadster. This time around, he opts for a roadster with a roof. For $400,000, Wayne gets over 200 mph for a top speed, and a dismal 7 mpg around town -- probably worse if you're involved in a car chase. The tank in the Murcielago holds 100 liters, which would cost a little over $100 to fill at $4 a gallon. But if he can afford the Murcielago in the first place, the price of gas is of little concern to Mr. Wayne.
The Murcielago has a carbon-fiber body and a dry weight of 3,670 pounds, but the twelve-cylinder engine and electric drive-by-wire system make piloting Wayne's silver, bullet-shaped LP640 not too much of a chore. The optional transparent engine cover dresses the car to impress even when it's not moving.
As Alfred, played by Michael Caine, said in the trailer, "The Lamborghini, then. Much more subtle."
- 6.5-liter, 640 hp V12 engine
- 6-speed manual with optional robotized gear shifting system (e-gear)
- Permanent 4-wheel drive and traction control
- Top speed = 211 mph; 0-62 = 3.4 seconds
- Electronically controlled spoiler and mirrors
- Pirelli Pzero tires
