In 1954, Ford Motor Company wanted to create a futuristic concept car for the Chicago Auto Show the following year. They hired two of their designers, Bill Schmidt, who was a concept car expert, and John Najjar, Mustang’s lead designer, to create it. Once they designed the car, it was shipped to Ghia, Italy to be handcrafted for a whopping $250,000, or about $2.4 million in today’s money. .
The concept car unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show in 1955
It had some weird features, like the big headlights and the double canopy for the cabin, similar to what Homer designed in The Simpsons. This concept car was also fully operational, it had a 368 cubic inch Lincoln engine and the chassis was a Lincoln Continental Mark II.
The concept was a success, receiving much publicity at the show and also on the Today Show in March 1955. They made a model kit and a toy to sell. The headlights, grille and rear spoilers would be smooth and appear on a few different Lincolns, Mercurys and Fords from 1957 to 1960.
A replica made in the 1990s by Bob Butts
The concept car was sold to George Barris, a car customizer who provided cars for the films, by the Ford Motor Company for $1 and “Another Valuable Consideration”. The car sat behind his shop for several years until 1965, when Dean Jefferies was unable to deliver a Batmobile to ABC in time and Barris was called. He figured the fins on the back of the Futura would be ideal for the Batmobile as fenders and got to work.
Three other replicas of the car have been built from Ford Galaxies and Thunderbirds over the years the show has run on the show circuit. Barris ably retained the rights to the car even after its conversion and leased the car from the show for its entire season.
In 2013, Barris sold the car at auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, to Rick Champagne for $4.62 million.
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