Slight spoiler below - beware -
By Garth FranklinMonday June 18th 2007 11:56am
We've already been alerted that the Batmobile gets blown up halfway through the upcoming "The Dark Knight" so what will Batman be using as a temporary replacement until it's fixed? Cue the Batpod.
The Los Angeles Times has revealed two shots (here and here) and some fascinating details of the hefty and strange looking motorcycle that will be a vital part of the film, and features grappling hooks, cannons and machine guns.
The high performance engines are fitted inside the wheel hubs of the two oversized 508 millimeter tyres, steering is done by shoulder rather than hand movements as there are no handlebars. The rider lies belly down on the central tank body - a body that can move up and down.
Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) comes up with the machine in the film, but in reality it is French stunt driver Jean-Pierre Goy who'll be handling the machine - at present he's the only one to have driven one of the six Batpods being built for the film.
Video of Meredith Viera, on the new Batpod on the Today Show is up at MSN.
Looked kind of silly at first, but after reading the description above, I am hooked.