Back in the 1990s, CORGI wanted to reissue their famous diecast model of the 1966 TV BATMOBILE. Trouble was, there was a copyright quagmire surrounding the car which meant that their plans were thwarted. Eventually, they decided to go with the '60s comicbook version, which had sort of developed from the TV car when the artists grew either fed up or too lazy trying to capture designer GEORGE BARRIS's classic chassis.
Thus evolved the comicbook version, which, from the front, bore a startling similarity to the TV incarnation. In a nod to the '60s toy, Corgi gave their 'new' Batmobile a chain cutter, and a similar outline of Batman's figure adorned the base of the car. To be frank, the overall result didn't have the same visual impact, being too simplified a version of Barris's original design.
The paint job had a speckly effect, rather than the deep, rich, gloss black of the '60s car, which further cheapened the look of the model. It was a brave attempt by Corgi, but it failed to set the world of diecast toys on fire in the way that the '60s car had done. The addition of a ROBIN figure would've given the model a much needed splash of colour, but, alas, production expense had to be taken into account and it was not to be. (Although I hear that a 'special edition' model with a Robin figure was later made available. Anyone ever seen it?)
Corgi released a series of Batman-related cars at this time, but as nice as some of them undoubtedly were, nothing came close to matching the beauty and wonder of the '66 classic.
