Lincoln Futura
| Lincoln Futura | |
|---|---|
1955 Lincoln Futura
|
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| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Lincoln (Ford) |
| Production | 1954 one prototype built |
| Model years | 1955 |
| Assembly | Carrozzeria Ghia, Turin, Italy |
| Designer | Bill Schmidt |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Concept car |
| Body style | 2-door coupé |
| Layout | Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 368 cu in (6.0 L) Y-block OHV V8 |
| Transmission | 3-speed Turbo Drive automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 126.0 in (3,200.4 mm) |
| Length | 227.0 in (5,765.8 mm) |
| Width | 84.6 in (2,148.8 mm) |
| Height | 58.2 in (1,478.3 mm) |
The Lincoln Futura is a concept car promoted by Ford's Lincoln brand, designed by Ford's lead stylists Bill Schmidt and John Najjar, and hand-built by Ghia in Turin, Italy — at a cost of $250,000 (equivalent to $2,200,000 in 2017).
Displayed on the auto show circuit in 1955, the Futura was modified by George Barris into the Batmobile, for the 1966 TV series Batman.
Currently, exact replicas are being produced by Fiberglass Freaks, a company in Logansport, Indiana. The owner of Fiberglass Freaks has the license from DC to produce the 1966 Batmobile Replicas. These vehicles are full-scale, road ready versions.
The Futura's styling was original by 1950s standards — with a double, clear-plastic canopy top, exaggerated hooded headlight pods, and very large, outward-canted tailfins. Nevertheless, the Futura had a complete powertrain and was fully operable, in contrast to many show cars. Its original color was white, and was one of the first pearlescent color treatments, using ground pearl to achieve the paint effect. The Futura was powered by a 368 cubic inch Lincoln engine and powertrain; the chassis derived from a Continental Mark II.
The Futura was a success as a show car, garnering favorable publicity for Ford. It was released as a model kit and a toy, and in a much more subdued form its headlight and tailfin motifs would appear on production Lincolns for 1956 and 1957, such as the Lincoln Premiere and Lincoln Capri. The concave front grille inspired the grille on the 1960 Mercury Monterey and the 1961 Ford Galaxie.
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