Man builds turbine-powered Batmobile

Click the video below. There is something vaguely comical about watching a full-sized Batmobile pottering around civilian streets in the cold light of day with what appears to be a 1970s vacuum cleaner stuck under the bonnet.

But mock it mercilessly at your peril. Casey Putsch of Putsch Racing decided to fulfil his childhood ambition of driving the Batmobile from 1989's Batman, and did it the proper way. By stuffing a turbine engine in it.

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Ignoring the traditional convention of basing a replica film car on the crusty underpinnings of an old Pontiac Fiero or Volkswagen Beetle, he built a monocoque chassis with a steel tube frame, fitted independent cockpit-adjustable suspension and a limited slip diff, disc brakes, a sliding canopy (like in the film) and a Boeing turboshaft engine.

Just to clarify, this engine was used by the US Navy to power drone attack helicopters. Drone attack ‘copters, for Pete's sake. It pushes out around 365bhp, which is handy considering it weighs less than a Ford Focus.

Yes, it does sound like a vacuum. But imagine it at full pelt. And with fire coming out of the back. Is this your favourite Batmobile, or do you lot like the 'Tumbler'? How about the classic '66 model?

Gallery: the Australian 'Tumbler'