Lincoln Futura

The Lincoln Futura is a concept car designed by Bill Schmidt and John Najjar for Ford's Lincoln brand, built by Ghia in Turin, Italy, at a cost of $250,000. Introduced in 1955 at the Chicago Auto Show, it featured an innovative design with a double plastic canopy, exaggerated headlight pods, and large tailfins. Its pearlescent white paint was created using fish scales. The car was fully operational and influenced production models like the Lincoln Premiere.

The Futura gained media attention in films such as *It Started with a Kiss* (1959) and Ford’s 1961 promotional film. After being sold to George Barris for $1, it was transformed into the Batmobile for the 1966 TV series *Batman*. Barris built multiple replicas using parts from other vehicles, including a 1958 Ford Thunderbird.

A replica of the Futura was recreated in the 1990s and later restored by Gotham Garage, selling at the Grand National Roadster Show for $90,000. The original car's design inspired future models and remains significant in automotive history.