Batman's original Batmobile design in the early comics was modeled on this car — the Auburn 851 Speedster.
Lead trim: 851/852 SC supercharged 4,585 cc straight-eight (150 bhp at 4000 rpm)
Auburn Speedster 851/852851 · 1935–1936
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Auburn Speedster 851/852 yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactBatman's original Batmobile design in the early comics was modeled on this car — the Auburn 851 Speedster.
The Auburn 851 Speedster, the final production model of the maker, was introduced in 1934 for the 1935 model year with ingeniously constructed, cost-effective bodywork by Gordon Buehrig (sandwiched fenders, a backswept radiator and external side-threaded exhaust pipes), the iconic Auburn "Hollywood car"; the 852 of 1936 was identical but for its grille badge, and Auburn ended car production in 1937. Its 4.6-litre (4,585 cc / 280 cu in) flathead side-valve straight-eight with aluminium head and a Schweitzer-Cummins supercharger made 150 bhp at 4000 rpm for a 100 mph top speed, with a Columbia dual-ratio rear axle (3:1 and 4.5:1) that with the three-speed synchromesh gearbox gave six speeds; Length 194 in, width 71 in, weight 3,700 lb; a supercharged 851SC driven by Marlene Dietrich starred in the 1936 film Desire.
Collectors Spotted in the Auburn Speedster Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Auburn Speedster yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
One published trim in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 851/852 SC supercharged 4,585 cc straight-eight (150 bhp at 4000 rpm) | 1935–1936 | 4.6 L Inline-8 | 150 hp | — | — | — | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Batman's original Batmobile design in the early comics was modeled on this car — the Auburn 851 Speedster.
The Speedster's V12 didn't die with the Depression-era Auburn — its design lived on for decades as the basis of the LaFrance engine that powered fire trucks.
The earliest Auburn Speedsters had no side windows and no interior door handles — you got in, and getting back out meant reaching outside the car.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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