1973-76, Corgi Batmobile, black tyres, whizzwheels 8 spoke hubs.

The distinguishing features of this version include a filled-in nostrils on the bat nose, taillights that are also completely filled in, whizzwheels (8 spokes & notch tyres), a non-moving exhaust flame and new tyres, the tail fin tips were shorter than on earlier versions.

The Car

This version is identical to the standard 1973 version except for a clear canopy (or windshield). It's not extremely hard to find but is less common than the blue canopy 1973 version.

1973 - 76 Corgi Batmobile - same as the 1972 red tyres but with black tyres, and for the first time there was a very noticeable difference with the glass. This version was available in blue, purple and white. Curiously, only the purple glass retained the silver beacon cage. The last versions of this type had the white and purple glass. This car, made with white and purple glass to me are the rarest to find today. Batmobile in capital letters on the bottom of the car.

From 76, they had national periodical on the bottom, instead of Batmobile. Some 76 whizzwheels do still have the word Batmobile on instead of national periodical, and this occurs mainly with the white glass and purple glass. Corgi had spare bins around that they used the parts of when they had run out, this is why this mistake occurred for a few hundred Batmobiles Batmobiles, with different windshields, occurred because of a mistake in the dye. Purple was too much dye, white they simply forgot to put dye in. This error occurred just twice, in 1975. Once with the purple, once with the white. They had literally thousands of them so had to run with them. This stopped in 77, when they had used up all of the purple and white glass and then went back to using the blue. Normally, this fault would have been rejected, but there were simply too many of them to chuck away. They ran with them simply because of cost cutting. which is why the Batmobile changed so much over the years.

The Box

1973 window box and probably the 1973 GS 3 box.

1973 Gift Set 3

The Car, Boat and Trailer

Apparently, in 1973, Corgi sold both the "Red tyre" whizzwheel Batmobile and the standard 1973 black whizzwheel Batmobile. With both of these cars, the Batboat was still the first version or "tin fin" version and the trailer was the same as before. See Batboat and trailer description above.

The Boxes

The 1973 red tyre Batmobile and tin fin Batboat were sold as a set in the 1970 style GS 3 box. The red tyre car and tin fin boat MAY also have been sold in the newer 1973 dark blue and yellow GS 3 box. However, the 1973 black whizzwheel Batmobile and tin fin boat were only sold as a set in the 1973 style box. The 1973 style GS 3 box featured a couple of James Bond vehicles on the reverse side. Inside, the box had a white styrofoam insert.

Photograph ©Eric Matheson