Hot Wheels 1966 Bat Boat

Hi Woodsy

Hot Wheels have been producing Batman models, in several sizes, for the last couple of decades. Mostly in the Mainline series.

Most years there has been a Batman sub-series of five (occasionally ten) models, all depicting actual Bat-vehicles. These are sold individually on cards.

Then there is a 5-pack, containing five different models, only one or two of which are Bat-vehicles; with a Gotham City Police car, and two or three villain cars. The latter are unique to these sets, and not available as individual models.

For 2025 there were four different Batmobiles in the Batman series, from live-action television, cartoons, and films. All were existing models in new colours.

The sole new model for the year is something really special – a small scale 1966 Bat Boat. Overall length is 78mm.

This first appeared in the 1966 Batman movie, which was a spin-off from the TV series, and was based on a modified Glastron motor boat. Aurora did a plastic kit of the boat, to go with their other Bat-models.

Corgi released a die-cast boat at the time, with a trailer, and plastic figures of Batman and Robin. There was also a Corgi Juniors version, again with a trailer.

In addition to their small-scale models, Hot Wheels have a 1/50th scale Batman line, and a Batboat on Trailer appeared in 2009. This has been re-issued several times.

The new Mainline Bat Boat has a metal deck and fin (with cast-in Bat-logo), in metallic blue; with a blue plastic hull; silver-grey seats; and clear windscreens. The tampo printing is excellent.

The model will not float, and runs on three black plastic wheels hidden under the hull – this time there is no trailer. The underside markings describe the model as the 1966 Bat Boat, with various copyright notices, the Hot Wheels logo, and give the country of manufacture as Malaysia, but there is no copyright date for the model itself.

The card is very nice, with an illustration of the boat, but the figures shown are not included. Both the DC comics and Batman Classic TV Series logos appear in the upper left corner, with the new for 2025 logo on the right.

Four photographs.

Like it?

Paul Adams from New Zealand