DC Comics v. Towle · US Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit · 2015

Is the Batmobile protected?

Short answer: Yes: it's an automotive character.

The facts. A California mechanic built and sold replicas of the Batmobile from the 1960s TV show and the 1989 film. DC Comics sued. He argued a car is a useful object, not a copyrightable character.

The ruling. DC Comics v. Towle (2015): The court held the Batmobile is a protected character with consistent traits, however it looks in each film.

The court noted that the Batmobile's name and features are constant. Judge Ikuta's opinion even quoted Batman.

Read the source

For fun, not legal advice.