With the new Green Hornet movie in pre-production (release date January 14, 2011; screenplay by Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg) everyone is starting to talk about the car that will be featured in the film. Rumors are flying around about who will design it, who will build it and what it will look like.
If you’re over 45 years old (like me) you probably remember the Green Hornet TV series, which unfortunately only lasted one season (1966-67) and starred Van Williams as the Green Hornet and the legendary Bruce Lee as his sidekick Kato. The Green Hornet radio show debuted in 1936 and in 1940 the stinging superhero hit the comic book stands for the first time.
The Green Hornet’s vehicle was called the Black Beauty. The Green Hornet (newspaper owner Britt Reid by day) kept the car hidden under his garage floor, suspended upside down with steel clamps. With one push of a button, the floor would flip, positioning the car right side up and ready for action. After he and Kato jumped in, The Green Hornet always said his famous catch phrase, “Let’s Roll, Kato!”
The Black Beauty was a ’65 Chrysler Crown Imperial with an amazing arsenal, including rocket launchers; smoke guns; an oil gun in the rear; headlights that change from standard lights to special infrared green lights; a mortar; a flying deployable scanner containing a closed circuit TV monitor; a license plate that flips; a tack sweeper to remove sharp objects before they puncture the tires; and a broom to cover the vehicle’s tracks. The car was built and designed by Dean Jeffries, who also designed the Mantaray, which was featured in the film Bikini Beach Party. Both the Black Beauty and the Manta Ray are currently on display at the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
It is anticipated that the 2010 Black Beauty will have many new high-tech, state-of-the-art features. But, right now, no one is talking. I’ve heard rumors that several car companies, including Mitsubishi, are working on possible designs to pitch to the film’s producers. We’ll keep you in the loop and give you all of the new buzz as it comes in.
UPDATE (01/02/2011):
The new movie features a shorter, badder and meaner version of the “Black Beauty.” While the original was built from the 1966 Chrysler Imperial, this one is based on the 1965 edition. Outfitted with more weaponry than your average tank, Green Hornet brings new meaning to “defensive driving.”
To make the movie, workers constructed a total of 29 1964-1966 Imperials for various portions of filming and stunt work, and the producers have released a quick video giving us all a quick behind the scenes look at the building the Black Beauty. There are even a few quick action shots taken from the movie thrown in for good measure. The Green Hornet is slated to hit theaters January 2011.
Green Hornet Black Beauty Specs
- Based on 1965 Chrysler Crown Imperial
- Engine: Chevrolet ZZ/454 Custom V8
- Transmission: Racetrans Turbo 400
- Dyno tested @ 507 HP
- Weight: 5680
- Length: 227.8 inches
- Wheelbase: 129 inches
Weapons Specs
- Dual hood-mounted 0.30 caliber M1919 machine guns
- Suicide doors with 12 guage AR-15 modified guns
- Concealed 0.30 caliber M1919A6 Browning machine gun in trunk
- Grill-mounted M2 flame thrower
- 12 front and rear FIM-92A Stinger missiles
- Retractable anti-riot spikes
Defense Specs
- Ballistic certified polycarbonate glass
- Run flat tires with regulation system
- 4.6mm Armox Ballistic steel reinforced exterior
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