Every great television character needs a badass ride. For automobile newbies, that’s what the cool kids call a car. James Bond has the Aston Martin, Batman has the Batmobile, and now, the Penguin has the purple Maserati. But if you ask the comic-book villain: “Technically, it’s plum.”
The luxury sports vehicle is featured throughout much of The Penguin, a new HBO series focusing on the classic Batman villain (and apparently, his car). The color harks back to his comic-book origins, where he rocked purple pinstripe pants. But as Batman fans are already aware, the purple Maserati isn’t the Penguin’s first go at a signature car. In Batman Returns (1992), Danny DeVito’s Penguin rides around Gotham in a giant rubber duck bath toy…with wheels. Campy, but insane!
“Ayy kid, check out my ride!”
Fast-forward a few decades, and Colin Farrell’s Sopranos-inspired performance in The Penguin is a truly never-before-seen take on the Batman villain. Naturally, you can say the same thing about his ride.
The Penguin’s Maserati Quattroporte first debuted during the character’s car chase with the Caped Crusader in The Batman (2022). Since the dark and gritty superhero film totaled Oz Cobb’s car in a fiery crash—it’s clear that HBO wanted to upgrade the Penguin’s ride for his solo series. So, they took a page from Barbie’s Maserati Grecale playbook and gave the Penguin a colorful luxury vehicle. The Maserati Quattroporte doesn’t come cheap, either. The Penguin’s ride starts at $139,000 for the basic model—and that’s before you add a custom paint job.
2 Fast 2 Penguin.
So far in the series, the Penguin’s purple Maserati has already come in handy multiple times. In the first episode, his luxury vehicle leads him to a down-on-his-luck teen named Victor Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz), who is looking to steal it—just before the Penguin recruits him as his new driver. Later, Oz hides in the trunk of the car to escape an encounter with some mob goons who are out to kill him.
As the show goes on, it’s possible that the Penguin gets another chance to take on the Batmobile. In my crossover dreams, Fast & Furious 11 features a race between Dom Toretto and Oz Cobb’s Maserati, which is really just an adult Hot Wheels toy. HBO bigwigs—if I can please have your attention!—it’s time to equip that Maserati with some nitrous oxide and really let it fly.
Share
Print
