Life, comic books, and movies have always borrowed heavily from each other, but you know superheroes have gone corporate when they start seeking sponsors.

Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer presents Marvel Comics fans with the first screen-incarnation of one of comicdom's most endearing superhero vehicles, The Fantasticar.

The car is characterised by a less aggressive, more friendly feel -- just like all of Mr Fantastic's inventions. For the movie, releasing in June 2007, Tim Slattery -- who made the Batmobile in Batman Forever -- designed the iconic wheels.

In the movie, the Fantasticar is powered by a proton accelerator, can hover, fly at 500 mph and break into separate flying machines.

In real life, Dodge Automobiles forked over $1 million to have their name on the front [see inset.] What's next? A Hayabusa for Ghost Rider? Bruce Wayne in a Lamborghini?

Don't be surprised if it happens.