Alex Danton: “My goal is to cut the most expensive cars in the world”

Danton Arts Kustoms makes some of the most spectacular and unique vehicles on the planet. If your pockets are deep enough, this mod shop based out of a beautiful chateau in the South of France will take your beloved exotic, chop off a few bits and turn it into a hot rod that’s like nothing else on the road. It’s run by Alex Danton, a man with a passion for the more eccentric side of motoring. As proof, check out his latest job, a one-off, heavily-modded Lamborghini Espada that went viral. We had a quick chat with the custom car builder.

I have always been into automobiles since childhood along with my father and my brother. I’ve been building vehicles for 12 years. One day I built a car to have fun in and it became my work.

How well received are your creations?

My projects are very popular but not with brand purists. It scares them. All of them say I’m crazy. My goal is to cut the most expensive cars in the world: Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Rolls-Royces, Bugattis…

This Lamborghini Espada will remain a great adventure with my friend Herve Carrosserie. It’s my 39th construction but I think I have forgotten about it.  Now it's time to tackle a Ferrari.

What’s your process?

From design on paper and modelling, to the creation and design, there are many steps to the construction. I receive customers at the workshop to discuss their project and ambitions, in order to set up the management of the design stages. It’s far from high-tech devices but close to the material and in the audacity that your automotive dreams will be born.

Hot rods. Quirky, outrageous cars that are real rolling sculptures and based on a popular movement born in the United States after the Second World War. Back then, young Americans who didn’t have much money bought old cars, lightened them, reworked big V8 engines and used them for shopping. It’s a passion shared by me, a Frenchman who decided to embark on the construction of hot rods.