SEMA Builds: Beauty or Blasphemy?
If you’re a classic Lamborghini purist, you’re going to hate this one.
That is – or was – a 1969 Lamborghini Espada. Only 1217 of these polarizing four-seater GT cars were built in their ten-year production run (1968-1978) so it’s a relatively rare chassis even by Lamborghini standards. Many would not have called the original a beautiful car and might not lament this aggressive restomod job with its open-wheel wide stance and Mad Max rivet work.
It’s certainly one of the more interesting builds at SEMA this week and one of very few Lamborghini “rat rods” ever to exist. It was built by Danton Art Kustoms in France to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Lamborghini Espada – an occasion that may or may not be worth celebrating.
Espada is from the Spanish for sword, specifically the sword that the torero uses to kill the bull in the corrida. So a sword that kills bulls, from a company with a prancing bull on it’s hood… let that sink in.
Still, I bet that undressed and unmuffled Lamborghini V12 sounds glorious.
Update January 2020 – if this one spears you right in the heart it can be yours at the Mecum auto auctions later this month.