Lamborghini Espada Goes Hardcore via Stunning Rat Rod Build
Chopped and slammed in France, Espada celebrates the name’s 50th anniversary with V12 power, eight-foot-wide presence.
Back in 1968, Lamborghini introduced its latest grand tourer to the world, the Espada. Named for the swords used in finishing off the many bulls to live its last moments in the bullfighting rings of Spain, the front-engined Lambo offered plenty of room for big road trips across the European countryside, along with the song and power of the 3.9-liter V12 to make the time pass by quickly.
Only a handful of the Espadas left Sant’Agata between 1968 and 1978, including one that would be transformed into a hardcore work of art decades later, in honor of the name’s 50th anniversary.
Alexandre Danton, the Frenchman behind his namesake shop, Danton Arts Kustoms in the French commune of Vanosc, took one of the first Espadas made, and put an insane twist few would dare conceive. In short, it’s the first Fabio Lamborghini-inspired rat rod to ever tread upon the black asphalt of the open road.
At the front of the chopped-and-slammed Lamborghini, the 3.9-liter V12 looks better than ever. And since nothing is covering up the masterwork of Sant’Agata, the revived motor will always remain ice-cold in every since of the term. Fabio’s autograph in gold is a lovely accent for the centerpiece, as well.
Tucked under the Lamborghini’s low roof, a quartet of welded steel seats with black suede cushions deliver on both comfort and attitude. Aside from a few bits of leather on the shifter boot and the steering wheel, the whole interior is steel upon steel, with more than a few panels riveted together. The three-piece riveted windshield will make any driver of this beast feel like a fighter pilot, too.
The final touch to this stunning Lamborghini rat rod is the set of red forged wheels wrapped in the widest of Michelin tires, establishing a footprint of 8.2-feet wide. You’re definitely not going to lose it around the corners at speed, that’s for sure.
This one-of-a-kind Lamborghini may not be seen out and about too often, but if you happen to be in Kissimmee, Florida at the start of the new year, you just might see it pull in the big bucks on the auction block. It’ll definitely knock your socks off.
Photos: Mecum Auctions
