Made In France, Power From Britain, Body By Porsche

It was in the middle of the day at DRT 2019 when I heard about a potentially interesting car I hadn’t yet seen. A hot-rodded Porsche, you say? “Yeah, down at the end of the block. But really, it’s more hot rod than Porsche…”

I didn’t really know what my friend was on about, but when I saw it there was no missing or mistaking the Danton Arts Kustoms 911 Targa. Based in France, Alexandre Danton has made a name for himself building wild American-style inspired hot rods out of European exotics and classics.

Danton Arts Kustoms is certainly not your typical workshop and, likewise, the Porsche in front of me was anything but typical.

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This Targa is a wild mash-up of different styles, drawing inspiration from around the globe. I can truly say it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before, and the longer you look at it the more oddball details you find.

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The elephant in the room — or what was once the boot, as some say — is the big V8 up front. But being a European build, you couldn’t simply sell out and drop an LS in it, could you?

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Of course not, so the builder opted for turbocharged British power in the form of a 6,750cc V8 poached from a Bentley Mulsanne Turbo.

Capable of nearly 300hp at the wheels in factory trim, the Mulsanne boasted somewhat comical performance numbers thanks to weighing a monumental 2,291kg (5,051lb). But I imagine that in the Targa the turbo engine finds itself powering, it is now properly terrifying at speed.

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The suspected level of terror is thanks, in part, to the custom-built suspension which shares nothing with the 911 body it supports. The front features a double wishbone setup while the rear is taken care of with a solid axle, complete with traction bars and coil springs.

It’s not exactly a canyon carver, but absolutely is a hot rod.

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Staying true to hot rod style the interior is stripped down, not offering much support for the driver. Inside the cockpit you realize the great attention to detail that was dedicated to this car.

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A car like the Danton Arts Kustoms 911 Targa was the last thing I expected to find at DRT 2019.

I’ve seen plenty of interpretations of a classic 911s over the years, but this has to be the most out-there one.

Trevor Yale Ryan
trevor@speedhunters.com
Instagram: tyrphoto
TYRphoto.com

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42 comments

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1

I know the Porsche purists will hate this, and so will others for that matter, but I think this thing is frickin cool! At no point will I say that I'm tired of the traditional American hot rod or rat rod style, but this is another take on that idea. We need more crazy ideas like this!

2
ADRIAN SANCHEZ GARCIA

This is sacrilege, it doesn’t even have a boxer engine and I hate the looks.

3

Me hating the look while appreciating the effort put into this.

4

Repeat after me: "It's just a car... It's just a car..."

5

=))) I dunno...im kind of with him but at the same time, Porsche or not...its still just a bunch of metal and I love stupid projects, soo, its cool

6

Is this a hotrod kitcar?

7
Vladimir Ljadov

Would prefer a more classy interior, but love how the thing looks from the outside!

8

Classy interior in that thing...that's an oxymoron.

9

Is a second hotrod from Danton Arts? There was a purple 964 coupe done in the same style. https://flatsixes.com/cars/tuned-porsches/964-rat-rod-danton-arts-kustom/

10

Cool.

Personally think it'd look better with no windscreen though.

11

I've seen Is stand at Monaco motorshow in 2017. And all around the purist say's " this is awfull !" But for me Danton style is badass !

Check this one :

12

I don't even like Porsche but even I can see that thing is absolutely ghastly. I know each person is allowed to do what they like to their car for their own tastes but there coems a time where to you have to sit someone down and say "what the hell are you doing? poor effort, see me after class. F-".

13

I am still trying to make up my mind on this one, but I defiantly respect that he BUILT this with some unique ideas. Love it or hate it, it invokes emotions. A bently swap! that is original. At least they are staying away from expensive cars with overfender kits. Keep up the good work!

14

Can we make that Bentley V8 the new LS? Damn I love my country

15

The day you can explain how a 6,8L V8 with turbo only manages to deliver 300 hp... It's a feat in itself!

16

"Only 300hp" at a time when american V8's were struggling to make 200.. the 80's were weird man.

17

well, more like were forced to. And 80's were a turbo era so without some snails you couldn't make power at all.

18

True, but still... LS today is around 500 hp, light weight and NA. Can't see how this will compete :)

19
Tommy Harrison

love this thing personally, been waiting on the article after i saw the wheel in a preview pic. i do agree the interior is a bit lacking for my taste. but its not built for me so..... its still badass.

20

Looks like a fun drive.

21
Guillermo Estrada

Oh God...... :(

22

bruh no car is too good to be rodded lmao

23

Rich mans volks rod, rad.

24

As others have said my most major "problem" with this is the google-sketchup looking interior (and ok I hate those dumb spiky lug nuts truckers and brodozers have and I don't really wanna see them here either, but whatever people steal them eventually. Love the intake through the headlamp, and I really like the committment to doing something so out of the ordinary. Denton and I have some artistic differences but I like where his head and heart are at. Looking forward to more from him

Also, purists: They made so many basic 911s, it's not a big deal. He didn't chop up some rare Argentinian-market 2.5wd 964 Clubsport RS 2.8 GT2 or whatever

25

Danton*
I made another typo that isn't a guy's name, see if you can find it. Missing punctuation doesn't count

26

Kinda yeah, kinda nah... Nonetheless this car has a good amount of work on it and I really respect it.

27
Truthworldwide

If it's pissing off the Porsche purists, then I love it. The Bentley swap is genius.

This is one for all the people that whine incessantly about "nobody does anything different." It's loud, ludicrous, and screwed together interestingly.

Punk rock on four wheels.

28

I just don't think the porsche sports car thing is the right body for this type of hot rod car. It's like this. I like spaghetti meatballs and I like sashimi. But the two don't go together and if you throw it both into a bowl, it is going to taste pretty weird.

29
Tryon Lippincott

Burn it with fire!!!

30

DAMMMMNNN!!! Fitment!!!!!

31

That fitment is fire

32

what a weird machine

33

Wicked!

34

He also created the hotrod version of a Lamborghini Espada with Carrosserie Hervé in France.
Each one has its opinion...

35

Just because you can doesn't mean you should. And also quite simply money can't buy taste. Ill conceived and in terms of what can be done with that platform... a waste.

36

I'm very surprised to see any dislike here. It looks amazing. Top-level aspiration for any project to be this cool

37

What's with all this hate people? We've already got too much negativity in this world, and we don't need anymore. Yeah it's a hot-rodded Porsche, so what? If you don't like it, then don't comment. No one asked for your criticism. Hot-rods are supposed to be odd from the norm, and this one is just that. It's very creative! would have never thought of or expected anything like this to have ever existed! Even Trevor didn't expect to see something like this! You've got to give kudos to those who created this, it must be a crazy conversation starter!

38

Well, it’s different.

39

That's the car version of the A.V. guy from high school who played Dungeons and Dragons and walked on his toes wearing a trench coat no matter the weather. Just an awkward mixture of genres, or whatever they're called...

40

Need rwb kit

41

hi everybody just few words about not this car but is conceptor mr danton alexandre ,he is a liar and taking account money for project car never finish or more than that never begin , and you see no return money, just be very carreful with this information in fact it is a a fraud

42

I love this. Decades ago when I was young and building hot rods The more people that didn’t like your wheels just meant your rod was cooler. Using that measure, this is cool.
Give the finger to those that “disapprove” and do what you like.

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