For the past four years, the Gotham Garage crew has delighted fans with their engineering and restoring skills, while they created some out-of-this-world cars out of rusty, greasy vehicles. Car fanatics are familiar with the concept of the Netflix show called Car Masters: Rust to Riches, based on the activities of the garage, as it is similar to Rust Valley Restorers and Discovery Channel’s Fast N' Loud, but what gives this show its unique flavor are some of the vehicles restored or reimagined.

Updated March 2023: Gearheads love the Gotham Garage and its TV show, Car Masters: Rust To Riches, for the amazing vehicles produced from the garage, which include the incredible Gotham Garage concept car. Now, you'll be glad to know that we've updated this article to bring you more facts and details about the garage, its owner, and the famous concept car.

For instance, the already famous Gotham Garage concept car has become something like a legend on forums where gearheads still debate if Mark Towle’s “creation” is worth the big bucks. To be fair, the concept car and bike duo had a staggering price tag and some cosmetic choices were questionable, but even naysayers who accused the show of being badly scripted couldn’t stop watching it.

In the end, everyone wanted to know if Mark would succeed in selling his dream concept car for the six-figure sum he initially wanted. Luckily, after some trials and tribulations, the Gotham Garage crew found a new home for the sports car and twinning motorcycle, but before that, this is what happened.

Related: Here’s How Gotham Garage Transformed A Written-Off '57 Chevy Wagon Into A Classic Hot Rod

The Gotham Garage Concept Car

Gotham Garage Concept Car hd wallpaper
Netflix

Mark Towle is a proficient auto-mechanic and designer, and also quite a creative human. As seen from the plethora of amazing projects churned out from his California-based restoration shop called Gotham Garage, Towle isn’t lacking in the imagination department. That brings us to one of his most ambitious projects yet, the Gotham Garage concept car. Being a dreamer with great ambition and drive, Towle dreamed and fantasized about the project through a sketch he regularly updated for about 20 years.

The project wasn’t only going to require a lot of time to build, it was going to require a lot of money as well. Hence, Towle had to shelve the idea until the time was right. Of course, the time eventually became right a few years back, and Towle with his crew got straight to work adopting a 1993 Chevy Corvette ZR1 as the canvas to build the dream project on.

Towle found the Chevy Corvette ZR1 to be ideal due to its relatively affordable price point in the used market, its availability, sturdy chassis, beefy exhaust, and the low-slung high horsepower output it offers. Notably, in its stock form, the 1993 Chevy Corvette ZR1 produces 405 hp and 385 lb-ft of torque from its highly potent V8 mill. The team was on the lookout for the car and found a good example through Shawn for a measly $18,000.

The team swiftly acquired the car and after stripping out the body, they called in Starr Creations to craft a new body for the futuristic car project. The Gotham Garage concept car features a fiberglass body, a quad-headlight, and a hexa-taillight setup, as well as a massive convex windshield. The interior was creatively crafted, with the team adopting a brown finish for the upholstery, while the center console has several individual gauges spread on it.

The concept car also features dihedral hinge doors built by the team, with LCDs incorporated behind the steering wheel displaying the front and rearview of the car. To make the car as attention-grabbing and appealing as it can be, the team finished it in a bright shade of yellow paint color.

The Project Also Included A Concept Bike Based On A Suzuki Hayabusa

Gotham Garage Concept Bike based on the Hayabusa hd wallpaper
Netflix

While the car is the focus of this piece, the project also included a concept bike. With Towle’s imagination running wild, while also almost getting bored during the concept car build, he decided to throw a bike into the project. For the bike project, the team traded a souped-up Prius for a Suzuki Hayabusa, with the task being to convert the bike into the concept car’s twin.

The Hayabusa received a custom-built steel body, a longer and wider swingarm, and several Gotham Garage accessories that are the same as those found on the concept car. To make the finished job as identical to the car as possible, the team gave the bike the same bright yellow paint job found on the car.

However, the Gotham Garage team didn’t convince too many of their fans that their concept car and motorcycle duo was really the stuff of automotive legend. In fact, fans were quite harsh on the project, criticizing the finishes, bodywork, onboard technology, paintwork, and the list goes on. To be fair, there were some questionable choices, but one has to admire the effort put into the project and the perseverance and passion with which Mark followed his dream and project.

As for the car, the choice of a 1993 Chevy Corvette ZR1 was interesting at best. While the ZR1 was at a time synonymous with high performance, few people would be happy today with spending $285,000 for a re-skinned ZR1. While different sources report that the Gotham Garage team selected the ZR1 for its high HP package, let’s not forget that they paid $18,000 for it and were expecting to flip it for $285,000 after restoring it.

Who Bought The Insane Gotham Garage Concept Car?

Gotham Garage Concept Car cinematic rear third quarter view
Netflix

In season 3, Mark let viewers see his fantasy car, which he imagined years ago. After throwing in a considerable amount of money, trying to build Towle’s car, the Gotham team found itself at a crossroads because they needed to sell the mega project to recuperate their financial investment, but no serious buyer showed enough interest.

However, with auctions postponed and canceled because of the pandemic, the team came up with a new plan to sell the car and bike at an online auction. But when the online auction closed at $195,000, Mark refused to let the car-bike duo go, as he thought the pricing was too low, so the season ended on a sour note for the Gotham Garage team.

Thereafter, in season 4, Nick Smith enters the picture. He is a broker for a wealthy client interested in buying the duo. After negotiating the price a bit, Nick agrees to pay $285,000 for the concept car and bike. The identity of the buyer remained a mystery, but maybe one day, we'll get to see him riding his Gotham car or bike around town.

Did The Team Make A Profit On The Gotham Garage Concept Car?

Gotham Garage's Car Masters-Rust to Riches Season 5
Netflix

Without a doubt, the Gotham Garage team has achieved impressive financial results with the concept car and bike duo. But the project was also quite pricey, which might indicate that they need to improve their money management skills or hire a financial advisor that can help them get their finances in order.

Furthermore, some of the prices quoted in the show seem a bit off and way too inflated, so the Gotham team might have exaggerated their investment to boost the final price. If the car bike duo was really sold for $285,000, the team probably got a higher price than they expected, but considering how heavily scripted the show is, it's safe to say that the outrageous final price might be just another reality TV sham.

Related: Here's What To Expect From Gotham Garage' Car Masters: Rust To Riches Season 5

Was This The Most Controversial Car That Came Out Of The Gotham Garage?

DC Comics Batmobile
The Business Journals

The team has restored and flipped some interesting cars in the past, but the recent concept car doesn’t take the crown for the most controversial project. In fact, the Warner Bros. “Batmobile” lawsuit and subsequent loss against the entertainment giant is probably Mark Towle’s biggest controversy.

The Gotham Garage leader was taken to court by Warner Bros. “for violating trademarks and copyrights on replicas of the Batmobile, which set off a furious dispute over whether a car is entitled to copyright protection,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.