With their rise in popularity, it seems that reality television is everyone’s guilty pleasure.
And how could it not? There seems to be a show for every taste and interest. From baking competitions to hobbies and celebrity drama, these shows serve as an escape from our daily grind.
Netflix’s Car Masters: Rust to Riches is one such show, blending creativity, drama, and automotive design and restoration into one entertaining package.
The show is based on the car shop, Gotham Garage, with its sixth season having ended in October 2024.
But, was Gotham Garage in business in 2023, and is it still in business in 2025?
Yes! Gotham Garage was in business in 2023, and it remains in business in 2025.
Let’s take a closer look at the shop and the founder who inspired the popular Netflix show.
Gotham Garage – The Inspiration
Gotham Garage’s mantra, “If you can dream it, we can build it,” embodies the attitude and identity of this custom shop.
Located in Temecula, California, in Riverside County between Los Angeles and San Diego, the Gotham Garage continues to build, create, and restore vehicles in 2025.
Their concept cars and replica classics favor, according to our research, “bold, creative concepts that blur the line between reality and fantasy.”
It is the shop’s unconventional, eclectic approach to automotive creation, driven by its founder and owner, Mark Towle, that continues to inspire and attract attention.
Initially, Towle focused his design and fabrication skills on creating building props and custom vehicles for television shows and movies.
Thus, the strategic location of the garage, an “area known for its vibrant car culture and proximity to the entertainment industry.”
A car mechanic and car and motorcycle restorer-turned designer, fabricator, and television personality, Towle continues to get his hands dirty with most of the builds.
His role, however, isn’t simply fabrication. He also manages his garage team, is involved in business strategy, and develops the visual aspect of each project, which is central to his brand.
Towle’s inspiration comes from movies, fantasy, and bold visuals. He’s not as concerned with conventional usefulness, instead favoring concepts first.
Gotham Garage is an operational facility where automotive creations continue in 2025.
While it is not open to the public and does not display or sell its custom cars in a showroom, to many fans’ dismay, the business does sell merchandise, offers private builds, and takes part in brand collaborations.
Car Masters: Rust to Riches
With 48 episodes and six seasons under its belt, Car Masters: Rust to Riches has introduced car enthusiasts of all levels to Mark Towle, his team, and his shop, Gotham Garage, to a broad and international audience.
Many believe the show is not real. And, while some segments and dialogue in the show may follow a reality television storytelling format, the work, chemistry, energy, and skills of the cast are genuine.
When the cameras are off, cars are often “sold to collectors, investors, and private clients.” The garage also posts its ongoing creations on social media.
Furthermore, the show is not filmed on a studio set, but in the actual Gotham Garage in Temecula, CA.
Final Thoughts – What’s Next?
While Towle may be exploring expansion away from Netflix, the seventh season of Car Masters: Rust to Riches seems expected to arrive in January 2026.
As the garage and its brand evolve, audiences continue to engage with the show. Interest in and demand for content keep the show and Gotham Garage thriving and still in business in 2025.
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