Carlex Design: Can One Man and His Team Change the Tuning Game?

The sky is the limit in the tuning realm, which offers plenty of mods for (almost) all models, regardless of their maker and when they saw the light of day. However, just like in the car-making business, some companies have prevailed where others failed, and names like Brabus, Novitec, TechArt, RUF, Liberty Walk, Hennessy, and Mansory (to name but some) have left their marks on countless rides over the years.

These are not the only car tuners, as we intentionally left a name that's becoming more important in this game with each project: Carlex Design. We recently had the chance to inspect their latest build in the flesh, the Carlex G-Falcon, which is a bespoke Mercedes-AMG G 63. But why is it that important? For a few reasons. It is the tuner's first project that's not a special commission. They spent four years working on it, and it is basically a full-size automotive art on wheels.

An artist spent four years engraving the roof attachment and using something similar to a dentist's drill to create the intricate falcon pattern. The winning design was chosen from several proposals, and since hearing a drill all day in the office is not for everyone, the team isolated that part of their headquarters behind thick glass doors. That may not sound comfortable at all, but I've seen it, and it's quite cozy (when no one operates the drill).

I've also had the chance to check out the part of Carlex's shop that works with precious metals, and it basically looks like a high-end jewelry shop without necklaces, bracelets, rings, watches, and so on. The only things there were some components that their jeweler worked with, which may serve as inspiration for future products that might be implemented in the tuner's upcoming rides.

Their design studio looked just as cozy as the rest of their HQ, and I had the chance to touch some exquisite materials while touring their shop. Carlex Design calls the hide 'exotic’ and doesn’t normally reveal its source (and neither will we). However, they told us it came from an Italian company, whereas all the work, like cutting, painting, patinating, and so on, is done internally at Carlex.

After all, they certainly have the experience to craft some wonderful car interiors, given that they're expertise in this field stretches as far as airplanes and boats. Their expert tailors can also re-do the seat of your motorcycle and re-foam basically any seat. Carlex takes great pride in its work and states that its quality is up there with the OEM one. In some cases, it's even better. They've had 16 years to constantly refine their work and achieve perfection, as the company started with one employee and one car and has grown into a multi-million dollar business.

The first impression always matters, and in this case, it is a copy of the iconic Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG that sits on one side of the building. You walk through the large glass doors into the main area that has a couple of desks and a cozy spot for greeting customers to the right, surrounded by a few samples of paint finishes, as Carlex can add an exquisite touch to your car's exterior, too, and the exotic hides that invite anyone present to touch them.

That's where a meteorite fragment is also found, which the tuner plans to implement small chunks of into their future builds. Further back, you'll find the jeweler's atelier, the design studio, and the room where that massive engraving came to life. Then it's the offices, a conference room, and, to the left-hand side, the place where the magic happens, as that's where the tuner's craftspeople turn the ideas into real products.

I've had the chance to talk to Carlex Design's founder and CEO, Damian Skotnicki, and he was very passionate about his work. One of the first questions that came to mind was where the company's name comes from. Well, the first part is obvious, yet the latter is not so much. As Damian put it: "These words (CAR and LEX) activate your consciousness," and the latter part sounds strong, like in Rolex or Lexus. And no, he wasn’t wearing a Rolex nor driving a Lexus, but a fine E24 BMW 6 Series with a custom interior and additional work that caught my attention more than some of the company's projects that were in the making.

So, what could Carlex Design do to your ride? Why, give it a custom interior with a quality so fine that it could make Mercedes (and other car manufacturers) jealous. As mentioned above, the sky is the limit when it comes to their offering, as it comprises numerous exotic hides besides the traditional ones, which can be ordered in one of the many different hues available. Carlex also specializes in fine paint finishes and takes great pride in its brushing option, which truly looks impressive in person. New wheels are also on the menu, and the rest doesn't matter.

You see, they don't plan on launching body kits, as there are other tuners that can satisfy this need – some with an OTT vibe (ahem, Mansory!) and others in a classy way (Novitec). As Damian said, their long-term plan is to become one of the best interior tuners out there, and after seeing their work live, we think they are certainly on the right path. Thus, don't look for body kits, suspension components, exhaust systems, and more power that bears Carlex's signature, as it won't happen, not now, not ever, as their goal is to create elegant machines.

But what about their medium to long-term plan? To introduce more one-off projects like the G-Falcon. In an ideal scenario, they would present one or two such builds each year. Over the next 5-6 years, they want to sell luxury limited edition cars and present them in big city showrooms all over the world. Here, the Himalaya Collection was mentioned, which is a mere idea at this point, comprising seven of the finest high-riders out there. But why seven? Damian has always had a soft spot for this number, and it's not related to numerology. When I asked him about it, he said there are seven days in the week, seven continents, and so on.

So, can one man and his dedicated team change the tuning game? Probably not, but Carlex Design has certainly left a deep mark on it, and they're on the right path to becoming a major player. Keep it up, guys!