This is the world’s first supercar made entirely out of wood.
Called The Splinter, this wooden supercar took five years to build.
It’s not what you expect when you think of a wooden car; a hollowed-out log or an old wagon with planks nailed together.
It’s a high-performance supercar that can reach speeds of up to 380km/h (236 miles), according to its creator.
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Creator Joe Harmon wanted to use wood in every possible area of the car.
He said his goal was to push the boundaries on the limitations of wood.
So, the body, chassis, wheels, interior, and even many components of the suspension are all made using wood.
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In building it, a custom mold was built for every component of the chassis, and they were formed, fit, trimmed, and bonded together to make the overall structure.
To achieve the curvature needed for the body, the team wove strips of veneer into a cloth.
Apart from the engine, drive train, gauges, fasteneers, tires and rims, the car is made almost entirely of wood composites.
Even the steering system uses multi-piece wooden tie rods made of hickory.
The wheels are custom three-piece forged aluminium rims with a laminated wood center section.
Each wheel is made up of more than 275 different wooden pieces.
The supercar has 19 inch wheels in front, and 20 inch in the back, giving it a forward-leaning aggressive look.
Under the hood, The Splinter is powered by a Chevrolet LS7 engine which can make up to 700 hp.
The wooden supercar began as a school project while Harmon was completing his master’s degree in engineering at North Carolina State University.
It was inspired by a WWII airplane called the de Havilland Mosquitto which was made almost entirely out of wood.
The plane was equipped with two Rolls Royce V12 engines and was the fastest piston driven plane of its era.
The final product is incredible.
Measuring in at 174 inches long and 42 inches high, the car weighs an estimated 1,360kg.
And because it’s made of wood, Harmon claims it has a better strength-to-weight ratio than cars made from steel and aluminum.
Proving this is no wooden buggy, Harmon says The Splinter is capable of reaching speeds up to 386km/h.
