- The world's first wooden super car has been unveiled - and it's faster than a Porsche or a Lamborghini.The 'Splinter' car can turn out a whopping 700bhp from its twin supercharged, 4.6litre V8 engine - almost 300bhp more than a Porsche 911.And with a top speed of a staggering 240mph, it will leave the Porsche or even the brand new Lamborghini Revanton trailing in its wake.
- The entire car, which is made from a combination of maple, plywood and MDF, weighs just 1,134kg - some 240kg less than the super lightweight Porsche.
- The eco-friendly two seater, which is fitted with a six-speed, manual gearbox, can sprint from 0 to 60mph in just over three seconds.
- But despite its awesome power, designers say the stylish petrol driven car will still be able to do up to 20mpg.
- Designer Joe Harmon, who is head of the project, said: "Wood is a truly amazing material to work with.
- "It has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than aluminium or steel, and it possesses a versatility that makes many different types of construction techniques possible.
- "The look, feel, and smell of a natural material like wood is not seen elsewhere and cannot be faked, and the satisfaction involved in making something from a piece of wood is awesome.
- "This is a supercar designed to push boundaries and prove the potential of wood as a material."
Carefully carved:
- The car is made completely out of wood
- The 15ft-long car has a laminated wood veneer chassis and wooden wheel rims inside giant 20 inch diameter tyres.
- Suspension is provided through laminated wooden arms and springs made from orange wood.
- Joe, from North Carolina, US, added: "The light weight is achieved through careful design and composite construction.
- "The Splinter is not made from any carved-out, solid chunks of wood, but rather moulded laminates."
Under the bonnet:
- The wooden car can reach a top speed of 240mph
- The car is due to hit the road later this year. The design company, Joe Harmon Design, has not yet decided on a price for the supercar.
- And according to 27-year-old Joe, it might not be long before Formula One star Lewis Hamilton is behind the wheel of a wooden car.
- He said: "An F1 car could definitely be made from wood.
- "Some extremely creative engineering would have to go into it to overcome the strength-to-weight and mouldability benefits of carbon fibre, but it's definitely possible.
- "Getting permission to race it would probably be a bigger challenge than engineering it. But it would be fun to try."
- Drivers are kept safe by a roll cage which also stiffens the chassis and defines the rear profile of the car.