Wooden car claims top speed of 240 mph
(Credit: Fareastgizmos)
Apparently there's some worthwhile science in those Soap Box Derby cars we had to make in the Cub Scouts after all. North Carolina-based Joe Harmon Design has created "the world's first wooden supercar," which can reportedly reach speeds of 240 miles per hour.
The 15-foot-long "Splinter" has a 4.6-liter V8 engine and is made from maple, plywood, and fiberboard, according to Fareastgizmos. The the key to its speed advantage over metal cars is weight, according to its owners: It tips the scales at 2,500 pounds, they say, nearly 530 pounds less than a Porsche 911 GT3.
The six-speed Splinter, which supposedly gets decent gas mileage for a race car (up to 20 miles per gallon), is scheduled to roll out this year at an undisclosed price. Depending on how well it does, maybe a future Prius made out of bamboo isn't as crazy as it sounds.
Forget rust, think termites.
;^)