Grows on trees: Student team develops wooden supercar concept

Durham, North Carolina – A graduate student team at North Carolina State University has come up with an imaginative attempt to explore just how green a car can be. The ultimate eco car? The Splinter, a high-performance, mid-engined supercar made of wood. Wood is being used ‘wherever possible’, the designers say, including in the chassis and body, and in large portions of the suspension components and wheels.

With designers often exploring the synthetic possibilities for car design, such as in BMW’s Gina concept car, it’s refreshing to see a project aimed at using one of the most basic of all materials.