This 1970 Dodge Charger is that classic shape, but crafted from carbon fiber

Carbon fiber is a material you wouldn’t think to associate with muscle cars. Speedkore Performance Group is trying to change that. To prove just how badass a muscle car can be when a bit of 21st century material is mixed in, Dave Salvaggio brought the 1971 Dodge Charger that goes by the name “Evolution” to the Hoonigan Garage for an episode of Build Biology. We have seen this car on an episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, but this new vide provides a better look at more of the car—including the underside.

Speedkore is based in Wisconsin and focuses heavily on 3D printing and carbon-fiber layup. The detail in its builds are second to none, from making small clamps that match the overall aesthetic of the car, to ensuring the weave of the carbon fiber matches perfectly matches from one panel to the next.

This 1970 Dodge Charger represents the pinnacle of Speedkore’s engineering prowess. The only metal in the car’s body is the floor. The rest of the body panels are lightweight woven carbon fiber. Thanks to the limited use of heavy steel the car tips the scales at 3400 pounds, even with the addition of a roll cage, full chassis, and a sturdy modern driveline.

That driveline is something special too, as a car with a flashy carbon fiber body can’t be slow. A lightly tuned Dodge Demon engine settles between the frame rails and delivers a ground-pounding 966 horsepower. Of course, custom valve covers and an intake tie the theme of the car together under the hood. A Hellcat six-speed manual transmission sports a pistol grip shifter and carries the power to a nine-inch Ford rear end.

The process of building the car was intensive. To create the composite panels, the team first had to build the car as they wanted in metal, then pull molds from that body. Next was cutting apart the metal body and rebuilding it with the carbon fiber panels made from the molds, a time-intensive process, but the fit and finish is truly extraordinary.

It’s certainly not a do-it-yourself home project, but some could take a few of the processes and styles of this wild ride and meld them into their garage-built custom. Thanks to modern methods, carbon fiber is easier than ever to work with and making small parts is doable for a home enthusiast. It is awesome to see just how wild one can get with the material, though, and this Charger is one hell of a proof of concept.