You’re not hellucinating—this really is a carbon-bodied 1968 Dodge Charger featuring a wicked 7.0-liter “Hellephant” V8 fuming underneath that fat hood scoop.
The build is out of Wisconsin’s Speedkore Performance, known for injecting truly batshit loads of power into icons of American muscle, often for celebrities like Vin Diesel and Kevin Hart. This one, dubbed the “Hellucination,” was commissioned by a client the custom outfit surely wanted to impress.
The owner is Ralph Gilles, a living-legend automotive exec who currently serves as head designer of automotive mega-conglomerate Stellantis, under which Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Alfa Romeo, Maserati and many other brands reside.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed the process with SpeedKore over the last two years, working together and thoughtfully debating the countless details of this build,” Gilles said in a statement. The Charger era that inspired his Hellucination holds a special place in his heart, having spawned the controversially Confederate flag-clad General Lee from Dukes of Hazzard.
“Growing up watching a certain orange car doing amazing things on TV as a kid started a love affair with the Dodge Charger and Mopar. The ‘68 embodies so many fascinating details and amplifies the Dodge ethos perfectly. We still use it as a spiritual reference to this day as we design the next generation of performance cars.”
Speekore goes a step further by creating American pony lookalikes, but they’re still virtually new cars, as Road & Track notes. The Hellucination’s entirely carbon fiber body sits on a Speedkore frame, while the V8’s 1,000 horsepower is transferred to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Other modern equipment includes front and rear suspensions from Detroit Speed and Speedkore, Penske adjustable coilovers, Brembo brakes, and HRE wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport tires.
Inside, more carbon fiber covers the dash, door panels, rear quarter panels and seatbacks. Four-point harnesses keeps occupants secure, and a 2,000-watt Bluetooth-enabled Kicker audio system ensures tunes can be heard over the engine’s growl.
If you’re interested in commissioning your own “perfect custom carbon fiber vehicle,” head to Speedkore’s website to submit an application.