Woven Wonders: The Best Cars with Carbon Fiber Bodies

Though it’s now existed in its current form for well over half a century, it hasn’t been until much more recently that carbon fiber began being heavily utilized in the manufacturing of production cars. And while the advanced woven construction was once only used for smaller details and elements such as interior trim pieces and select aero components, carbon fiber has since been turned to for everything from wheels and full suites of bodywork to the entire chassis around which the vehicle is constructed.

This trend admittedly took the better part of a decade before even beginning to verge on mainstream, though it is slowly becoming more and more commonplace — as evidenced by the ever-growing selection of heavily carbon-laden models currently on the market. And it’s this selection of vehicles that we’ll be exploring today in this guide to the best carbon fiber cars on the road. On top of counting down our picks for the greatest weave-heavy autos, we’ll also be exploring the benefits of carbon fiber as well as its history and uses in the automotive arena.

In the late 1960s, carbon fiber was introduced in the form that we now know today, with the material’s potential for strength finally being realized after decades of R&D. Thanks to its immense heat resistance and unparalleled strength-to-weight ratio, carbon fiber — which is also known as “graphite fiber” — was heavily utilized in the aerospace industry in its first years, though by the latter-end of the 1970s, world-class automakers and race teams were starting to look to the weave as a means of innovation.

After spending several years experimenting with the material, McLaren would become the first company ever to debut a Formula One car with a carbon fiber composite chassis in 1981 with its MP4/1 racer. Nearly a decade later in 1990, Jaguar would enter the history books when its 6.0L V12-engined XJR-15 became the first-ever production car with a full carbon fiber monocoque design. Over the subsequent 30 years, the material has gone from an exclusive novelty to a means of achieving weight and performance figures that otherwise wouldn’t be possible — or would cost exponentially more to produce.

And while replacing metal suites of bodywork with carbon items does indeed allow for a considerable amount of weight savings, one of the areas in which carbon fiber has become most beneficial to cars is its use in framework. Benefitting from advancements in the space such as the development of forged or “marbled” carbon fiber, these carbon frames allow less raw material to be used. Plus, the material that is present is markedly lighter than steel, aluminum, or other traditional constructions. This has ultimately given way to complete automotive frames that weigh less than the average American male.

Despite tipping the scales at roughly one-third the weight of steel, carbon fiber is some five times stronger and boasts twice the tensile stiffness, making this ultralight and ultra-strong material perfect for use in the automotive sector. This fact is furthered by carbon fiber’s incredible heat tolerance and minimal thermal expansion, as well as the weave’s chemical resistance and imperviousness to rusting. Collectively, these properties hugely lend themselves to the car space, and allow the construction to be conducive to everything from engine covers to body panels to framework.

Because of its aforementioned qualities, carbon fiber is known the world over as being an ultra-precious, cutting-edge material — and one that almost always comes at a fairly exorbitant price, as carbon fiber’s manufacturing process is a long and elaborate one that requires highly skilled and expertly trained technicians to execute. By utilizing carbon fiber, automakers are able to bestow their rides with an unmistakably premium and performance-focused character — especially when the weave is left exposed and fully on display. So, while it undeniably sports a slew of objective benefits, the material is also lauded for its appearance and, moreover, what it represents.

When talking about cars that are built from carbon fiber, it helps to have a decent understanding of the exact parts that are manufactured from the aerospace-grade weave. Below, we’ll quickly touch on the four main areas in which carbon fiber is used in the creation of automobiles.

Structural Components: Undeniably one of the most profound ways that a car can benefit from the use of carbon is in its chassis, as its rigidity and lack of weight make for a game-changing experience behind the wheel. Carbon frames are still fairly state-of-the-art items, and as such tend to be reserved for elite automotive offerings, however, in recent years we’ve started to see carbon fiber appearing on everything from the frames and bodies of compact commuter cars to the beds of American-made pickups.

Bodywork: The most common and widespread use of carbon fiber in the automotive industry is unequivocally for bodywork, as well as aero pieces, packages, or kits. Not only does the material’s lack of weight add a considerable performance advantage, but its appearance also undoubtedly bolsters an already exotic car’s exclusive and race-focused feel.

Unsprung Mass: Minimizing the weight of unsprung mass on a vehicle hugely improves its handling characteristics, so it probably won’t come as a surprise to learn that manufacturers have increasingly been turning to carbon fiber when looking to deliver ultra-featherweight unsprung mass components such as the wheels and brake assemblies.

Trim: While it doesn’t directly benefit a car’s performance in the same way as using carbon fiber for the body or framework does, carbon fiber is often utilized in the interior of exotic vehicles, making up everything from the cabin’s trim package, bezels, and accents to the steering wheel, shift knobs, and seat backs. Again, this doesn’t hugely bolster performance, though it definitely ups a car’s “cool factor” and overall exotic nature.

BAC Mono R

Most Affordable Pick: Made by the Briggs Automotive Company, the BAC Mono R is unquestionably one of the most idiosyncratic high-performance vehicles currently in production. Weighing just 1,223lbs at the curb, this road-legal go-kart features a unique single-seater cockpit configuration, a track-tuned suspension package, and a potent mid-mounted, Mountune-developed 2.5L inline-four that allows for a 217-mph top speed and the ability to fire off 0-60mph runs in an equally-impressive 2.7 seconds. Equipped with an off-set dorsal intake, the Mono R’s bodywork design not only boasts an unmistakably exotic appearance, but it’s also the first-ever full suite of body panels to be crafted from graphene-enhanced carbon fiber ever to appear on a production car. Between its appearance and performance capabilities, the Mono R truly is one of the most unique cars that money can currently.

AC Cars Cobra GT Roadster

Best Retro-Inspired Pick: The AC Cars Cobra GT Roadster is an incredibly unique vehicle that stands as both a contemporary high-performance sports car and an automotive homage to one of the most legendary models of all-time. Pieced together around an extruded aluminum spaceframe chassis, this modernized classic features a full set of carbon fiber bodywork with a wider stance and a nimble 101.18” wheelbase. At the heart of the contemporary Cobra is a 5.0-liter Ford Coyote V8 that’s offered in naturally-aspirated or supercharged versions — the latter of which makes 654hp and allows for a 3.4-second 0-60mph time and a top speed exceeding 170mph. Modern tech and amenities found on this forthcoming car include a 10.25” touchscreen paired with a   sub-equipped audio system, haptic controls, selectable drive modes, a push-to-start ignition, an electric handbrake, and electric windows, just to name a few. Weighing less than 3,100lbs at the curb, the car also boasts a host of bespoke details such as custom 21” wheels with center-locking caps and a Tilton pedal-box with custom-machined AC pedal plates. 

Ford Mustang GTD

Best Overall Pick: After recently pulling the cover off of its all-new seventh-generation Mustang, Ford also showed off the gen-7-based GT3-spec model built with the aim of taking on Le Mans. And while this didn’t come as a huge surprise, what was much more unexpected was the Blue Oval’s announcement that it would be making a small number of road-legal Mustangs based on the GT3 class car, known simply as the Ford Mustang GTD. Adorned in an all-carbon-fiber suite of widebody-style bodywork with a pronounced active aero kit and massive rear wing, the GTD-spec Mustang is powered by a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 that makes roughly 800hp. Born out of a collaborative effort between Ford Performance and Multimatic, the Mustang GTD also gets a custom set of lightweight magnesium wheels, a state-of-the-art race-derived suspension package, and a nearly perfect 50:50 weight distribution. And, while the company has yet to reveal top speed or 0-60 figures, Ford has stated that the Mustang GTD is expected to be able to lap the legendary Nürburgring in under 7 minutes — placing it on par with cars like Porsche’s $240,000 911 GT3 RS. 

KTM X-BOW GT-XR

Best Road-Legal Track Car: Based on the Ready To Race brand’s existing track-only X-BOW GT2 model, the KTM X-BOW GT-XR is a fully-road-legal track weapon that maintains the wildly-impressive performance capabilities and generally exotic nature of its GT2-spec counterpart. Touted by the Austrian outfit as being “the closest you can get to a purebred race car in a road-legal vehicle,” the X-BOW GT-XR is powered by an Audi-sourced turbocharged 2.5-liter TFSI five-cylinder engine borrowed from the Four Rings firm’s TT RS and RS 3 models. Built entirely by hand, this road-legal go-kart also comes loaded with a full carbon monocoque chassis, center-locking Y-5-spoke forged OZ Racing wheels, high-performance Sachs sport dampers, a MoTec ECU and data logger, an optional lift axle, and a striking set of KISKA-designed all carbon bodywork complete with an electric jet fighter-style canopy. As a road-going model, KTM has also bestowed this X-BOW model with a host of creature comforts and practical amenities such as a removable steering wheel with an integrated display, a rearview camera system, a Bluetooth-connected sound system, air conditioning, a glove box, full carbon bucket seats, and an actual trunk with 160 liters of storage space.

Lamborghini Revuelto

Best Hybrid Pick: Lamborghini’s vehicles have long represented the peak of automotive performance and the epitome of exotic supercar styling, though for its latest flagship offering, the Raging Bull has doubled down on these defining traits, giving way to the all-new Lamborghini Revuelto. Benefitting from the use of numerous cutting-edge technologies and systems, the Revuelto is constructed around a carbon fiber monocoque chassis that’s been paired with double wishbone suspensions front and rear with Lamborghini’s active Magneride tech and LMR dampers. Adorned in a set of carbon fiber bodywork with thermoplastic bumpers and scissor-opening aluminum doors, this Italian-made exotic also features CCB Plus carbon ceramic brakes, an active rear wing, and an interior that looks more like the cockpit of a spacecraft than it does your average road-going automobile. Boasting a sub-4,000lb dry weight, the Lamborghini Revuelto is kicked along by a 6.5-liter V12 engine that’s helped along by a trio of electric motors — a powertrain that’s good for 1,000hp and allows for a 2.5-second 0-60mph time and a nearly 220-mph top speed.

Aston Martin Valhalla

Best F1-Inspired Pick: Limited to less than 1,000 units globally, the Aston Martin Valhalla is an ultra-high-performance supercar that was designed in collaboration with Aston Martin’s F1 team — along with some help from the Mercedes-AMG squad that developed the vehicle’s powertrain. Mated to an eight-speed DCT transmission, the Valhalla packs 4.0-liter V8 engine that’s been fitted with a pair of turbochargers and dual e-motors that collectively enable the car to generate just shy of 1,000hp. Aiming to tip the scales at less than 3,500lbs in total, the Valhalla features an all-carbon fiber bodywork design with an integrated aero kit and dihedral doors that open to reveal the Aston Martin’s carbon fiber-clad, spaceship-esque cabin. Made from exposed carbon fiber, this state-of-the-art aero kit allows the Aston Martin to generate over 1,300lbs of downforce, keeping the F1-inspired supercar pinned to the tarmac — and no doubt contributing to its all-electric range of around 10 miles. 

Picasso Automotive 660 LMS

Best True Driver’s Car: Taking its name from its (metric) horsepower output figure combined with the fact that it’s heavily inspired by Le Mans racers, Picasso Automotive 660 LMS is a high-performance pure driver’s car that features a suite of fully-exposed all-carbon fiber bodywork that’s capable of generating over 2,100lbs of downforce. Made by hand in Switzerland, the 660 LMS sports an advanced monocoque chassis and a track-tuned suspension package. Offered with either a standard gearbox or a Sadev sequential unit, the car is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 making 650hp and 531ft-lbs of torque — all of which is sent to the vehicle’s rear wheels. Built by Autotecnica Motori, this twin-turbo six-banger also features a full-titanium exhaust system that marks the first-ever automotive exhaust system made by noted MotoGP supplier, SC Project. 

Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution

Best USA-Made Pick: In 2020, Texas-based tuner and hypercar marque Hennessey Special Vehicles introduced the motoring public to the Venom F5 — an all-American hypercar offering objectively world-class performance capabilities. In the company’s never-ending pursuit for ever-more speed and power, HSV would return to the drawing board in order to deliver the new and improved Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution, which retains the original model’s twin-turbo “Fury” V8 engine and carbon fiber framework while gaining a revised suite of aero-equipped bodywork crafted entirely from carbon fiber. Offering a drag coefficient of just 0.39 Cd, Hennessey’s Venom F5 Revolution — which is also now offered in a drop-top Roadster version — boasts a top-speed of over 250mph, all while maintaining full road-legal status. Priced at $2.7M a pop, this 250-mph model is limited to only two-dozen units globally. 

Pagani Huayra R

Best Track-Only Pick: Appropriately referred to by its maker as a “celebration of performance, technology, and art applied to a track car,” the Pagani Huayra R is a no-holds-barred, closed-course-only version of Horacio Pagani’s already-world-class Huayra hypercar. Weighing in at around 2,300lbs — placing it on par with Mazda’s Miata while making almost five-times as much power — this seven-figure track-day vehicle is crafted around a super advanced monocoque chassis that incorporates the use of ultra-cutting-edge Carbo-Titanium HP62-G2 and Carbo-Triax HP62 into its construction. Affording the vehicle a 238-mph top speed, the Pagani Huayra R is powered by elite Italian firm’s V12-R — a naturally-aspirated 6.0-liter V12 putting down 850hp and over 550ft-lbs of torque. Like all Pagani vehicles, the R-spec Huayra is offered with a huge plethora of custom-configurable options and bespoke elements. It’s also probably worth mentioning that this car is priced at a whopping $2.78M and restricted to just 30 units worldwide — making it one of the most exclusive track-only cars on the planet. 

Bugatti Bolide

Best Ultra-Premium Pick: Reserved for the world’s wealthiest and most-discerning automotive enthusiasts, Bugatti’s spare-no-expense hypercars boast otherworldly performance capabilities that make even regular six-figure supercars seem tame by comparison. Despite this reality, this ultra-exotic firm recently set out to outdo itself with the debut of the track-only Bolide — a Le Mans prototype-style race weapon that’s not hindered by the usual constraints placed on road-legal cars and FIA endurance machines. Tipping the scales at under 3,200lbs, this LMP1-style racer is powered by a massive 8.0-liter W16 engine that’s equipped with four turbochargers and good for nearly 1,600hp and 1,200ft-lbs of torque — figures that allow for a world-class top speed of 310mph and an equally-noteworthy 0-60mph time of 2.17 seconds. Pieced together around a wildly-advanced carbon tub chassis, the Bolide also features a wildly advanced set of all-carbon bodywork with a pronounced aero-kit that generates an enormous amount of downforce as the vehicle nears its more than 300-mph top speed. 

The Best Street-Legal Track Cars for the Road & Circuit

If you’re interested in the carbon-bodied cars on this list, you’ll no doubt also appreciate the handpicked selection of road-going track day weapons from our guide to the best street-legal track cars for the road and race track.