A seamless melding of 1968 Charger aesthetics with Hellcat power.
The term 'restomod' might ring familiar, encapsulating the magic of refurbishing classic vehicles with contemporary components, encapsulating both visual nostalgia and current performance.
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But ExoMod, based in Greenville, Pennsylvania, ventures into the realm of “retromod”, a concept introduced by MotorTrend. This innovative approach takes the restomod philosophy and flips it. Instead of starting with a classic, ExoMod begins with a present-day muscle car and reimagines it with the charm of yesteryear while keeping its modern framework, suspension, and engines intact.
ExoMod’s project, aptly named Black Velvet, showcases this vision immaculately. From the base of a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, the team embarks on a detailed transformation, utilizing carbon fiber to lessen the vehicle's weight by 450 pounds. Key highlights include the 1968 Charger-inspired hood and rocker moldings, a shimmering Bumblebee stripe, a sleek graphite grille with matching taillight trim, eye-catching Forgeline Roadster wheels, and a mesmerizing gloss black finish.
Upon first glance, the Black Velvet might fool many into thinking it's a pure classic with its vintage aesthetics. Only the fiery-red Brembo brakes and a pronounced rear diffuser hint at its retromod essence. However, keen observers might spot its body width that surpasses an original by four inches.
Step inside, and its modern soul is more pronounced. The interior boasts heated seats wrapped in premium Italian leather, cutting-edge tech like a rear back-up camera, parking aids, a state-of-the-art 8.4-inch touch screen with GPS navigation, and an impressive 18-speaker Harman Kardon sound setup complete with a subwoofer and amplifier.
Under its hood, Black Velvet roars to life with a formidable 717 horsepower, drawn from a supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8, paired with a swift eight-speed automatic gearbox. For those craving even more, ExoMod doesn’t disappoint. They present an 807-horsepower version with Dodge’s Redeye enhancements and even a jaw-dropping 1,000-horsepower iteration, thanks to the experts at Hennessey Performance.
