1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136 
• Forget the new Range Rover and the 2002 0T40,
Page 17
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
the real star of Ford's presence at the Detroit Auto Show is a pickup. To give it its official name, the Ford Mighty F-350 Tonka concept manages to combine some potentially useful technology with a giant helping of, well, American-ness.
Fans of the legendary toy trucks will be pleased to know that the colour scheme is yellow and chrome. Sitting atop 315/60 tyres and 2211 wheels, you might expect it to be a challenge to climb aboard. But fear not, as opening a door provokes the air suspension to drop five inches, while the chrome door steps unfurl. Once inside the six-seater B-pillarless cab, the driver can settle into his "fully-floating Commander's seat, inspired by Class Brigs".
The engine is the new Power Stroke 600 V8 from Navistar, whose six litres and 32 valves produce 350hp and a healthy 1114Nm of torque. One of the Tonka's innovations to watch out for is Hydraulic Launch Assist, which regenerates stored hydraulic pressure to help overcome inertia from standstill. Ford claims a possible fuel saving of up to 35% in urban driving. Another feature which the world may well have been waiting for is the first application of LEDs for headlamps.
In case you're tempted, you can forget multi-storey car parks, as it stands a mere seven feet tall.