Detroit Motor Show: Ford F-250 Super Chief

Overheat · January 12th, 2006, 5:58 PM

http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/motorshows/2006/detroit/off-roaders/03-large/ford-superchief-f.jpg

We've all heard of bi-fuel, but this monster pick-up truck is a tri-fuel model: its supercharged V10 engine can run on hydrogen, conventional petrol or E85 fuel (a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% petrol).

In hydrogen mode, when the supercharger kicks in, its fuel economy is improved by up to 12% and its carbon dioxide emissions are cut by 99%, though torque is upped to 400lb ft. It has a range of 500 miles between fill-ups.

The engine can be switched seamlessly between hydrogen and either E85 or petrol, though changing back to hydrogen again can only be done at idle.
Ford is already producing bi-fuel petrol/E85 vehicles, but such a hydrogen-compatible unit is still a good couple of years off full production.

But it's not only the engine of this vehicle that points to Ford's future intentions: expect the styling of this concept to influence Ford's upcoming new pick-up trucks, especially in terms of cabin design. For all that the Super Chief name is a nod to the past - the Super Chief trains of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railway, with their blunt front ends, provided the name - it's a sign of things to come.

Pick-up truck buyers - or at least, those not opting out to buy more economical, smaller vehicles - are demanding more and more items of luxury equipment and ever more power and performance from their vehicles. The F-250 Super Chief aims to take this trend a stage further. The show truck features LED headlights, a full-length glass roof, automated arm-rests and a wood'n'leather-trimmed cabin and load bay area, as well as 24-inch wheels. Its six-foot load bay has doors to the passenger compartment, which is also accessed via two pairs of clamshell-opening "suicide" doors, the rear pair rear-hinged.

In keeping with the Super Chief's image as a truck with a conscience, safety has been an important consideration, including the truck's impact on other, smaller vehicles. It showcases Ford's new Blockerbeam system, which has a frontal bracket-type structure designed to bend, absorb energy from the impact, and stop a low-down little car from sliding under it. The Big Chief's occupants are also protected by seatbelt warning systems reminding them to belt up and telling the driver which rear-seat passengers are unbelted. With so many deaths in large SUVs and trucks - which are more prone to rolling over than lower-riding cars - attributed to the failure to wear a seatbelt, this is an important addition.

mmap · January 12th, 2006, 6:56 PM

As pick-ups go I kinda like it. It's massive and would certailny be utterly useless here. And I bet you cannot see anything from the drivers seat (low roof, massive bonnet etc).

Still...

Xeon SX · January 12th, 2006, 7:14 PM

useless here too.

jayjaya29 · January 12th, 2006, 7:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xeon SX

useless here too.

mautzel · January 12th, 2006, 9:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayjaya29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xeon SX

useless here too.

Though for some very weird and nonunderstandable reasons the looks quite appeal to me in a way images/smilies/mellow.gif

BerserkerCatSplat · January 12th, 2006, 10:09 PM

Quite useful here, I like it.

bren_35 · January 12th, 2006, 10:24 PM

http://home.wtal.de/homer/home/ho_smile.gif

"What advantages does this car have over, say, a train? which i could also easily afford"

Viper007Bond · January 12th, 2006, 11:43 PM

Interesting look. I kinda like it.

HuevosRancheros · January 15th, 2006, 4:15 PM

looks like ford borrowed the labeling on the hood from Land Rover......i never like these concept trucks that are so heavy on the concept. If the next super duty is going be as blocky then i can dig it.

Janus · January 15th, 2006, 5:27 PM

IT'S BIG!!!

Enough said! images/smilies/tongue.gif

wceend23 · January 15th, 2006, 7:26 PM

saw it on television...the man that was standing next to it looked soooooo small images/smilies/biggrin.gif

January 12th, 2006, 5:58 PM	#1
Overheat Joined: Sep 7th, 2004 Last Online: September 30th, 2008 Location: Bradford, UK Posts: 5,735 Rep Power: 29	Detroit Motor Show: Ford F-250 Super Chief We've all heard of bi-fuel, but this monster pick-up truck is a tri-fuel model: its supercharged V10 engine can run on hydrogen, conventional petrol or E85 fuel (a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% petrol). In hydrogen mode, when the supercharger kicks in, its fuel economy is improved by up to 12% and its carbon dioxide emissions are cut by 99%, though torque is upped to 400lb ft. It has a range of 500 miles between fill-ups. The engine can be switched seamlessly between hydrogen and either E85 or petrol, though changing back to hydrogen again can only be done at idle. Ford is already producing bi-fuel petrol/E85 vehicles, but such a hydrogen-compatible unit is still a good couple of years off full production. But it's not only the engine of this vehicle that points to Ford's future intentions: expect the styling of this concept to influence Ford's upcoming new pick-up trucks, especially in terms of cabin design. For all that the Super Chief name is a nod to the past - the Super Chief trains of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railway, with their blunt front ends, provided the name - it's a sign of things to come. Pick-up truck buyers - or at least, those not opting out to buy more economical, smaller vehicles - are demanding more and more items of luxury equipment and ever more power and performance from their vehicles. The F-250 Super Chief aims to take this trend a stage further. The show truck features LED headlights, a full-length glass roof, automated arm-rests and a wood'n'leather-trimmed cabin and load bay area, as well as 24-inch wheels. Its six-foot load bay has doors to the passenger compartment, which is also accessed via two pairs of clamshell-opening "suicide" doors, the rear pair rear-hinged. In keeping with the Super Chief's image as a truck with a conscience, safety has been an important consideration, including the truck's impact on other, smaller vehicles. It showcases Ford's new Blockerbeam system, which has a frontal bracket-type structure designed to bend, absorb energy from the impact, and stop a low-down little car from sliding under it. The Big Chief's occupants are also protected by seatbelt warning systems reminding them to belt up and telling the driver which rear-seat passengers are unbelted. With so many deaths in large SUVs and trucks - which are more prone to rolling over than lower-riding cars - attributed to the failure to wear a seatbelt, this is an important addition. __________________

January 12th, 2006, 10:09 PM	#6
BerserkerCatSplat Hormone Induced Joined: Jun 21st, 2005 Last Online: 7:08 AM Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 6,890 Car: ZJ 4X4X5 Rep Power: 168	Quite useful here, I like it. __________________ OSPhoto

January 12th, 2006, 11:43 PM	#8
Viper007Bond Lazy Head Dude Joined: Sep 21st, 2003 Last Online: 7:30 AM Location: Portland, Oregon Age: 25 Posts: 22,275 Car: Dodge Viper (I wish!) Rep Power: 296	Interesting look. I kinda like it. __________________ There is no replacement for displacement. - Wolfgang Bernhard, Chief Operating Officer, Chrysler Group talking about the Dodge Viper SRT-10 ... I ask Herb Helbig, vehicle synthesis manager for SRT and a member of the original Team Viper development group since day one, if they'd ever thought of adding traction control. "It comes with two," he says, pointing at my feet. "Learn to use them." Got it. - Motor Trend on the 2006 Dodge Viper Coupe, November 2005

January 15th, 2006, 4:15 PM	#9
HuevosRancheros Joined: Jul 26th, 2005 Last Online: July 19th, 2009 Location: big oil, houston TX Posts: 235 Car: 545i, E420, RAM CTD 4x4 Rep Power: 18	looks like ford borrowed the labeling on the hood from Land Rover......i never like these concept trucks that are so heavy on the concept. If the next super duty is going be as blocky then i can dig it. __________________ i DO whiten my teeth

January 15th, 2006, 5:27 PM	#10
Janus Joined: Apr 20th, 2005 Last Online: November 15th, 2009 Location: Adelaide, Australia Age: 25 Posts: 1,348 Rep Power: 21	IT'S BIG!!! Enough said! __________________ "Hopefully once petrol hits $2.50 per litre all the 18 year olds with riced up Nismos wont be able to afford to drive their neon-clad tard rockets around at 200km/h anymore, and it will be back to the good old days of riding a donkey to school."

January 12th, 2006, 6:56 PM	#2
mmap Joined: Sep 12th, 2004 Last Online: Yesterday Location: Finland Age: 30 Posts: 1,302 Car: BMW / Suzuki VX800 Rep Power: 23	As pick-ups go I kinda like it. It's massive and would certailny be utterly useless here. And I bet you cannot see anything from the drivers seat (low roof, massive bonnet etc). Still...

January 12th, 2006, 7:14 PM	#3
Xeon SX Joined: Feb 8th, 2005 Last Online: Yesterday Location: London Posts: 1,429 Rep Power: 22	useless here too.

January 12th, 2006, 10:24 PM	#7
bren_35 Joined: Jan 27th, 2005 Last Online: December 4th, 2008 Posts: 137 Rep Power: 0	"What advantages does this car have over, say, a train? which i could also easily afford"

January 15th, 2006, 7:26 PM	#11
wceend23 Joined: Mar 31st, 2005 Last Online: March 30th, 2006 Posts: 112 Rep Power: 0	saw it on television...the man that was standing next to it looked soooooo small

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