Ford Toys With Tonka Concept Pickup

Boston Herald
Eric Convey
(Copyright 2002)

The world could soon become a giant sandbox for thousands of pickup truck drivers.

Ford Motor Co., invoking visions of backyard fun, is toying with Tonka styling for its popular F-350 line of trucks.

While the company isn't saying whether there'll be a Tonka name plate on production models, the concept vehicle unveiled at automobile shows this month drew wide attention. It's easy to see why. While Ford designers were clearly having fun, the truck also shows off some serious thinking about the future of mixed-use vehicles.

"We've had fun bringing to life a full-size pickup that reminds kids of all ages of the trucks they loved to punish in their sandboxes," said J Mays, vice president for design at Ford Motor Co.

The bright yellow model showed off to the automotive press and to enthusiasts features what Ford calls a "drop-down beltline."

Wheel openings are round. The oversized grill sports little vents on the sides.

The driver sits in a "commander seat" like those found on big rigs. It's fully adjustable and has its own suspension.

The truck relies on air suspension rather than the typical rear leaf and front coil springs. That allows a "kneeling" function: when a door is opened, the truck lowers itself five inches to ease entry or exit. Running boards also emerge when a door is opened.

Additionally, cameras alert the driver when the truck strays from a lane. They also let the driver see the rear hitch and look behind the truck when in reverse.

Controls should be easy on a driver handling even the roughest off- road conditions. Switches are toggles and knobs are oversized.

Big gauges snap atop the steering pod. The operator can pick which ones to put in place, depending on how crowded a dash she likes and what information she wants.

"This concept blends the ruggedness of a truck with a tough luxurious interior," Mays said.

The drivetrain is also innovative - especially for a vehicle that could find itself in some rough places.

The most unusual feature is probably the hydraulic drive, which stores energy from deceleration for later use. Ford says the system can create fuel economy improvements of up to 20 percent - a big deal for relatively gas-hungry vehicles.

The concept's application is somewhat similar to systems that capture power from slowing down in electric vehicles. The obvious innovation in Ford's case is using it in a truck powered by an internal combustion engine.

This kind of progress is important in part because it shows Detroit isn't giving up on improving the gasoline engine. Alternative technologies promise new efficiency, but it's encouraging to see car- makers applying intellectual capital to efforts that capitalize on the power of engines.

Showing faith in its customers, Ford included a torque controller that enables the driver to shift torque from one side of the vehicle to the other. That should bring smiles to anyone who occasionally has to power out of mud or heavy snow.

Ford says ideas from the Tonka prototype "might find their ways into Ford trucks of all sizes."

While Ford is mum on whether there'll be Tonka-like models in showrooms, marketing experts said the company could be sitting on a goldmine if it taps into the good feelings many adults have for the Hasbro toys.

"Never underestimate the power of a brand established in childhood," said Ralph A. Oliva, a professor of marketing at the Smeal College of Business at Pennsylvania State University.

Tom Collinger, a professor of marketing at Northwestern University's Medill School, said Disneyworld and Disney stores offer examples of the power that brands normally associated with childhood can have on adults. "Mickey lives on expensive men's shirts, ties, socks," he said.

"Right now, one of the brands that is catching the attention of teenagers is Pooh," he added.

But will recollections of Tonka trucks help convince grownups to buy Fords?

"I don't know," Collinger said. Clearly, the 30- to 50-somethings that grew up playing in the sandbox with this brand are now able to spend this kind of money on a truck, so the demo is probably well- matched."

While Collinger is skeptical that Tonka will help build a hard- core image for an adult's truck, he noted the success of Volkswagen's recent retro strategy.

"The VW bug has taught us lots of lessons on the power of zigging when everyone else is zagging," Collinger said. "this might be a terrific story to demonstrate the same notion."

Even if you can't buy a Tonka F-350 any time soon, it's fun to see how far the concept vehicle has come since Ford introduced the F series in 1948.

I hope this Tonka thing catches on. I'm just waiting for the front- end loader!

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