The Ford Super Chief concept truck was introduced at the 2006 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, MI. Designed by Brad Clifton, the Ford Super Chief concept drew inspiration from the Super Chief streamline locomotives of the 1950s.
The luxurious and futuristic interior design pointed to the idea that the Ford Super Chief concept was more of a luxury truck than a work vehicle. This is a theme that resonates today considering vehicles like the newest 2018 Ford Super Duty Limited.
It had an (up to) 550 horsepower “tri-flex fueling” supercharged V10 engine that could run on hydrogen, gasoline, or E85. While the powertrain was interesting, but never produced, the overall design of the Super Chief has a lot of similarities to the brand new Ford F-250 Limited trucks that recently debuted in Texas at the 2017 Texas State Fair.
These new trucks tip the financial scale nearing the $100,000 territory. In many ways, these vehicles, like the Ford Super Chief concept, represent a capable platform that’s crammed with more luxury than many contemporary luxury sedans. If you squint your eyes, you can see some of the design elements that the Ford Super Chief displayed many years back.
Sometimes, a good design and a far-fetched idea can inspire current-day design.