FORD F550 Concept now Reality

[csv8]

Most concept cars never hit the road, let alone do any hard work.
An American pick-up concept has proved to be an exception after a being called on to help out after tornadoes tore through a region near Houston, Texas, last month.

Ford’s F-550 Super Duty emergency response concept truck was built for the Chicago Auto Show in February to test demand for a production version. The build was organised by marketing company NewScope, which took advice from a Texas fire department on what to fit it out with.
NewScope was also in charge of taking it to a range of events after the Chicago show including the Houston Rodeo. Just after that event, an Arlington-based fire department called for help to respond to a series of twisters that tore through the region.
A call was placed with NewScope and soon its vice president, Brad Snyder and an employee were driving the special pick-up into the heart of the devastation to a nursing home that had borne the brunt of a tornado.
“We were scared when we took it out there, because it had never been driven more than three miles,” Snyder told the New York Times. “It came through with flying colours.”
The big Ford was reportedly especially useful as it could get into spaces too small for traditional fire trucks. Some of its cool features also came in handy. These include a tower than can be raised 11 metres and uses thermal imaging to check for heat sources up to 2.4km away and an elevated night vision camera.
It also has an 1135 litre water tank, two pumps and a powerful winch. An array of powerful lights, including 113 LEDs, allowed the crew to light up houses and check for anyone who needed help.
Snyder says the truck checked 124 houses that were so badly damaged they will need to be destroyed. Authorities say about a dozen tornadoes hit the area. There were no fatalities.

[Professor Farnsworth]

i want a football sized grille ford badge for my car too

[BHDOGS]

Ring ring..... Hello this is the president ford truck is go ---- tyre screeching engine revving lights flashing FORD AWAY....... Jimmidy jillickers batman we can't help don't worry Robbin fords on the way!

[mltezr]

got to love the big ford F series

[Chopped]

I've seen an F650 in real life and it was BIG.
Is the F550 the same size (as an F650) or smaller ?

[grandpa_spec_F6]

I saw an F150 raptor today, my GOD they are a big unit! Sounded like the ducks nuts too!

[FPV GTHO]

Originally Posted by Chopped

I've seen an F650 in real life and it was BIG.
Is the F550 the same size (as an F650) or smaller ?

The F650 and F750 use a different bodystyle to the rest of the Super Duty range, but the F450 and F550 have wider track suspension than the F250 and F350.

[chrisfpv]

I remember seeing an F-650 on MTV Cribs. Think T-Pain owned it. Was one hell of a massive unit.

[JamesR]

there's an F650 for sale here in a car yard in Traralgon.
its HUGE!
my brother has a '05 F250 and that's big enough!

[dave351cid]

my sister`s boss in nsw has a F550 a couple of years old. its a white twin cab and they have set it up for their bee farming business with a alluminium step deck semi trailer. ideal for the long night trips they need to do carrying the bees to follow the flowers seasons around the state.

[Ben73]

I love these big F trucks. I would buy one if they weren't ridiculously over priced on the Australian market.

[Hayden1]

Yea I've seen an F650 that drove past me and it was a truck not a car so pointless