In 2002, Ford shocked the automotive world by unveiling a hurt-your-eyes yellow F-350 Super Duty concept truck at the Detroit Auto Show. Passersby couldn’t help but notice the Tonka emblems everywhere, a fitting throwback to the tough, metal toy trucks that so many of us grew up with. According to J Mays, then vice president of design at Ford, “We’ve had fun bringing to life a full-size pickup that reminds kids of all ages of the trucks they used to loved to punish in their sandboxes.” The concept truck starred in a country music video but was never made available to the public.
Over a decade later, Ford executives revived the Tonka truck as a production model. After securing licensing from Hasbro toy company, Ford partnered with Tuscany Motor Company, a Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier, to convert new F-150s into the over-the-top brodozer shown above. The first step was a 6-inch suspension lift, necessary to fit a set of massive 35-inch tall tires. Next, the body received beefy rocker panels, fender flares, a matching hard tonneau cover, and a custom hood with functional scoops. And of course, the requisite Tonka badges are omnipresent.
The F-150 Tonka also has the go to back up its show. An optional performance package from Shelby America, including a supercharger, boosted the 5.0 liter V8’s output to approximately 700 horsepower. Tuscany Motor Company confirmed that they no longer build the F-150 Tonka, but beyond that, production details are murky. Our research points to a probable production run of approximately 200 to 300 trucks each year between 2013 and 2016.
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