Dodge Tomahawk
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| Manufacturer | Dodge |
|---|---|
| Parent company | DaimlerChrysler AG |
| Production | 9 units total, 2003–2006 |
| Class | Concept vehicle |
| Engine | 8.3 L (506.5 cu in) 20-valve 90° V-10 |
| Power | 500 hp (370 kW) @ 5600 rpm (claimed) (45 kW:L power:displacement ratio) |
| Torque | 525 lb·ft (712 N·m) |
| Transmission | 2-speed manual |
| Suspension | Front: Horizontal double fork |
| Brakes | Front: 2×16 piston discs, Rear: 8 piston disc |
| Tires | Front (2): 20"×4", Rear (2): 20"×5" |
| Wheelbase | 76 in (1,900 mm) |
| Dimensions |
L: 102 in (2,600 mm) W: 27.7 in (700 mm) H: 36.9 in (940 mm) |
| Seat height | 29 in (740 mm) |
| Weight | 1,500 lb (680 kg) (claimed) (wet) |
| Fuel capacity | 3.35 US gal (12.7 l; 2.79 imp gal) |
The Dodge Tomahawk was a non–street legal concept vehicle introduced by Dodge at the 2003 North American International Auto Show. The Tomahawk attracted significant press and industry attention for its striking design, its use of a large-capacity 10-cylinder automobile engine, and its four close-coupled wheels, which gave a motorcycle-like appearance, and fueled debate on whether it was or was not actually a motorcycle. The Retro-Art Deco design's central visual element is the 500-horsepower (370 kW), 8.3-litre (510 cu in) V10 SRT10 engine from the Dodge Viper. The vehicle has two front wheels and two rear wheels, which are sprung independently and theoretically allow it to lean into corners and countersteer like a motorcycle.
Dodge's claims of a hypothetical top speed of 300 to 420 miles per hour (480 to 680 km/h), probably based on horsepower and gearing calculations, were debunked by the motorcycling and automotive media. No road tests of the Tomahawk have ever been published. Hand-built replicas of the Tomahawk were offered for sale through the Neiman Marcus catalog at a price of US$555,000, and up to nine might have sold. As they were not street legal, Dodge called the Tomahawk a "rolling sculpture", which was not intended to be ridden.
The Tomahawk was a resounding success in its true purpose: to generate media buzz, and send the message that Chrysler was a bold, ambitious company, unafraid to take risks.
The idea for a Viper-engined motorcycle started with two lower-level Chrysler Group employees, Bob Schroeder, a design office modeler and motorcycle rider, and Dave Chyz, vehicle build specialist and drag racer. According to designer Mark Walters, himself not a "motorcycle guy", the question asked was, "What if we had a Viper engine and a Champion chassis? Something like a Boss Hoss." Schroeder and Chyz took the proposal to Senior Vice President of Design Trevor Creed, who initially said, "we don't build bikes" but still allowed some design sketches to be created, which were "mind blowing" enough to bring Creed on board. They eventually took the idea to Freeman Thomas, DaimlerChrysler VP of advanced design, who assigned Walters to join the effort. Thomas suggested using two front and rear wheels because a single wheel would look thin next to the unusually wide engine, inspired by the four-wheeled light cycles in the film Tron. Walters anticipated howls from bikers that this would make it not a motorcycle, but he felt uniqueness was more important, and imagined the appearance with only a single wheel in front of and behind the engine would have been visually unbalanced, saying he would like to see it made that way for comparison. By the spring of 2002, Walters had prepared a full scale design presentation, with sketches along a 20 ft (6.1 m) wall and a borrowed Viper engine resting on an engine stand with two wheels placed fore and aft as a visual aid. This was presented to Chrysler Group COO, Wolfgang Bernhard, and CEO, Dieter Zetsche, who gave their immediate approval.
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