Dodge Tomahawk: Quad, Motorcycle or Sports Car Without a Body?

At the recent Detroit Auto Show DaimlerChrysler AG debuted a concept vehicle that was very much out of the ordinary for an automotive manufacturer. Dubbed a motorcycle, the Tomahawk powered by the Vipers' V10 500 horsepower motor features 4 wheel independent suspension. Yes I said four.

Each of the wheels on the front and back are just a few inches apart and the four wheel design was said to be required due to the engines horsepower. Overall width of the rubber is less than that of a 300 though. The design of the steering, suspension of the rims and drive assembly although innovative in result is not unique. This form of steering has been done before. But coupling it with the F-1 style disc brakes makes it innovative.

While the riders body position is much like that of a sportbike, the design is nothing short of street rod. Capitalizing on the Harley-Davidson V-Rod look, the Tomahawk uses chrome and polished metals to top off its appearance to give it a V-Rod on steroids look. Its two small headlights are directly out of the street fighter look from Europe. The fenders look to be a bit of an afterthought and the seat looks to be as comfortable as a bleacher. Weighing in at just about equal to three V-Rods, its 1500 pounds can be motivated to 60 MPH in just over two seconds. Top speed numbers have been thrown around between 300 and 400 miles per hour potentially.

The unique quality of the design has to be the motor. While big bore V-8 motors are not new to two wheels, Dodge has taken the form to a new level with very clean, defined lines, well compacted exhaust system and a very slim overall appearance for a 505 cubic inch motor. And this seems to be the reason for the development of the Tomahawk, to showcase the V-10 motor.

Said to be a possible production vehicle at a price tag of a quarter million dollars each, the Tomahawk may see a potential production of a couple hundred.

All in all the Tomahawk looks like it would be a blast on the Salt Flats or cruising the Pacific Coast Highway but throwing a 1500 pound quad around in the twisties would be a bit rough. But at a quarter million each I would rather buy a Dan Gurney Alligator, a Cyril Huze original, a twin turbo Hayabusa, a Cannondale Quad, a TXT 280 Pro Gas Gas, a Honda CRF450R, a personal mechanic, and a rig to haul it all in than one Tomahawk any day.

So the question is, is it a motorcycle, a quad or a sports car without the body? In my opinion it is a new category, Street Quad.