With a 7.2-liter, direct injection I-6 turbocharged diesel engine that generates 780 lb.-ft. of torque in an over-the-road configuration, this truck earns the power designation in its name. To compare, the industry’s most powerful full-size truck, a production Dodge Ram with an 8.0-liter V-10 gas engine, yields 450 lb.-ft. of torque.

Comparing the original 1946 Power Wagon with today’s concept truck dramatizes the evolution of trucks through the decades.

Standing well above the original Power Wagon, the silver-bodied concept’s 35-inch tires help place the vehicle’s overall height at 77 inches, or three inches taller than today’s four-wheel-drive Ram. Built off the Ram chassis, the Power Wagon’s cab is similar in size to the Dakota Club Cab to portray the classic proportions of the original truck. Like the Ram Quad Cab, the Power Wagon concept features rear-hinged half doors to provide easy access to the rear storage area. Instead of extra seating, designers chose to offer expanded storage space with drawers built into the back of the cab. A power-actuated tailgate eases loading and unloading.

Some of the elements surviving from the post-WWII model include the separated bumpers, fenders and running boards. The gray, raw steel bumpers of the new concept contrast with the silver painted body and aluminum detail on the gas cap, door handles, hinges and wheels, helping to modernize the truck’s image.

Many functional aspects of the vehicle are revealed. Angled slits in the sheet metal expose the engine compartment. No attempt was made to cover the axles that show below the truck. Aluminum fasteners and bolts are also exposed throughout the vehicle, an idea Allen borrowed from Miller race car engines.

Story by DaimlerChrysler

In Detail

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