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{{Infobox Motorcycle
{{draft article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2015}}
{{Infobox Motorcycle
|name = Dodge Tomahawk |name = Dodge Tomahawk
|image = ] |image = ]
|manufacturer = ] |manufacturer = ]
|parent_company = ] |parent_company = ]
|production = 9 units total, 2003–2006<ref name=Lienert/><ref name=SF/> |production = 9 units total, 2003–2006<ref name=Lienert/><ref name=SF/>
|model_year = 2003 |model_year = 2003
|class = ] |class = ]
|engine = {{Convert|8.3|L|cuin|1|abbr=on}} ] 90° ]<ref name=PopSci/> |engine = {{convert|8.3|L|cuin|1|abbr=on}} ] 90° ]<ref name=PopSci/>
|power = {{Convert|500|hp|abbr=on}} @ 5600&nbsp;rpm (claimed)<ref name=PopSci/> (45 kW:L power:displacement ratio) |power = {{convert|500|hp|abbr=on}} @ 5600 rpm <ref name=PopSci/> (45 kW:L power:displacement ratio)
|torque = {{Convert|525|lbft|abbr=on}}<ref name=PopSci/> |torque = {{convert|525|lbft|abbr=on}}<ref name=PopSci/>
|transmission = 2-speed ]<ref name=PopSci/> |transmission = 2-speed ]<ref name=PopSci/>
|suspension = Front: Horizontal double fork<ref name=PopSci/> |suspension = Front: Horizontal double fork<ref name=PopSci/>
|brakes = Front: 2×16 piston discs, Rear: 8 piston disc<ref name=PopSci/> |brakes = Front: 16 piston discs, Rear: 8 piston disc<ref name=PopSci/>
|tires = Front (2): 20"×4", Rear (2): 20"×5" |tires = Front (2): 20"x4", Rear (2): 20"x5"
|rake_trail = |rake_trail =
|wheelbase = {{Convert|76|in|abbr=on}}<ref name=PopSci/> |wheelbase = {{convert|76|in|abbr=on}}<ref name=PopSci/>
|length = {{Convert|102|in|abbr=on}}<ref name=PopSci/> |length = {{convert|102|in|abbr=on}}<ref name=PopSci/>
|width = {{Convert|27.7|in|abbr=on}} |width = {{convert|27.7|in|abbr=on}}
|height = {{Convert|36.9|in|abbr=on}} |height = {{convert|36.9|in|abbr=on}}
|seat_height = {{Convert|29|in|abbr=on}} |seat_height = {{convert|29|in|abbr=on}}
|dry_weight = |dry_weight =
|wet_weight = {{Convert|1500|lb|abbr=on}} (claimed)<ref name=PopSci/> |wet_weight = {{convert|1500|lb|abbr=on}}<ref name=PopSci/>
|fuel_capacity = {{Convert|3.35|USgal|abbr=on}} |fuel_capacity = {{convert|3.35|USgal|abbr=on}}
|oil_capacity = |oil_capacity =
|fuel_consumption = |fuel_consumption =
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|similar = |similar =
}} }}
The '''Dodge Tomahawk''' was a non–] ] introduced by ] at the 2003 ] in ].


The '''Dodge Tomahawk''' was a ] ] introduced by ] at the 2003 ]. 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 ].<ref name=Phillips2003/> The ]-] design's central visual element is the {{Convert|500|hp|adj=on}}, {{Convert|8.3|L|cuin|adj=on}} ] ] from the ].<ref name="designnews"/> The vehicle has two front wheels and two rear wheels, which are sprung independently and theoretically allow it to lean into corners and ] like a motorcycle.<ref name=PopSci/> The ] design was the work of Chrysler staff designer Mark Walters and featured the {{Convert|500|hp|abbr=on}} {{Convert|8.3|L|cuin|adj=on}} ] ] from the ].<ref name="designnews">{{Citation |url= http://www.designnews.com/document.asp?doc_id=219149 |title= Chrysler's cruise missile |date= October 20, 2003 |magazine= Design News }}</ref> The vehicle has two front wheels and two rear wheels, making it a kind of ] rather than a typical ].<ref name=Phillips2003/>{{failed verification|date=December 2015}} The pairs of wheels move independently, allowing it to ] and lean in turns like a motorcycle.<ref name=PopSci>{{Citation |magazine= ] |date=April 2003 |volume=262 |title=Dodge's 4-Wheel Tomahawk |issue=4 |issn=0161-7370 |publisher=Bonnier Corporation |url=http://books.google.com/?id=XQAAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA58 }}</ref>


Dodge's claims of a hypothetical top speed of {{Convert|300|to|420|mph}}, probably based on ] and gearing calculations, were debunked by the motorcycling and automotive media. No road tests of the Tomahawk have ever been published.<ref name=PopSci/><ref name= Mateja/><ref name=Phillips2003/> Hand-built replicas of the Tomahawk were offered for sale through the ] catalog at a price of US$&nbsp;555,000, and up to nine might have sold.<ref name=Lienert/><ref name=SF/> As they were not street legal, Dodge called the Tomahawk a "rolling sculpture", which was not intended to be ridden.<ref name=Lienert/><ref name=PopSci/> Hand-built replicas of the Tomahawk were offered for sale through the ] catalog at a price of US$&nbsp;555,000, and up to nine of them might have sold.<ref name=Lienert>{{Citation |title=Vehicle of the Week; Dodge's New Axe |date=14 October 2003 |first=Dan |last=Lienert |url=http://www.forbes.com/2003/10/14/cx_dl_1014vow.html |work=Forbes}}</ref><ref name=SF>{{Citation |title=San Francisco Auto Show -- a bit more than the usual fare |last=Chronicle Staff Report |periodical=San Francisco Chronicle |date=November 18, 2006 |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/11/18/MTGP7MEG961.DTL }}</ref> Dodge emphasized that the bikes were "rolling sculptures" not intended to be ridden.<ref name=Lienert/><ref name=PopSci/>


==Design==
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.<ref name=Kerr2003/><ref name=Wilkinson2005/>
The ] design was the work of Chrysler staff designer Mark Walters and featured the {{Convert|500|hp|abbr=on}} {{Convert|8.3|L|cuin|adj=on}} ] ] from the ].<ref name="designnews" /> The concept originated with two DaimlerChrysler employees and motorcycling fans, clay modeler Bob Schroeder and vehicle build specialist Dave Chyz, who wanted to place a Viper engine into a motorcycle chassis. They eventually took the idea to Freeman Thomas, DaimlerChrysler VP of advanced design, who in turn approached Walters. Thomas introduced his own concept, for a bike inspired by the four-wheeler in the film, '']''. Walters developed the idea, and it was eventually presented to Chrysler Group Chief Operating Officer, Wolfgang Bernhard, and CEO, Dieter Zetsche.<ref name="designnews" />


Mechanical design and fabrication were outsourced, with the project headed by Kirt Bennett of RM Corporation, a custom automotive building and restoration shop in Michigan.<ref name=Phillips2003/>
==Inception==
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.<ref name="designnews" /><ref name=Karr2003/> 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 ]."<ref name=Karr2003/> 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.<ref name=Karr2003/> They eventually took the idea to Freeman Thomas, DaimlerChrysler VP of advanced design, who assigned Walters to join the effort.<ref name="designnews" /> 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 ]s in the film '']''.<ref name="designnews" /><ref name=Karr2003/> 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.<ref name=Karr2003/> By the spring of 2002, Walters had prepared a full scale design presentation, with sketches along a {{Convert|20|ft|abbr=on}} 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 ] ], ], and CEO, ], who gave their immediate approval.<ref name="designnews" /><ref name=Karr2003/>

==Design==
], in the ] ]]
The design was the work of Chrysler staff designer Mark Walters, who built the vehicle around the Dodge Viper {{Convert|8.3|L|cuin|adj=on}} V-10 engine.<ref name="designnews" /> Once approved by Bernhard and Zetsche to build not just a full-scale mockup, but a running, workable concept vehicle, the design and fabrication process took 6 months.<ref name=Karr2003/> The engineering, as well as the fabrication, was outsourced to RM Motorsports, a ] specialty shop that fabricates one-of-a-kind parts for rare and vintage race cars.<ref name=Karr2003/><ref name=Phillips2003/> Walters said Kirk Bennet at RM handled the task of making Walters' sketches a physical reality that was mechanically sound.<ref name=Karr2003/> Walters' early sketches had a front suspension that looked something like an ]-] racing motorcycle's ], from which RM designed a new, patented front- and rear-swingarm suspension that allows both parallel wheels to lean together, keeping all four in contact with the ground and allowing countersteering.<ref name=Karr2003/>


==Fabrication== ==Fabrication==
Most of the Tomahawk's components were custom-milled from blocks of aluminum.<ref name=PopSci />
Bennet's team at RM custom-milled the Tomahawk components from blocks of aluminum.<ref name=PopSci /> Under the seat are two alloy pieces that began as {{Convert|750|lb|abbr=on}} ] that are machined down to {{Convert|25|lb|abbr=on|adj=on}} each, and polished to a mirror finish.<ref name=Karr2003/> Details like hand levers and the ] use ] and ]s.<ref name=Karr2003/>

==Detroit Auto Show debut==
{{Multiple image
| align = right
| width = 180
| direction = vertical
| image1 = Ford 427 Concept underhood view.jpg
| alt1 =
| link1 = https://en.wikipedia.org/Draft:Dodge_Tomahawk#/media/File:Ford 427 Concept underhood view.jpg
| caption1 = Ford 427 Concept
| image2 = Cadillac Sixteen display at 2003 Detroit Auto Show.jpg
| alt2 =
| link2 = https://en.wikipedia.org/Draft:Dodge_Tomahawk#/media/File:Cadillac Sixteen display at 2003 Detroit Auto Show.jpg
| caption2 = ] engine display
}}
The Tomahawk debuted at what '']'' called the high point of a period of increasing extravagance at the ] ] Auto Show (officially the North American International Auto Show) that began with the expansion of the show in 1986–1987, leading to the splashy debuts of ever larger and more powerful cars and trucks, such as the ] in 2000 and the ] in 2002.<ref name=Automobile/> '']'' described the period as a "horsepower arms race".<ref name=Naughton2003/>

The 2003 show had the largest ever attendance, 810,699, and the limits of concept excess were pushed further with the 7.0L V-10 Ford 427 Concept, which had a V-8 hastily expanded to 10 cylinders in response to rumors that ] was going to show a V-10, only to be outdone when the rumored V-10 turned out to be the ], with a claimed {{Convert|1000|hp|abbr=on}} ] that could ] 8 or 12 cylinders at a time to save fuel.<ref name=Mateja3003/> Yet even these monsters would be upstaged by an even more unexpected debut, Dodge's V-10 motorcycle, unveiled the day after the Sixteen.<ref name=Mateja3003/> In response, ] executive ], who himself had helped conceive the Viper in 1988 when he was at Chrysler, was asked where his 1,000&nbsp;hp V-16 motorcycle was, and he answered, in the wry spirit of the question, that he had none, pounding the table and saying, "Rats, outmaneuvered by Chrysler again!"<ref name=ViperHistory/><ref name=Mateja3003/>

'']'' named the Ford 427 "Best Concept" and the Cadillac V-16 "Best in Show" for 2003, and the editors said they wished they had an award for "Best Automotive Sculpture" to give to the unexpected motorcycle they found so likable.<ref name=AutoWeekRumble2/> The jury of 35 journalists of the North American Concept Vehicle of the Year chose the ] over the Tomahawk for the 2003 Specialty Concept Vehicle of the Year award.<ref name=AdvancedMaterials/> The Tomahawk was remembered in 2014 by '']'' as one of the "10 Most Memorable World Debuts".<ref name=Nauman2003/><ref name=10most/> In the years after the Tomahawk made its high-profile entrance, the Detroit Auto Show became more modest in scale, and the automakers' battle to outdo each other with boundary-breaking dream cars faded in the years leading up to the ], and the more cautious recovery that followed.<ref name=Automobile/>


==Performance claims== ==Performance claims==
As introduced in 2003, the one-of-a-kind Tomahawk was operational, but never fully road-tested, with acceleration and top speed unconfirmed; Dodge described the vehicle as "automotive sculpture," intended for display only.<ref name=Lienert />
], Michigan.]]
As introduced in 2003, the one-of-a-kind Tomahawk was operational and road-ready, but not fully road-tested, and acceleration and top speed were not confirmed; Dodge described the vehicle as "automotive sculpture," intended for display only.<ref name=Lienert /> A request from one publication to test the Tomahawk's performance was refused, and Dodge declined the same publication a request to interview the company's test riders, or to relay their riding impressions.<ref name=PopSci />


===Suspension=== ===Handling===
Independent suspension on all four wheels is designed to allow the rider to ] and lean into turns like a ], at up to 45 degrees with all four wheels in contact with the ground.<ref name=PopSci /> There is very little steering lock, only about 20° on either side, so the turning radius of the Tomahawk is large; "only a little tighter than an ]", said ''Motorcyclist''{{'}}s Jeff Karr.<ref name=Karr2003/> A low center of gravity, accomplished by situating the engine as low to ground as possible, provides greater control at low speeds, and a low saddle allows riders to place both feet on the ground when stopped, for greater stability.<ref name="designnews"/> A rear suspension lock lets the vehicle stand on its own, unsupported.<ref name=PopSci /> Independent suspension on all four wheels is designed to allow the rider to ] and lean into turns like a motorcycle, at up to 45 degrees with all four wheels in contact with the ground.<ref name=PopSci /> A low center of gravity, accomplished by situating the engine as low to ground as possible, provides greater control at low speeds, and a low saddle allows riders to place both feet on the ground when stopped, for greater stability.<ref name="designnews"/> A rear suspension lock lets the vehicle stand on its own, unsupported.<ref name=PopSci /> A request from one publication to test the Tomahawk's performance were refused, and Dodge declined the same publication a request to interview the company's test riders, or to relay their riding impressions.<ref name=PopSci />


===Top speed=== ===Top speed===
Dodge initially announced the top speed of the Tomahawk was estimated at {{convert|420|mph|abbr=on}}, but later revised this to {{convert|300|mph|abbr=on}}. Senior designer Walters, who was in charge of the Tomahawk project, said he did not believe published speeds of 400&nbsp;mph were possible, noting that the bike was geared for acceleration, and if geared for speed, {{convert|250|mph|abbr=on}} would be within reach.<ref name="designnews"/>
<!-- Expressed no skepticism of speed: <ref name=AutoWeekRumble2/> -->
'']'' said Dodge initially announced the top speed of the Tomahawk was estimated at {{Convert|420|mph|abbr=on}}, but later revised this downward to {{Convert|300|mph|abbr=on}}, and spokesmen did not answer questions on how this estimate was calculated.<ref name=PopSci/> '']'' reported that the two conflicting figures, 300 and 420&nbsp;mph were actually released simultaneously by Dodge, "on the same press page".<ref name=Kerr2003/> COO Wolfgang Bernhard said in 2003 that no one had ridden the Tomahawk faster than {{Convert|100|mph|abbr=on}}.<ref name= Mateja/>

Speculation about the Tomahawk's top speed came from the media, and within DaimlerChrysler. One Dodge representative said, "If a 3,400-pound Viper goes 190, this'll go 400, easy."<ref name=Phillips2003/> Senior designer Walters, who was in charge of the Tomahawk project, said he did not believe published speeds of 400&nbsp;mph were possible, noting that the bike was geared for acceleration, and if geared for speed, {{Convert|250|mph|abbr=on}} would be within reach.<ref name="designnews"/>

Jeff Karr, in '']'' magazine, agreed that perhaps 250&nbsp;mph was conceivable, according to rough calculations suggesting that motorcycles with far less drag, like the ] and ] would need on the order of 460&nbsp;hp to reach only 300&nbsp;mph, and so the Tomahawk, with at least 50% more drag than those bikes, would have to have at least 700&nbsp;hp to attain even 300&nbsp;mph, given that ].<ref name=Karr2003/> Without protection from wind blast and a secure riding position, however, approaching a speed like 250&nbsp;mph, or even 200&nbsp;mph, would be unsafe due to the instability of the design and the lack of any provision to prevent ] from pulling the rider off the seat.<ref name=PopSci/><ref name=Phillips2003/><ref name=Karr2003/> ], ] rider, doubted the Tomahawk could reach {{Convert|200|mph|abbr=on}} because at high speeds, the rider would be "lifted right off the bike" without a ], and the four-wheel steering could also be a problem.<ref name=PopSci/>

Joe Teresi, of '']'' magazine and owner of Campos' record-setting ] motorcycle, said the top speed estimate must have been based only on ] and ], and ignored the "critical factors" of ], ], and ].<ref name=PopSci/> Dodge declined offers to put the top speed claim to a test, even on Teresi's "Dyno-Drag", a ] that can simulate a top speed test, and no one is known to have attempted to ride the Tomahawk to its maximum speed.<ref name=Lienert/><ref name=PopSci/><ref name=Runk/> Dodge spokesman David Elshoff said that Tomahawk would someday be taken for a run at the ],<ref name=PopSci/> but no such attempt was ever made.{{Citation needed|date=December 2015}}<!-- We should just cite that the Bonneville Speed Trial Assn has zero records of any Tomahawks ever running -->

'']'', though enthusiastic over "arguably the oddest, coolest, most over-the-top concept ever", expressed "doubt that anyone has actually tried" reaching 60&nbsp;mph in 2.5 seconds, "or its estimated top speed of 300-plus mph."<ref name=Kiino2003/> Phil Patton of the '']'' wrote, "In theory, the Tomahawk can blast from a standing start to 60 miles an hour in two and a half seconds and reach 300 miles an hour. In practice, since ] retired, it's hard to imagine anyone willing to prove it."<ref name=Patton/> '']''{{'}}s John Phillips derided the top speed claims by stating that at the ], "Cadillac unveiled its own paean to one-upmanship a mere 50 yards away—a luxo sedan with a V-16 producing ''1000 bhp''. Twice the Tomahawk's output. Which means—at least by Dodge's amusingly convoluted logic—that Caddy's engine could propel the bike to ''800'' mph."<ref name=Phillips2003/>

==Critical reception==
While the majority of motorcycling, automotive, and science press coverage is littered with jokes and sarcasm ] the Tomahawk, such as ''AutoWeek'' suggesting anyone riding the Tomahawk was a ] contender,<ref name=AutoweekButWait/> and a 2015 book calling it "the strangest" of the 2003 Dodge vehicles and "one of Chrysler's nuttiest concepts".<ref>{{citation | title=Dodge Dynamite! | author=Peter Grist | publisher=Veloce | year=2015 | isbn=1845848233 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=20FuBgAAQBAJ&pg=PT394}}</ref><!-- also repeats 420 mph "theoretical" top speed--> Freelance ]er and '']'' columnist ] wrote an analysis that took it seriously and critiqued it as he would a "real" motorcycle.<ref name=Kerr2003/> Kerr described the top speed claims from Dodge as the work of "]s", but said that the "less than convincing" "high-speed antics", combined with the failure to provide the obvious necessity of a fairing for a true high-speed motorcycle, as well as a fuel tank only large enough to provide a {{Convert|50|mi|abbr=on}} range, were consistent with several indicators in the design of carelessness and laziness, and a lack of curiosity about the basic tenets of motorcycle design by car designers dabbling outside their field, calling the designers "underwhelmed" by the challenge.<ref name=Kerr2003/> Kerr said the Tomahawk "illustrates how the automotive industry considers motorcycles a lesser form of its own discipline" and so "feel entirely qualified to redesign one whenever they run out of ideas for sports cars."<ref name=Kerr2003/> Kerr blames this disregard of the rules of motorcycle design for the use of "too much over-simplified bodywork" on the ] ], which the Tomahawk at least avoided, while still "missing the point about bikes."<ref name=Kerr2003/> The indecision between making a ] or ] led to the unconformable ergonomics of a ], but it did not matter because the Tomahawk was "not indented to be taken seriously", notwithstanding the intention to produce a limited production run.<ref name=Kerr2003/> While he found the basic shape "not unpleasant", the unseriousness led to an unfinished result, pointing out the lack of harmonization in the twin ram-air intakes, and the "incongruous" use of a ] single vertical stalk planted in the fuel tank in an otherwise futuristic design.<ref name=Kerr2003/> Kerr acknowledges that DaimlerChrysler does not "give a damn" about the motorcycle industry point of view, because the Tomahawk was successful in its real purpose, "creating an almighty furor within the automotive world."<ref name=Kerr2003/>

'']'s'' Jeff Karr speculated the boredom with having designed too many outlandish show cars, especially with DaimlerChrysler's history of doing the unexpected, made the designers want to do this for "the sheer outrage of the exercise", creating "a machine so resolutely evil, it has chunks of ] in its stool", "the ultimate bad-ass ride."<ref name=Karr2003/> Karr was positive about the "simultaneously futuristic and nostalgic" appearance where Glynn Kerr saw indecisiveness.<ref name=Karr2003/><ref name=Kerr2003/>

In response to automotive writer Stephan Wilkinson's suggestion that the Tomahawk was "essentially worthless" as a "usable vehicle", ]'s Alan Mudd disagreed.<ref name=Wilkinson2005/> Mudd said it "showed the public that Chrysler is made up of a bunch of passionate people. Even if it is a total adolescent wet dream, it has value because it tells the consumer that Chrysler is full of excited, creative people who just want to try some great new stuff."<ref name=Wilkinson2005/> Lars Erik Lundin of ]'s Concept Center in California said, "there's absolutely no risk that Volvo would ever do such craziness", adding that such flights of fancy "raise people's expectations", noting that Volvo showed a ] in 1992 yet failed to deliver one even 12 years later.<ref name=Wilkinson2005/> GM designer and automotive columnist ] agreed that leaving consumers disappointed is a risk, noting that the public loved the ] concept, creating a panic at ] when they had nothing as "zoomy" to sell.<ref name=Wilkinson2005/> Wilkinson said that concept cars serve less today as platforms to introduce new technology, such as power windows, LED lights, voice controls, or traffic display screens, and are instead more marketing tools and styling exercises.<ref name=Wilkinson2005/>

The '']'' asked various auto industry luminaries to pick the standouts among their competitors at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show, including Jin Kim of ]'s ], who picked the Cadillac Sixteen, the ], and the Tomahawk, saying, "Just the fact that they had the guts to put that thing on the turntable, you've got to give them credit. It's almost an icon of American automotive history, the raw power and sheer adrenaline. The whole thing looked like it was machined, milled out of a raw block of metal. It looked like something you would see in a futuristic movie."<ref name=Jensen2003/> ]'s Camilo Pardo, Chief Designer of the ], also chose the Sixteen, and the Tomahawk, saying, "I'd like to give them a lot of credit for experimenting with a vehicle completely outside their categories. It was brave, and I thought the execution was really well done, very mature. It's a beautiful piece, and I'd love to have it sitting in a living room as a piece of art."<ref name=Jensen2003/> ]'s ] agreed that "hey are presenting the idea that they are not afraid to try anything, even a V-10 Viper-powered motorcycle."<ref name=Jensen2003/>


==See also== ==See also==
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<ref name=Phillips2003>{{Citation |title=Dodge Tomahawk; Ten cylinders, 500 horses, four wheels. Think of it as a Viper that got caught in a trash compactor |last= Phillips |first= John |magazine=] |date= April 2003 |pages=70–74 |url=https://books.google.co.jp/books?id=wHSDST9VvU8C&pg=RA3-PA70}}</ref> <ref name=Phillips2003>{{Citation |title=Dodge Tomahawk; Ten cylinders, 500 horses, four wheels. Think of it as a Viper that got caught in a trash compactor |last= Phillips |first= John |magazine=] |date= April 2003 |pages=70–74 |url=https://books.google.co.jp/books?id=wHSDST9VvU8C&pg=RA3-PA70}}</ref>

<ref name=Karr2003>{{Citation |last=Karr |first=Jeff |title= Traumahawk: with its Tomahawk concept bike, Dodge jumps into the motorcycle business (maybe) with four wheels, 500 horsepower and 1500 pounds. Get your affairs in order |magazine=] |date= April 2003 |pages=34– }}</ref>

<ref name= Mateja>{{Citation |title= Dodge Tomahawk a cruise missile; 4-wheel cycle uses Viper engine |date= January 7, 2003 |first= Jim |last= Mateja |first2= Rick |last2= Popely |newspaper=] |url= http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2003-01-07/business/0301070205_1_chrysler-group-wolfgang-bernhard-viper-sports-car |accessdate= December 10, 2011 }}</ref>

<ref name="designnews">{{Citation |url= http://www.designnews.com/document.asp?doc_id=219149 |title= Chrysler's cruise missile |date= October 20, 2003 |magazine= Design News }}</ref>

<ref name=PopSci>{{Citation |magazine= ] |date=April 2003 |volume=262 |title=Dodge's 4-Wheel Tomahawk |issue=4 |issn=0161-7370 |publisher=Bonnier Corporation |url=http://books.google.com/?id=XQAAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA58 }}</ref>

<ref name=Lienert>{{Citation |title=Vehicle of the Week; Dodge's New Axe |date=October 14, 2003 |first=Dan |last=Lienert |url=http://www.forbes.com/2003/10/14/cx_dl_1014vow.html |work=Forbes}}</ref>

<ref name=SF>{{Citation |title=San Francisco Auto Show -- a bit more than the usual fare |last=Chronicle Staff Report |periodical=San Francisco Chronicle |date=November 18, 2006 |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/11/18/MTGP7MEG961.DTL }}</ref>

<ref name=Runk>{{Citation |title= Automakers unveil their dreams; Dodge Tomahawk among concept cars aimed at more adventurous consumers |last= Runk |first= David |author2= ] |newspaper= ] |date= January 7, 2003 |accessdate= December 10, 2011 |url= http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GqgaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XUUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2555%2C4189156 }}</ref>

<ref name=Patton>{{Citation |url= http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/12/style/cultural-studies-a-proud-and-primal-roar.html |accessdate= December 10, 2011 |title= Cultural Studies; A Proud and Primal Roar |first=Phil |last= Patton |date= January 12, 2003 |newspaper= ] }}</ref>

<ref name=Automobile>{{Citation |title=The rise and fall of the Detroit auto show |magazine=] |date= April 2011 |pages= 12+ }}</ref>

<ref name=10most>{{Citation |title= The 10 most memorable world debuts |newspaper=] |date= January 6, 2014 |page= 28 }}</ref>

<ref name=Mateja3003>{{Citation |title= SSR sticker proves to be shocking |date=January 13, 2003 |first= Jim |last=Mateja |newspaper=] |url= http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2003-01-13/business/0301130006_1_hp-cadillac-chrysler-group }}</ref>

<ref name=Nauman2003>{{Citation |last=Nauman |first= Matt |title= Concept cars: Models that may become reality |publisher=] |date=February 2003 }}</ref>

<!-- <ref name=AutoWeekDreams>{{Citation |title=Detroit Dreams |newspaper=] |date= January 3, 2003 |page=4 |quote=If you like your motors big, a peek at the aforementioned Cadillac Sixteen is a must. In cylinder count, it's matched only by Bugatti's EB-16 Veyron, but both BMW and Mercedes are showing fresh V12s. Check out BMW's 6.0-liter 445-hp V12 in the 760i and 760Li, and Mercedes' 6.0-liter V12 SL600. }}</ref> -->

<ref name=AutoWeekRumble2>{{Citation |title=Rumble in Detroit: Part 2 of 2|newspaper=] |date= January 20, 2003 |page= 22 }}</ref>

<ref name=ViperHistory>{{Citation |url= http://auto.howstuffworks.com/dodge-viper-history.htm |title= History of the Dodge Viper |author=the Auto Editors of Consumer Guide |website=Howstuffworks Auto |date= }}</ref>

<ref name=AdvancedMaterials>{{Citation |title=2003 North American Concept Vehicle Of The Year Award Winners Announced |journal= Advanced Materials & Composites News |date= March 17, 2003 |url= https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-99262333.html |publisher= {{Subscription required|via=] }} }}</ref>

<ref name=Naughton2003>{{Citation |title= My Engine Is Bigger Than Your Engine: Carmakers Are Locked in a Horsepower Arms Race |last= Naughton |first= Keith |magazine=] |date= February 24, 2003 |page=60 |url= https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-97906444/my-engine-is-bigger-than-your-engine-carmakers-are |publisher= Harmon Newsweek LLC {{Subscription required|via=] }} }}</ref>

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<ref name=Kiino2003>{{Citation |url= http://www.caranddriver.com/news/dodge-tomahawk-news |title= Dodge Tomahawk; 2003 Detroit Auto Show |date=January 2003 |first=Ron |last= Kiino |magazine=] }}</ref>

<ref name=Kerr2003>{{Citation |title= Motorcycle Design—The Detroit Spinners |magazine=] |last=Kerr |first=Glynn |authorlink=Glynn Kerr |pages=36–37 |date= June 2004 |volume=34 |issue=6 }}</ref>

<ref name=AutoweekButWait>{{Citation |title =But Wait, There's More... |newspaper=] |date=January 20, 2003 |page=48 |publisher={{Subscription required|via=] }} |quote= What do you call a guy on a 500-hp, Viper-engined motorcycle?<BR>A. Incredibly stupid<BR>B. Suicidal<BR>C. Working hard to win the next "Darwin" award<BR>D. Roadkill<BR>E. All of the above<BR>We hear Chrysler will offer a matching helmet shaped like the head of a dart. They're calling this bike the "Tomahawk" because "Death Wish" was taken. }}</ref>

<ref name=Wilkinson2005>{{Citation |title=Man and Machine: The Best of Stephan Wilkinson |first=Stephan |last=Wilkinson |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |year= 2005 |ISBN= 9781599216799 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=uFVqaS_QjW4C&pg=PA84 |pages=84–85 }}</ref>

<ref name=Jensen2003>{{Citation| title=Auto Show Compliments to the Competition |first=Cheryl |last=Jensen |newspaper=] |date= April 13, 2003 |url= http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/13/automobiles/auto-show-compliments-to-the-competition.html }}</ref>


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==External links== ==External links==
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Revision as of 19:19, 31 December 2015

Type of motorcycle
Dodge Tomahawk
File:Dodge Tomahawk.jpg
ManufacturerDodge
Parent companyChrysler
Production9 units total, 2003–2006
ClassConcept vehicle
Engine8.3 L (506.5 cu in) 20-valve 90° V-10
Power500 hp (370 kW) @ 5600 rpm (45 kW:L power:displacement ratio)
Torque525 lb⋅ft (712 N⋅m)
Transmission2-speed manual
SuspensionFront: Horizontal double fork
BrakesFront: 16 piston discs, Rear: 8 piston disc
TiresFront (2): 20"x4", Rear (2): 20"x5"
Wheelbase76 in (1,900 mm)
DimensionsL: 102 in (2,600 mm)
W: 27.7 in (700 mm)
H: 36.9 in (940 mm)
Seat height29 in (740 mm)
Weight1,500 lb (680 kg) (wet)
Fuel capacity3.35 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 in Detroit, Michigan.

The Art Deco design was the work of Chrysler staff designer Mark Walters and featured the 500 hp (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, making it a kind of motorised quadricycle rather than a typical motorcycle. The pairs of wheels move independently, allowing it to countersteer and lean in turns like a motorcycle.

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 of them might have sold. Dodge emphasized that the bikes were "rolling sculptures" not intended to be ridden.

Design

The Art Deco design was the work of Chrysler staff designer Mark Walters and featured the 500 hp (370 kW) 8.3-litre (510 cu in) V10 SRT10 engine from the Dodge Viper. The concept originated with two DaimlerChrysler employees and motorcycling fans, clay modeler Bob Schroeder and vehicle build specialist Dave Chyz, who wanted to place a Viper engine into a motorcycle chassis. They eventually took the idea to Freeman Thomas, DaimlerChrysler VP of advanced design, who in turn approached Walters. Thomas introduced his own concept, for a bike inspired by the four-wheeler in the film, Tron. Walters developed the idea, and it was eventually presented to Chrysler Group Chief Operating Officer, Wolfgang Bernhard, and CEO, Dieter Zetsche.

Mechanical design and fabrication were outsourced, with the project headed by Kirt Bennett of RM Corporation, a custom automotive building and restoration shop in Michigan.

Fabrication

Most of the Tomahawk's components were custom-milled from blocks of aluminum.

Performance claims

As introduced in 2003, the one-of-a-kind Tomahawk was operational, but never fully road-tested, with acceleration and top speed unconfirmed; Dodge described the vehicle as "automotive sculpture," intended for display only.

Handling

Independent suspension on all four wheels is designed to allow the rider to countersteer and lean into turns like a motorcycle, at up to 45 degrees with all four wheels in contact with the ground. A low center of gravity, accomplished by situating the engine as low to ground as possible, provides greater control at low speeds, and a low saddle allows riders to place both feet on the ground when stopped, for greater stability. A rear suspension lock lets the vehicle stand on its own, unsupported. A request from one publication to test the Tomahawk's performance were refused, and Dodge declined the same publication a request to interview the company's test riders, or to relay their riding impressions.

Top speed

Dodge initially announced the top speed of the Tomahawk was estimated at 420 mph (680 km/h), but later revised this to 300 mph (480 km/h). Senior designer Walters, who was in charge of the Tomahawk project, said he did not believe published speeds of 400 mph were possible, noting that the bike was geared for acceleration, and if geared for speed, 250 mph (400 km/h) would be within reach.

See also

References

  1. ^ Lienert, Dan (14 October 2003), "Vehicle of the Week; Dodge's New Axe", Forbes
  2. ^ Chronicle Staff Report (November 18, 2006), "San Francisco Auto Show -- a bit more than the usual fare", San Francisco Chronicle
  3. ^ "Dodge's 4-Wheel Tomahawk", Popular Science, vol. 262, no. 4, Bonnier Corporation, April 2003, ISSN 0161-7370
  4. ^ "Chrysler's cruise missile", Design News, October 20, 2003
  5. ^ Phillips, John (April 2003), "Dodge Tomahawk; Ten cylinders, 500 horses, four wheels. Think of it as a Viper that got caught in a trash compactor", Cycle World, pp. 70–74

External links

Dodge concept cars
Cars
Vans / SUVs
Trucks
Motorcycles
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