This Tonka Truck Made Neighbours Turn Yellow When They Saw It

Ford introduced the F-350 Tonka at the NTEA Show in Indianapolis, and it was a concept car. But there was one guy who stared at it and wanted to take it home. Guess what: he got it. Of course, it wasn't just a regular me or you but Toby Keith, one of Ford's spokespersons. Moreover, the country star was already known as a Ford person, like Bob Seger was paired with Chevy.

But Toby Keith is not the kind of star who chose Ford just for the greens he got from the blue-oval brand. He's a third-generation Ford driver, and he says, "I wouldn't drink somebody's bad beer just because they give it to me for free." And he has all the right reasons not to. His career in the music business made him rich enough to afford to drive any car on the planet, regardless of the price. But he still drives his dually F-450 with a turbodiesel under the hood. Or any other pickup from his garage.

But the Tonka was something different. Ford built it; he drove it. But then, in 2016, the F-150 got a special Tonka edition that could have been bought by anyone who had the beans for it. Moreover, this 6" high-lifted pickup was only available in yellow, screamed for attention in every detail, and reminded us of the Tonka toys we played with, in the sandbox, when we were kids.

Those ram-air intakes on the hood were not just for the look. They fed the powerful supercharged V8 under the hood. Apart from the black grille, the rest of the front fascia was also bright-yellow. You could have seen this car from miles away. At the lower part of the bumper, under the LED light strips, the word Tonka written in black demanded respect from other drivers. From the side, the specially designed black 20” alloy wheels wrapped in BF Goodrich tires confirmed the off-road gladiator status of the car. Additional cladding protected the doors, and each of the front ones sported the Tonka Edition badge.

Interestingly, the carmaker offered the vehicle an option for sturdy side steps, but those were not standard. Any off-road enthusiast knows that those lower the ground clearance. Yet, they are useful as rock-sliders. At the back, the F-150 Tonka featured another cladding on the tailgate with the big black Tonka lettering on it. The short bed behind the double-cab bodywork was protected by a fiberglass cover, so the camping gear wouldn't get wet by the time you'll set up the tent in the wilderness or above the timberline. Just beware of scratching the paint or the body panels since those were made of aluminum, not regular steel.

Although not as radical as the exterior, the interior went through some modifications. Yes, the front black bucket seats sported the Tonka lettering on the headrests, but there was no contrast stitching on them. A big, round metallic badge adorned the front armrest, sporting the Tonka truck shape and the car's number. Unfortunately, there were only 200 units built. The three-seat bench was just regular in the back but covered in black leather. Last but not least, the truck came with a dual-pane moonroof.

But there was more than just the look on this Tonka F-150 pickup. If you already noticed the "Shelby Supercharged" lettering on the hood, you know that there is something special there. In fact, it was a 700-horsepower 5.0-liter V8 supercharged engine tuned by, you guessed it, Shelby American. It was paired with a six-speed automatic gearbox and a two-speed transfer case.

With such a big truck, you might know what's the answer to Toby Keith's song, "Who's your daddy." Especially since this limited edition vehicle came with a price tag above 90k. On the other hand, their value is not that high anymore, but will surely start to rise again. Just give it some time.