The Pickup Truck With 'Roid Rage Buyers of the CXT to Need a Bigger Garage

The Washington Post ^ | August 11, 2005 | By Linton Weeks, Washington Post Staff Writer

[aculeus]

The pickup, introduced to the roads more than a century ago, was conceived to be the smallest possible get-the-job-done truck. Now International Truck and Engine has taken that concept and, oxymoronically, developed the world's biggest smallest truck -- the CXT.

Such a feat is the equivalent of creating the world's shortest skyscraper, quietest fire alarm, slowest jet, driest swimming pool.

The new CXT from International is hu-freakin-mongous. This bad boy is nine feet tall. It's got thigh-high tires, and two running boards up to the cab, and door handles you have to stretch for. When the bed gate folds down it's about as high as a mantelpiece. The truck is built on the same platform used for snowplows and dump trucks. It carries six tons -- some three times what a normal pickup would tote -- tows up to 22 tons, and comfortably seats five people, even with embarrassing body mass indexes.

[gridlock]

That picture of the yellow truck in the river reminds me of those silly Budweiser commercials with the Clydsedales frolicking in the snow...

[HereInTheHeartland]

Maybe they will include an optional tanker truck to allow continuous on the road refueling.

[Hatteras]

In the hands of soccer moms, these could be extremely dangerous. By the way, why do people driving monsterous SUVs slow down for the speed bumps in the mall parking lot? I swear I saw a lady driving an H2 Hummer the other day and she was sailing through a parking lot only to hit the brakes and crawl over the little 3-inch speed bump.

[babyface00]

why do people driving monsterous SUVs slow down for the speed bumps in the mall parking lot

I've noticed that too - its hysterically funny to watch.

Wouldn't want to damage that delicate off-road suspension going over a 3inch asphalt hump!

[Hatteras]

"Maybe they will include an optional tanker truck to allow continuous on the road refueling."

A friend of mine had picked up a Ford Excursion (aka, the Ford Valdez) when they first came out and we spent an afternoon going through it with the manual in hand checking out all the little buttons and whistles. I came across one switch and started to click it on when he reached out and stopped my hand saying, "Don't! I think it's the refueling probe..."

[NaughtiusMaximus]

I love it.

Now picture a snowplow on the front with "Run Hillary Run" stenciled on it in foot tall letters.

[carumba]

I want one of those with the biggest boat you can pull with a trailer and a map to the smallest pond.

[Non-Sequitur]

A tow hitch costs extra.

To tow what???? A house????

[NaughtiusMaximus]

That thing's big enough, you could tow your own pond.

[RebelBanker]

"There's a Holy Crap bar,"...

LOL!!!

I have got to remember that term! My Dodge Ram has them...

[Gefreiter]

RB,
That's not bad, but I prefer the "Oh sh*t handle" myself.

[RebelBanker]

Unimogs have been around for decades:

OK, it's a big ugly pick-up truck built on a large truck frame. Unimog even has a 6x6 version.

[rabidralph]

How about this?

[tubebender]

What can I say as I sit here with a limp...err...uh...umm...jaw?

[gridlock]

Perfect!

[CDHart]

"You're going to need to own a gas station!!!"

LOL! We bought a 2004 F150 with a 5.4L engine back in November. Now it's costing me about $20 a week to get to work, and I only drive 20 miles round trip. How's that for dumb?

Carolyn

[Libertarian444]

[martin_fierro]

Thanks for the ping!

[JCISLORD]

Hey, I am a 60 year old woman and would buy one if I had the money.
This is not a man thing. It is a pickup lover thing.