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A revolutionary new truck has been revealed that its creators hope will change the motoring landscape of sub-Sharan Africa and the rest of the developing world. Designed to be compact, capable and even to be 'flat-packed' for transport, the Ox is the brainchild of Sir Torquil Norman and none other than former McLaren and Brabham Formula One designer Gordon Murray.
Sir Torquil Norman said: "My inspiration for the OX goes back to seeing the 'Africar' project of the 1980s. This project shares some of the aims of that vehicle, but its execution is radically different. OX was just a dream six years ago, but it is now a realistic prospect for production with working prototypes that have completed a comprehensive testing programme."
The whole idea behind the Ox is simplicity and low weight. So it has a plain, spartan cabin with seating for three, and the driver sits in the middle. That's a Gordon Murray design touch, but it's practical too - no need for expensive re-engineering for right-hand drive or left-hand drive markets.
In spite of its compact size (at 4.2-metres long it's barely the size of a Volkswagen Golf) it dramatically out-performs its traditional pickup rivals with a maximum load weight of 1,900kg or seats for up to 13 people.
Not an inch nor an ounce of the design has been wasted - the bases for the seats in the back can also double as sand ladders, while the tailgate can be detached and used as a loading ramp. The Ox team also promises that, thanks to impressive approach and departure angles, that the truck can compete with 4WD rivals in spite of being 2WD.
The best bit is that it can be built and then flat-packed for shipping to where it's needed. Six flat-packed Ox trucks can fit into a standard 40-ft high-cube shipping container and it's estimated that a team of three trained people can put one together in around 12 hours. All of which is designed to provide either improved transport for areas of growing population or for vehicles to be easily shipped to an area where they're needed in an emergency.
Power comes from a 2.2-litre diesel engine developing 100hp and 320Nm of torque.
Gordon Murray said: "The OX design and prototyping programme is undoubtedly one of the most interesting and challenging I have undertaken during my 45 years of car design, including my years in F1. The added challenge of a flat-packed vehicle design over the already tough targets for cost, durability and weight saving made for a fascinating and stimulating journey from concept to prototype.
"The most satisfying elements of the project for me are that the OX will make such a difference to so many people and that it has no competitor in any part of the world. It has been a privilege to work alongside Torquil to make his vision a reality."