Ford does big best. And right now, that’s something they probably don’t want people to think about, given the consumer obsession with fuel economy and crossover vehicles. But the facts are nonetheless there, and built on decades spent crafting big trucks that Americans love to drive.

Which makes the Ford Super Chief Concept such a notable hit. On the surface, it’s a big truck that looks like it was chipped out of rock, with a fancy hydro-ethanol-gas powertrain and a futuristic interior. Underneath the surface, however, it is no less than the direction Ford will take with its next batch of heavy-duty trucks.