MOTOR engineering firm Roush Technologies, more famous for tuning Ford’s powerful GT, has just completed a groundbreaking bespoke vehicle boasting one horsepower.
The company was commissioned by Turkish-based Kurt Systems – a leader in racehorse and camel training equipment. The project involved the design, development and construction of a mobile race trainer which enables continuous monitoring of the animal at speeds of up to 60kph.
A visually striking machine, it incorporates a diesel engine, automatic transmission and a cabin for a crew of three. Weighing in at around four tonnes, the vehicle effectively provides a moving enclosure similar to a starting stall, in which the animal can walk, trot or full gallop freely in a controlled environment, whilst being monitored.
The chassis and running gear comprise a box-section frame, with suspension derived from a Ford F150 series truck. Power is provided by a Volvo 2.4litre, five-cylinder diesel engine, driving through an automotive automatic gearbox. Speed can be precisely controlled from walking pace up to race conditions and a maximum of 60kph.
