Ever wonder why some of the vehicles at car shows have impossibly dark windows? It's generally because the interiors aren't done—and that's pretty common for show cars. But the Ford F-550 Super Duty Rescue Truck that debuted at the Chicago Auto Show was battle-ready when it rolled into the booth. In fact, it was so ready for action that when it was on display at a rodeo in Houston, it was called up for active duty. 

NewScope Marketing designed the beefy machine, and along with its 6.7-liter Powerstroke diesel V-8, it features a host of tools to aid rescuers. Given how often major disasters are weather related, the Doppler radar seems indispensable, and thermal imaging sensors can be raised 37 feet in the air to help locate victims trapped under rubble, a 15,000lb winch, and a powerful generator.

So when the firefighters of nearby Arlington put out a call for help during a recent bout of tornadoes, the Super Duty was ready to answer the call, and aided in evacuating a damaged nursing home and helped track the twisters. Apparently the trucks was cleaned up before it headed back to the show circuit—but I think it should have been left dirty. After all, how many clean trucks do you see in a disaster area. Head to the New York Times for the full story.