Ford was the first one out of the gate with its ground-up redesign of the heavy-duty pickups. We first saw the truck in November of 2006, then covered it in Truckin' soon after. The Super Duty makes a bold design statement that the Chevrolet and Dodge don't match. Where the Ram holds fast to its big-rig-inspired front end, and the Silverado presents a restrained, contemporary expression of its squared-off heritage, the Super Duty goes almost over the top with a design that comes closest to epitomizing a truck.
The interior of the truck mimics the exterior's truck-like aggressiveness, which is to say that 18-wheelers should look this tough. Neither the Dodge nor the Chevrolet approached the Ford in its unabashedly tough-guy styling. We're not talking about basic, work-truck looks, per the cable guy. We mean chiseled, well-appointed, and distinctive design that differentiates dramatically from the generically luxurious style of the Chevy; or the quite comfortable, yet bland, Dodge. In fact, the Super Duty's interior has an almost love-it-or-leave-it attitude well suited to the pickup, in the same way that a cowboy who walks into a fancy restaurant after a week on the range really wouldn't care that he's still wearing dusty clothes and a six-shooter. Like all the trucks, the Ford had plenty of storage space and roominess for passengers working on the go.
When it came to creative cargo-bed applications, Ford has the others beat. Although, we suspect the Chevy's slide-rail system is probably more practical for routine usage, Ford does offer a couple of extras that were on our tester. One is the stowable bed extender, the other is the integrated tailgate step. Ford looked at the usual flip-out bed-extender cage and tried something different. The company went with a plastic setup that works the same as the usual suspects-it can flip out over the tailgate to give you more storage room.
But, when you don't need it, all you have to do is split the cage into two, then fold each side against the walls of the bed. This way, you can have it available at all times but keep it out of the way. As for the tailgate step, this was another "what-the-heck" idea the folks at Ford thought buyers might find useful for climbing in and out of the bed. After dropping the gate, you can pull down an integrated stair step from the gate; then for balance, grab a handle that swivels up from the gate, and step up into the bed. Cool idea, but probably not as routinely useful as the extender. Although, we suppose that depends on what you buy the truck for.
If you want to know more about what it's like to tow with the new Ford Super Duty, then we suggest you read our write-up of our cross-country journey, which appears in "Sea to Shining Sea," on page 144. During that trip, two of our staff towed a Chevrolet S-10 from Southern California to Georgia, and towed a Ford F-100 back. To summarize: the truck proved a worthy road warrior.
For this story, we didn't undertake any epic journeys; we opted for towing a trailer on a drag strip. First, a remark about the integrated trailer brake controller. This was an idea that Ford came up with during the last redesign of the Super Duty a few years ago. It was a good idea then, and it's a good idea now. So good, in fact, GM adopted the technology for its own HDs. Kudos to Ford. We also like the huge towing mirrors that extend away from the vehicle, or fold inward with the push of a button. Ford's solution for storing goods with the second-row seat is similar to Dodge's, you can flip up the back seat and unfold trays across the floor of the cab, which creates a stable platform for stuff. Ford's approach uses metal trays not covered with fabric. While it is possible that these might be stronger than the Dodge trays, the lack of a liner creates a more slippery surface.
According to the dyno, the Ford version had a little more torque and horsepower at the wheels than the Dodge version, but was creamed by the Chevrolet. At the track, Ford lagged a bit behind the Dodge and, again, got smacked by the Chevrolet. That said, the engine's two in-series turbos do lend a different feel to the experience of accelerating in the Ford. The linear nature of the turbo boost eliminates the diesel-kick you are used to getting when turbos finally spool up to a useful rpm.
In comparison to the other two trucks, Ford was no hot rod, although it certainly gets in the game. If you want a land yacht that will pull its maritime counterpart with aplomb, then this truck certainly fits the bill. It edges out the others when it comes to max-towing capability, and blows them away with style.
Price (as tested)
$54,570 without destination (base $35,880, options $18,690)
Warranty
Bumper-to-Bumper: 3-year/35,000-miles
Drivetrain: 5-year/60,000-mile
Roadside: 5-year/60,000-miles
Rust: 5-year/Unlimited miles
Engine
6.4L V-8 Power Stroke diesel
Horsepower
350 at 3,000 rpm
283.35 at 2970 rpm at the wheels, as tested
Torque (lb-ft)
650 at 2,000 rpm
494.51 at 3,100 rpm at the wheels, as tested
Transmission
Five-speed automatic Torqshift
Drivetrain
4WD
Final Drive Ratio
3.73
Suspension
Twin-coil monobeam, shocks, stabilizer bar (front); non-independent live axle with stabilizer bar, staggered shocks, leaf sprinds (rear)
Brakes
13.66-inch rotor (front); 13.39-inch rotor (rear); four-wheel ABS, electronic traction/stability control
Turning (curb-to-curb)
51.8 ft
Curb Weight
6,523 lb
GVWR & GCWR
10,000 lb and 23,000 lb
Max Trailer Weight
5,000 lb (conventional), 12,500 lb (weight distribut- ing), 16,900 lb (fifth wheel)
Payload
2,850
Cargo Bed (length x width between wheelwells)
81.8 in x 50.9 in
Seating
6
Acceleration (0-60 mph)(corrected)
10.30 sec (without trailer), 16.98 sec (with trailer)
Quarter-Mile (corrected)
17.42 sec at 83.23 mph (without trailer), 20.73 sec at 67.76 mph (with trailer)
Braking (60-0 mph)
171.18 ft (without trailer)
Options As Tested
6.4L diesel, five-speed transmission, 3.73 axle, LT275/65Rx20E tires, black cab steps, adjustable foot pedals, navigation head unit with six-disc CD changer, Sirius Radio, rear-seat entertainment system, privacy glass, upfitter switches, rear-parking sensor, sliding rear window, tailgate step, stowable bed extender, traction control, electronic shift on-the-fly transfer case, rapid-heat cab heater, engine-block heater, Tow Command System, driver's memory package, 200-amp alternator, heated front seats, six-position powered seats, leather luxury captain's chairs, and lower accent two-toned paint.