Ford's redesigned Super Duty trucks more brash and powerful
The Detroit News 01/24/07
author: Scott Burgess
(Copyright 2006)



The speedometer read 30, but we were sliding backward -- again.

A stubborn muddy bog of Texas clay, water and ice would not relinquish its slippery grip on my redesigned 2008 F-250 Super Duty pickup no matter how hard I pressed the accelerator.

Try again, the course guide sitting next to me advised. And when we get to this point, hit it. If she takes a breath we're dead.

As dead as Davy Crockett at the nearby Alamo.

To avoid sinking back into the quagmire, the advice was simple: Back up and gently gain speed while letting the steering wheel jerk back and forth until the tires catch the deep rut. Then, gun it.

Truckasaurus

Shortly after a freakish storm froze Texas last week -- the most devastation San Antonio has seen since Santa Anna arrived in 1836 -- Ford allowed automotive reporters to pull, tow and generally abuse its new heavy-duty trucks on a muddy ranch.

I don't need an F-Series Super Duty. I have neither the need to carry three tons of hay around my backyard nor the desire to tow an entire trailer park down Jefferson Avenue -- but hot dang these trucks sure are fun.

Ford says lots of people need or want them. Super Duty models accounted for nearly 40 percent of the 800,000 F-Series trucks sold last year.

After a full day of driving on and off the road, I can tell anyone who needs a heavy-duty truck on a daily basis that Ford Motor Co.'s redesigned F-250s and 350s are absolute monsters.

And the all-new F-450 pickup is the Truckasaurus of the heavy hauling trio.

Torque-alicious

Powered by the new twin turbo 6.4-liter Powerstroke diesel, the Super Duty's V-8 delivers 350-horsepower and 650-pound-feet of torque. For the pound-feet illiterate, that is a shake-your-head-and-laugh kind of power. And here are some more numbers to whistle at: With the Powerstroke diesel, the F-450 can carry 6,000 pounds in the bed and tow up to 24,500 pounds. (Though not at the same time.)

The other available powertrains are equally impressive.

The smallest engine, the 5.4-liter gasoline-powered Triton V-8, packs a powerful 300-horsepower punch and the 6.8-liter Triton V-10 topped Ford's horsepower scale at 362.

But the new diesel remains Ford's pride and joy in Texas -- a place where 1 in 4 vehicles sold is a pickup. Ford touts the new diesel as quieter, faster and cleaner than its previous oil-burner. And it is.

Hook a trailer to any Super Duty model and it continues to perform well. Ford estimates that 90 percent of the people who buy a heavy-duty truck tow something and the company has rigged its trucks accordingly.

The optional electronic trailer braking control system, which is connected to the truck's antilock brakes, measures traction and helps manage the trailer's brakes and prevent them from locking. Slowing down with a 20,000-pound trailer felt effortless. Starting from a stop, the Super Duty accelerates smoothly and never seems overly stressed under heavy loads.

The diesel F-350 Crew Cab I drove during a 150-mile trip from Corpus Christi to San Antonio was surprisingly smooth and quiet on the highway. Despite the heavy-duty suspension, the empty truck was never jarring or bouncy, in part, because of a wheelbase that stretches over 14 feet long. But at highway speeds, the steering felt loose and had a few inches of play.

Mileage is another question. Like most heavy-duty trucks, the Super Duty trucks are so big they don't require EPA certification. But don't expect these trucks to top 12 miles per gallon, which my F-350 registered on the highway. Other reporters claimed either slightly higher or lower mileage on the same trip.

Bigger looks

The overall design of the new Super Duty has been significantly strengthened.

Many of the typical design cues are exaggerated and stronger. The front grille, with Super Duty embossed across the top, is massive, in part to accommodate a much larger radiator behind it.

The head lamps and bumper were lowered to help make the trucks more car-friendly. The previous generation's headlights were mounted four inches higher and blasted approaching or leading drivers in a wash of halogen.

Lowering the bumper and attaching catches to the bottom of the frame means the trucks are less likely to end up on top of a car during an accident -- score two points for us saps in cars.

Almost every piece of sheet metal on these new models is new except the beds, which were taken from the previous generation. But even the bed has undergone a few changes.

The optional tailgate step was designed to help broken-down cowboys climb up. After lowering the tailgate, a single step pulls out of the top. An attached pole, which works as a hand rail, folds up and snaps into place. The step can accommodate 1,000 pounds and the handrail can handle 300 pounds.

When I first saw it, I thought it looked goofy. After trying it, I still think it looks goofy, but it works well.

King of interiors

Sitting in the driver's seat, there's never a doubt you're sitting in a Super Duty -- it's stamped all over the place: the floor, the dash, the instrument panel. The cabin feels industrial and machined, but is still comfortable and considerably quieter than the previous generation.

The Crew Cab, the largest of three cabin styles, can fit a five-person construction crew comfortably. The fit and finish is excellent and the instrument panel is thoughtfully laid out. Everything in the cabin says get to work.

In some ways it seems almost too nice for work and most interior packages come only with carpet, which may end up nice and dirty instead of just nice.

The high-end King Ranch edition is my favorite. Its smoky brown leather looks like it should be cleaned with saddle soap. Those seats belong in a luxury sedan. They tempted me to take off my pants and ride around town ordering drive-through in my boxers. But since I'm not an assistant coach for the Detroit Lions, I resisted.

Back on the ranch

Smoke and mud flew as I pressed on the gas trying to get out of that bog. Thick dark rivulets covered the driver's side window as we dipped deeper into the mud. Gaining momentum, the nose of the 6,500-pound truck began to rise from the muck.

Don't let up, the guide shouted. Go! Go! Go!

The engine roared and the truck bucked and swayed, shaking with power.

The moment we cleared the hole, the rear of the F-250 whipped around. We were now moving sideways, mud shooting out like the sparks from a Roman candle. Wresting the vehicle under control, I bent over to look out the three square inches of clean windshield above the dash. Driving blind is more scary than fun.

While I don't need a Super Duty, sometimes I wish I did, whether for a hard day's work or just to haul a boat around twice a year. It doesn't take a hard worker to know this is one serious truck.

And, to me, it looks much better covered in mud.

2008 F-Series Super Duty

The Super Duty series comes in a number of variations depending on cab, bed and engine size and when loaded with special packages and options the most expensive models can top $60,000.

Retail price: F-250: Starts at $23,305 F-350: Starts at $24,025 F-450: Starts at $40,130

Engines: 5.4-liter V-8 , 300 hp, 365 lb-ft 6.8-liter V-10 , 362 hp, 457 lb-ft 6.4-liter V-8 diesel , 350 hp, 650 lb-ft

Transmission: 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic

EPA mileage: Not rated by EPA because of size. Expect powerful engines to gobble up fuel, especially when towing.

Notes: Innovative options such as the folding bed extender give consumers a lot of choices.

Report card

Exterior: Excellent. In-your-face design is brash and confident. Bold design cues combine function and style.

Interior: Excellent. It's simple, comfortable and luxurious. Additional sound proofing also makes the cabin quieter.

Safety: Poor. No side curtain air bags or rollover stability control available. Traction control is an option; anti-lock brakes are standard.

Performance: Good. It rides well on the highway and in the mud.

Notes: It's more truck than suburban haulers may need but enough for people who aren't afraid of a few calluses. A good combination would be the F-250 with the diesel engine.

Overall: HHH

Excellent: HHHH Very Good: HHH Good: HH Poor: H

It says the new diesel is more effiecient, yet they got 12 MPG. The 6.0 does what, around 16 MPG stock and more with a tuner???

I have seen as high as 20mpg on the highway w/ my 2005 powerstroke. I have the exhaust and banks six gun, but 12 mpg is horrible. Hopefully they get better mpg than 12.

I agree with Mark. My F-350 King Ranch gets about 17 on the highway and is averaging about 15 mpg overall - now that it's back from the shop with new heads, gaskets, and injectors.

But that's another story

I can't believe that the new generation would be so much worse than the 6.0 but with the new fuel that's out there, I guess you never know...

I get better than 12 when I drive like an Old Lady too .

Cool, Ya got yourself some NUTZ!!!!!!!!

I have had 9-6.0 litres, the 03 model had a few hic-ups, but other than that was still a great truck. I do mod my trucks, I only use a custom tuned SCT and tailer it exactly to my needs. Jeff

"For the pound-feet illiterate, that is a shake-your-head-and-laugh kind of power."

Classic.

Is the writer 15 or what?

Truckasaurus?

Tourquealicious?

And this one-

"Safety: Poor. No side curtain air bags or rollover stability control available. Traction control is an option; anti-lock brakes are standard"

Is he kidding? What do I need a side-curtain airbag for... If I get broadsided by a locomotive?