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What it is
2008 Ford Super Duty - Preview: Innovation, comfort, and style are terms seldom heard when the topic is heavy-duty trucks. However, when the 2008 Ford Super Duty hits the market in early 2007, all three points will be right up there with torque rating, tow capacity, and payload. Available in F-250, F-350, and F-450 guise, the Super Duty will not only employ an optional 6.4-liter Power Stroke diesel to tow up to 24,000 pounds and transport 6,000 pounds of cargo in its bed, it will also arrive with a redesigned interior, updated exterior styling, and handy features such as a textured step pad atop the front bumper and a fold-out tailgate step with a 1,000-lb. capacity.
Prices have yet to be released.
Why it matters
Ford's F-Series trucks have been king of the pickup hill for decades, but with all-new models from General Motors and Toyota, among others, the competition is getting especially fierce. Buyers may be gradually downsizing because of fuel prices and changing tastes, yet those who haul equipment to the worksite or tow the fifth-wheel on the weekends still need a big dog to get the job done. That's where the redesigned Ford F-250, F-350, and F-450 pickups come into play, with up to 650 lb.-ft. of stump-pulling torque from a new 6.4-liter Power Stroke diesel, a 6,000-lb. payload, and a tow rating maxing out at 24,000 pounds. Got any mountains you need moved?
What's under the hood
Three engines are available for the 2008 Ford Super Duty lineup. The first is a 5.4-liter, 24-valve V8 with variable-valve timing that pushes 300 horses at 5,000 rpm and 365 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,750 rpm. A standard six-speed manual transmission delivers the goods to the rear or all four wheels. Positioned in the middle of the pack is a 6.8-liter, 30-valve V10 that puts out 362 horsepower at 4,750 rpm and 457 lb.-ft. of twist at 3,250 rpm. A five-speed TorqShift automatic transmission is standard. That tranny is also connected to the top dog, a 6.4-liter, 32-valve Power Stroke Diesel V8 offering 350 horsepower at 3,000 rpm and 650 lb.-ft. of torque at only 2,000 rpm.
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