When you’re
dealing with ¾- and 1-ton pickups, it’s all about bragging
rights. Here’s where advertising copywriters support their lofty
superlatives with real numbers…hopefully real big numbers. The goal
is always to be best in class, no matter the category. But the bigger
the number, the better.
For 2005,
Ford will introduce redesigned F-250 and F-350 pickups in its Super Duty
line. As with any significant makeover or next-generation improvements,
there is a different look complemented with more performance and additional
features. The new Super Duty has a bolder appearance with a larger, intimidating
grille. The V10 gas engine picked up an extra valve per cylinder and a
bunch of horsepower, and the Power Stroke diesel added a little extra
torque. There’s a new coil suspension on 4-wheel-drive models that
replaces the old leaf springs and significantly shortens the turning diameter
by average of almost 6 feet. Larger brakes are also new.
But there’s
power and prestige in numbers. And if your numbers aren’t the highest,
then tell the customer why you’re still the best. And do it with
some authority because heavy-duty truck owners are extremely knowledgeable
and loyal. They tow more, and they know more when it comes to trucks.
Take the
battle for supremacy in engine torque. That’s always a favorite
because truck owners equate torque with hauling power, towing efficiency
and off-road prowess. Ford engineers added 10 lb-ft of torque to the 6.0-liter
Power Stroke V8 diesel engine, bringing the total of 570 lb-ft. That’s
30 lb-ft less than the upgraded and class-leading Cummins 5.9-liter inline-6
in the redesigned Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 models.
But Ford
backs up its engine with a TorqShift 5-speed automatic transmission that
officials confidently suggest is more efficient than the Dodge equipment,
so more usable torque gets to the ground. To prove the point, Ford invited
the automotive media to its desert proving ground near Kingman, Arizona,
to drag race the new Super Duty against top-of-line competitive models
from Chevrolet and Dodge. With each truck towing trailers loaded with
13,400 pounds and equipped with identical rear axle ratios, they were
sent off down the track side by side. In the three races in which I participated,
the Dodge always had an early advantage but the Ford chased down the Ram
quickly and with authority to lead at the end of a quarter mile.
The point
was well made: Perhaps the Dodge does have a little more torque and it’s
useful at low speed, but the Ford’s total drivetrain is more efficiently
managed to pull harder in the mid range.
So where
are the big numbers that put the new Super Duty on top? Where are the
class-leading, king-of-the-hill bragging rights? What can Ford boast about
to draw attention to the entire Super Duty lineup?
The F-350
is rated to tow up to 17,000 pounds with a fifth-wheel hitch. (Dodge
Ram 3500: 16,400 pounds; Chevy Silverado 3500: 16,000 pounds)
Top payload
rating on the F-350 is 5800 pounds. (Dodge: 5020 pounds; Chevy: 5559
pounds)
Top GCWR
for the F-350 is 23,500 pounds. (Dodge: 23,000 pounds)
Top GVWR
for the F-350 is 13,000 pounds. (Dodge: 12,000 pounds; Chevy 11,400
pounds)
Ford’s
best gas engine, the new 6.8-liter V10 Triton, is rated at 355 horsepower
at 4750 rpm and 455 lb-ft of torque @ 3250 rpm. (Dodge 5.7-liter V8
Hemi: 330 horsepower at 5400 rpm and 375 lb-ft at 4400 rpm; Chevy 8.1-liter
V8 Vortec: 340 horsepower at 4200 rpm and 455 lb-ft at 3200 rpm)
