Payload, towing, and engine performance levels take a hike.
The Ford Super Duty is the heavy duty version of the Ford F-Series, the best-selling pickup truck line in America. Along with the F-150, the Super Duty has enabled Ford to maintain its leadership in the segment for nearly four decades.
The F-150 was overhauled in 2015 and two years later the Super Duty gets its turn. The all-new model goes on sale this fall and Ford says that it will leave its competitors behind. Those competitors are comprised of the Ram 2500/3500, Chevrolet Silverado HD, and the GMC Sierra HD. Toyota and Nissan have full-size trucks too, but they’re absent from the heavy-duty market.
2017 Ford Super Duty
Like the current-generation F-150, the Ford Super Duty
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Fifth-wheel towing capacity is now 27,500 pounds, up from 26,500 pounds. Conventional towing climbs to 21,000 pounds, up from 19,000 pounds. The maximum payload capacity is now rated at up 7,630 pounds, providing a significant boost over the previous 7,050-pound limit.
Other changes can be found in engine performance. The turbo diesel makes 440 horsepower and 925 foot-pounds of torque (previously 860 lb.-ft.). The 6.2-liter, gasoline V-8 also gets a performance upgrade and will make 385 horsepower and 440 foot-pounds of torque (previously 405 lb.-ft.). Each of these numbers applies to the F-450.
With the all-new model, Ford claims leadership in a number of categories. Without naming its competitors, Ford says the 2017 Super Duty now claims a gooseneck towing edge of 1,290 pounds over the next closest model. Further, the Ford has a 2,500-pound lead in fifth-wheel towing and a 1,000-pound edge in conventional
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New Safety Technologies
On the technology front, the 2017 Super Duty becomes the first truck to offer adaptive cruise control and collision warning with brake support for heavy trailers, technology the company says enables truckers to negotiate steep mountain grades while sustaining speeds even when trailering 32,500 pounds.
The Super Duty also offers a center high-mounted stop lamp camera, what provides visibility into the cargo box. This feature is particularly beneficial when connecting both gooseneck and fifth-wheel trailers. The “Ultimate Trailer Tow Camera System” is composed of four digital, high-definition cameras to provide the driver with a 360-degree bird’s-eye view surrounding their Super Duty.
Also, “Trailer Reverse Guidance” supplies visual cues and tips to help ease backing up a trailer. Moreover, a first-ever factory-available trailer camera can also be custom-placed on a trailer to improve visibility while backing