A few weeks ago, Ford presented us with its new cuvée from Super Duty for 2023. During this launch, which took place in the State of Kentucky, we had the chance to discover all the technological innovations that the manufacturer will offer with its HD pickup truck. The only data that Ford had not disclosed at this time were the technical characteristics. After a few weeks of waiting, the manufacturer has just lifted the veil on all this information expected by many.
More power on the program
When it comes to heavy-duty pickups, the three American manufacturers are still looking to lead the category. So it’s no surprise to see capacity or performance numbers grow with every model refresh, and the Super Duty is no exception for 2023.
To start, as announced at launch, the F-Series Super Duty will offer a choice of four engines. The first is an all-new 6.8-liter V8 gasoline engine that will develop 405 horsepower and produce 445 lb-ft of torque. Then the 7.3-liter gasoline V8 is back and receives some upgrades to now develop 430 horsepower and produce 485 lb-ft. The other two engine options are 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbo diesel V8s. You can choose between the regular version, which develops 475 horsepower and produces 1,050 lb-ft of torque, or the high-performance version, which will offer an impressive 500 horsepower and 1,200 lb-ft of torque. Each engine will be mated to a 10-speed automatic gearbox, while the 4WD system will now be standard from the XLT range.
Increased capabilities
Ford says its new pickup truck will offer best-in-class payload in the bed with a capacity of up to 3,636 kilograms (8,000 pounds), depending on configuration. Interestingly, on-board scales available can help the driver measure a payload equivalent to 100 36-kilo (80-pound) bags of cement. Additionally, Ford took inspiration from GM by adding standard bedside and rear bumper steps. The available tailgate step will still be available, but will now be 3 inches lower than before. This is proof that Ford has listened to its customers on this point by making its improvements.
On the towing capacity side, Ford has worked to raise the bar. Depending on the pickup configuration chosen, you will be able to tow up to 18,182 kilos (40,000 pounds) in gooseneck towing and up to 15,909 kilos (35,000 pounds) in traditional towing. Of course, these numbers will be different, depending on the cab/body/differential and engine combination chosen.
It will be interesting to follow the evolution in this constantly changing category, because it’s a safe bet that the competition will not be long in responding to these new data in the near future. We could also believe that the figures published by Ford are in response to GM which unveiled those of the new Sierra HD 2024 very recently. For comparison, the 2024 Sierra only offers 16,329 kilos (36,000 pounds) in gooseneck towing mode. Its gasoline and turbo diesel engines are also less powerful. The gas-powered 6.6-liter will only develop 401 horsepower and 464 lb-ft of torque, while the Duramax reaches just 470 horsepower and 975 lb-ft of torque. Now, it remains to be seen how long Ford will sit at the top, to be continued…
