2008 Ford Super Duty First Drive --- More Refinement, More Capability, Bolder Styling

Continuing to lead the way...

January 2007. Perception is often reality, and by some American media accounts, Ford Motor Company is a company on a downslide. I think reports of their demise have been greatly exaggerated. Especially when it comes to trucks. While a new Toyota Tundra grabs many of the headlines in San Antonio and beyond, Ford is by no means setting back on its heels and conceding defeat to the imported or domestic competition. In the highly profitable heavy duty pickup truck segment, the Ford Super Duty is still the market leader by far, and with the 2008 Super Duty lineup, it intends to pull even farther ahead.

Announced back in September and referred to as an all new truck, at first glance at a recent Ford media event in chilly, rainy and sometimes icy San Antonio, the Super Duty does not seem all that different from the current model. That is, until you drive it and use it for its intended purpose.

Let's start under the hood. Ford's new 6.4 liter, 32 valve, Power Stroke turbo diesel, with dual sequential turbos, is the star of the show. Running on Ultra-Low-Sulfur Diesel Fuel (ULSD), it serves up 350hp at 3000rpm and a whopping 650lb-ft of torque at 2000rpm, all while claiming to be Ford's quietest diesel engine ever. No doubts there. For the gear heads, it features a cast-iron block, heads and bed plate, a larger crankshaft, powder-forged connecting rods, oil-jet piston cooling, a larger diesel radiator, a high-capacity oil pump, heavy-duty alternators and Ford's Clean Diesel technology featuring high-pressure common rail fuel injection.

In a properly equipped F-450 configuration, the model that Ford seems most proud of for good reason, the truck can tow up to 24,500 pounds (fifth wheel), 16,000 pounds (conventional) or carry more than 6,100 pounds of payload. Those are incredibly impressive, best-in-class numbers. Forget the GT500, some Ford insiders I spoke to consider this truck to be their halo-vehicle.

Towing and hauling are what these trucks are made for and for these tasks the truck will not disappoint. I have noted many times that I am a "personal use" truck owner, so getting the feel for the towing capability of these trucks, or F-150's for that matter, is a bit of a challenge for me. I have found that the greatest compliment you can make in regards to towing with these trucks is that you almost forget that the load is behind you. Even while towing somebody else's 24,000 pound fifth-wheel trailer, there were times I forget it was even there, and had to check my mirror to make sure we did not lose the load. Sure, the motor was definitely working, especially when compared to the practically effortless experience towing a 9000 pound trailer with an F-250 earlier in the day, but the cabin noise was still at a very pleasant level, steering was easy and the tow/haul feature kept the brake feel solid and gear shifting to a minimum. The class-exclusive power folding and telescoping trailer tow mirrors are a new option that instill even greater confidence.

Exterior styling is bolder, more aggressive and provides some creative touches not found anywhere else. The headlights have more of a big rig look to them. The grilles are even bolder, with "Super Duty" stamped above them subtly into the front of the hood. The front bumper now offers a built-in step, making engine access even easier. Every trim level gets its own uniquely designed side vent aft of the front wheel. I was not able to discern if they provide any mechanical functionality, but they do add a level of up scale Range-Rover chic to the truck. They also conceptually remind me of the 1997 F-150's unique front grilles based on the trim level. Super Duty spotting based on side vents will become a fun game for the younger enthusiasts. And, since these are all the rage these days, I imagine it is only a matter of time before these appear on the F-150, a sentiment echoed by one of the Ford folks I spoke with at another San Antonio event several weeks earlier.

Some of the slickest new features come inside the tailgate, including the tailgate step and the bed extender. Hidden away inside the tailgate when not in use, a step slides out and folds down to make climbing up into the bed incredibly easy. Ford has even included a grab handle that folds flush into the back of the tailgate. Lest you think this is a novelty, this 6'5", 230lb writer felt very confident using it. I foresee the aftermarket latching on to the space that holds the step, coming up with dozens of replacement products for those do not necessarily want or need the step itself. The bed extender is interesting because it stows away in the side of the bed, out of the way of the cargo, when not in use, yet it increases the overall storage by the length of the tailgate when it use.

Ride and handling have also improved over the previous model. It is fairly standard practice at these types of events to put journalists into the current model so they can compare and contrast to the new model. Not surprising, we were ushered into 2007 Super Duty's to drive from the airport to the hotel. I remember writing a couple years ago about how refined I felt that Super Duty to be. In comparison to the new 2008, however, the 2007 is actually disappointing! The new models are much quieter, attributed in part to the addition of "Quiet Steel" to the bulkhead, and have an even more comfortable ride, attributed to even further refining the trucks chassis.

When you are driving, you do not look at the exterior, you look at the interior. Thanks to Ford's design team, led by Pat Schiavone, a long trip towing the family trailer, or a quick drive around the construction site, will be a very pleasant experience. If refined was a term that I used to describe the 2007 Super Duty interior, I would have to call the new interior genuinely up scale. The aforementioned side vents foreshadow the interior luxury, especially in the King Ranch trimmed model in which I spent the majority of my time. The contrasting stitch color on the leather interiors adds an element of class.

Ford has taken the refined and user-friendly interior of the current F-150 and, well, made it larger. The Super Duty dash now features the omnipresent Ford gear ring air vents (very easy to operate while wearing gloves), and in certain models, steering wheel mounted audio and climate controls, dual zone electronic temperature controls, an MP3/Aux input (will play an iPod through factory audio system, but does not control it or show song information on the display), a DVD-based navigation system that works fairly well, a DVD-based entertainment system (that trip with the trailer is looking more and more attractive, isn't it?), greater storage capacity including a dash-top tray, front door pockets and a very large center console that can hold a laptop computer.

The new Super Duty should be hitting dealer lots in February. Pricing has not yet been announced. Ford is offering the 2008 Super Duty in several trim levels, so buyers should be able to find exactly what they need. These trim levels include an FX4 Off-Road package, the Lariat, the King Ranch, the XLT and the XL in a number of configurations, from regular cab to supercab to crew cab. They will also be offering a variety of engine choices, including the 5.4L V8, 6.8L V10 and the 6.4L V8 turbodiesel, in both 4x2 and 4x4 configurations. The list of possible combinations reads like a shopping list, so I will leave it to FordVehicles.com to provide you with the details.

Ford has built a very capable and truly impressive truck. Incredibly, it is head and shoulders above its predecessor in terms of comfort, capability and refinement. It remains well ahead of the competition in this market segment, and with falling gas prices and increased awareness in diesel technology, may even generate increased personal-use sales. For anyone considering the step-up from an F-150 to a Super Duty, the transition will be simple, as the ride and handling are comfortable and the controls are ergonomic and familiar.

A couple of side notes...First off, kudos to Ford Motor Company's public relations people for managing an excellent event despite horrible weather conditions. The rain and mud may have actually helped to increase the realization of the capability of these trucks.

Finally, thank you to Ken Payne of Ford Truck Enthusiasts. Our respective flights home from San Antonio were canceled as a result of the weather. Since Ken and I both had to be back in Atlanta by Wednesday morning, we shared a rental car and a 15 hour drive home. For anyone considering a drive of that length in a rental car, I can tell you that you could do a lot worse than a 2006 Cadillac DTS.