Ford is marketing its 2017 line of Super Duty trucks as the toughest, smartest, and most capable variety of Super Dutys it’s ever made. Its aluminum body and fully boxed steel frame make it the toughest. Its array of available technology features, such as adaptive cruise control and seven vision-enhancing cameras, make it the smartest. Its tweaked Power Stroke diesel and 6.2-liter gas V8 engines make the 2017 Super Duty the most capable.
So does a Ford patent for its new cupholder design.
Between the two front seats, there’s a compartment with an open storage area on the left and two cup holders on the right. Sliding a panel from the right side to the left doubles the drink capacity to four, bringing the total number of cupholders to 10 – perfect for thirsty work crews or families who just loaded up with drinks for a long road trip.
One thing Ford didn’t patent? A device that will keep the drivers of 2017 Super Dutys from having to pull over every 30 minutes for bathroom breaks.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
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