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2011 Ford Superduty

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2011 Ford Superduty - More Power, More Safety, More Mileage




The Ford Super Duty rolls into 2011 with some powertrain and design updates that make it an even more incredible truck than ever. The F-350 and F-450 are some of the most mass-market pickup trucks you can get, offered in the widest array of configurations and powertrains, and equally able to meet recreational or commercial needs. With new power for 2011, Ford says that, in general, payload capability will improve by about 100 pounds, for two reasons: First, the new 6.7-liter diesel engine weighs about 160 pounds less than the outgoing 6.4-liter diesel. This improves both front payload and the gross axle weight rating, particularly for applications like snow plowing. Secondly, other safety, refinement, and emissions-control changes add back about 60 pounds, so the 2011 Super Duty weighs about 100 pounds less than the 2008-10 trucks. Brand new is the first-ever factory fifth-wheel prep package designed and engineered by Reese Hitches. The truck will come with the bed floor cut, the frame mount and the wiring; the customer will still have to buy the hitch that sits in the bed from either a Ford dealer or the aftermarket. For 2011, the Ford F-250 adds traction and electronic stability control, a hill launch assist feature, side curtain airbags, a redesigned instrument panel offering more information, a tilt and telescoping steering wheel and trailer sway control. The 2011 Super Duty also adds an electronic locking rear differential for the first time that's similar to the GKN-supplied e-locker, which is available on the F-150 FX4 off-road package and SVT Raptor. This generation of Ford Super Duty trucks is the best ever. It has all of the capability expected of a heavy-duty pickup, yet it is comfortable, rides well, and delivers a lot of value.

Inside the 2011 Superduty

 
Inside, the Super Duty borrows seats from the F-150, improving the old six-way power-adjustable chairs to 10-way units with heaters and coolers in the Lariat and King Ranch models. The heated and cooled seats will be available for the Lariat chassis-cab models, too.  There's a new information display in the instrument cluster that can show the truck's attitude off-road as well as the steering position. It also communicates important systems messages and the transmission's gear state. The Cabela's edition Super Duty that debuted for 2009 goes away for 2011, but Ford is keeping that model's interior storage features. There's lockable underseat storage beneath the small center seat up front and a large storage compartment beneath the rear bench. The extra storage is standard on XLT and Lariat Crew Cab models. The middle front seat gets a nice safety bump the addition of a three-point safety belt. The F-250 offers amenities such as a supplemental cab heater, a reverse camera system, upfitter switches, a navigation system, a remote start system, satellite radio, SYNC, a rear folding tailgate step and a trailer brake controller. Also, the unique Ford Work Solution options provide innovative solutions for trucks used in the work place.


Driving the Ford Superduty


New and improved engines, more power, and better fuel efficiency; it can?t get much better than that. While the 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel will be the power-pulling crown jewel of the 2011 Super Duty lineup, two other gas engines will be available for the F-250 through F-550 pickups and commercial chassis cabs: today's 6.8-liter V-10 Triton and an all-new 6.2-liter V-8, which is also slated for use in the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor off-road pickup. This is the engine formerly referred to as the Boss V-8 and the Hurricane before that. The single overhead cam (SOHC) 6.2-liter V-8 features two spark plugs per cylinder and dual equal variable cam timing. For the U.S., the 6.2-liter gas engine will be E85-compatible from Job 1, and the 6.7-liter Power Stroke will be certified to run on biodiesel blends up to B20 (20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent conventional diesel). The new transmission wrings out several inefficiencies versus the 5R110 that help improve fuel economy. They include faster warm-up times and operating the transmission cooling system at 200 degrees Fahrenheit instead of 173 degrees ? a temperature that Ford says strikes a good balance between mileage and trailer-towing shift performance. The 6R140 also uses a new torque converter lockup strategy that enables the torque converter to lockup sooner and more often, which allows the engine to run at a lower rpm for better fuel economy. A long-travel turbine damper helps the torque converter cope with the 6.7-liter V-8 diesel's high torque output and allows the powertrain to lug down to 900 rpm. Gas engine models inherit the Super Duty's electronically controlled viscous clutch that debuted on the 2008-10 6.4-liter diesel trucks and delivers better fuel economy and overall NVH and controllability.

Ford F-350 / F-450 Exterior

 The 2011 Superduty is a huge, imposing truck. It makes its presence clear with a stylish design that is modern, yet stays true to traditional Ford design cues. The Ford Super Duty shows off its big grill, deep bumper, and stacked lamps with the headlights on the bottom. Its exterior dimensions can easily be given in yards rather than inches, and the sheer vastness of the sheetmetal can seem overwhelming when it's time to wash it. A tailgate step is available that makes the climb up to the bed easier and safer, even for young guys. This setup features a 16.7 x 4.5-inch step with a half-ton load rating that pops downward from the open tailgate; it comes with a grab handle rated at 300 pounds that flips up.


Summary

The Super Duty once again has been reworked by Ford, and the 2011 model year offers an impressive vehicle.  The redesigned 2011 F-250 is available as a 4x2 or a 4x4, has three different cab configurations, and has three trims available. The rugged and reliable XL, the well equipped XLT, and the luxurious Lariat. Visit the official 2011 Ford Superduty site for more information and the latest updates. The automaker?s heavy duty pickup trucks continues to stay on top of the pickup segment with new updates, the third version rolled out in the last four years and the second since Ford reworked the truck for the 2008 model year. The F-250 three-quarter-ton and F-350 one-ton trucks rule the pack with almost 50 percent market share; the Ford F-450 1.5-ton continues in a segment that it owns but with several major revisions. The big news for 2011 is two new engines and an all new transmission. These include a standard 6.2-liter 385-hp Triton V8 with 405 lb.-ft. of torque or the optional and innovative 6.7-liter turbo 390-hp V8 Powerstroke diesel with 735 lb.-ft. of torque. Both engines are mated to a new TorqShift six-speed automatic transmission with SelectShift and a Tow/Haul mode.  For anyone who needs serious hauling or towing power, the 2011 Ford Superduty gets the job done every time. For another look at this model, read a Popular Mechanics 2011 Superduty test drive.