In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 F-350 King Ranch [w/VIDEO]
Autoblog drives the 2008 F-350 King Ranch Dually
It isn't very often we get the opportunity to drive a vehicle with four wheels at the rear axle, so we were more than happy to parade around town with a completely loaded 2008 F-350 King Ranch for a week. With $4.20 per gallon diesel and an average of 11 mpg for this monster truck, it would run us about $140 just to fill the tank, so we probably wouldn't be as interested in a long-term engagement. For those of you who use your truck to pay the bills, however, this big baby has all the power, comfort and technology you'll ever need.
Power from the twin-turbo 6.4L Powerstroke diesel is incredible, with 350 hp and 650 pound-feet of torque, but at 231 inches from stem to stern, you need the grunt just to get going. The abundant torque helps you tow 18,000 pounds (!), and the integrated trailer brake controller helps you pull a load without an aftermarket setup.
The F-350 is a real work truck, and when you add the King Ranch package, you get amazing comfort and luxury that you would expect from a Lincoln Navigator. The leather covering the seats and touch areas feels like it comes from a high-end bomber jacket, and amenities like Audiophile sound, navigation, and moonroof give owners a little coddling during the work day. Hey, if your truck makes you money and the cash is coming in, why not drop $59,000 on something that can pay you back a little. Click on the video above to view our two-and-a-half-minute review, then click below for our high resolution gallery.UPDATE: Correct video added.
Gallery: 2008 F-350 King Ranch
Photos Copyright ©2008 Chris Shunk/ Weblogs, Inc.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
rob 12:05PM (4/15/2008)
cool video.... too bad it has nothin to do with an F-350 King Ranch
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Keith 12:11PM (4/15/2008)
Great video...I was waiting for the F350 to pull one of the rally cars out of the snow...but no such luck! LOL
Damon Lavrinc 12:22PM (4/15/2008)
It's been fixed.
FSM 12:06PM (4/15/2008)
Why is it that I know 3 people who own trucks like this and none of them use them as "work" trucks? They just haul tools around in the back (just in case they need them) and occasionally drag a motorcycle or snowmobile with it. It seems more often than not this kind of truck is used as an extension of ones manhood.
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SHF 12:13PM (4/15/2008)
I agree with you. But I think this kind of truck is more for like ranching and horse type people who need to haul livestock and horsetrailers. Or even boaters who need the towing capacity... Or need to prove their testosterone.
keller.rr 12:13PM (4/15/2008)
I have an older 7.3L TD F350 Crew Cab that I use for pulling my Toy Box. Loaded down with bikes, quads, gear, etc. it really needs the power to pull that load. Of course, it pretty much does not get driven now except for pulling that toy box, or the occasional off-road excusion where I need more space than my jeep.
I do agree, however, that most of the time I see big TD F250/F350 and 3500 series trucks on the road that they are being used as commuters, not hauling anything.
Jared 12:30PM (4/15/2008)
The Super Duties I see here in the Boston area are typically pulling a large landscaper's trailer or pushing a snow plow.
Bungle 12:11PM (4/15/2008)
Wow! That F-350 really handles in the snow.
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Taylor 12:14PM (4/15/2008)
I still conclude that truck is ugly as sin. Do like that saddle leather interior though.
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Yar 12:20PM (4/15/2008)
A 4x4 truck where a Limited Slip diff is optional and a locker isn't even available. Not my first choice in the truck market.
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rouse42 12:21PM (4/15/2008)
i had to borrow a truck the other day.
it was a 4 door dually 7 liter gasoline.
i drove it 200 miles and the damn thing drank 25 gallons of gas at $3.40 gal = $85 8mpg average.
i did have it loaded down with fire wood half the time.
that really hurts the wallet.
i would never want to own something like that unless it was paying for itself.
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FURYk 12:23PM (4/15/2008)
i think i like the F-350 now just cause of that awesome rally video posted above it that had nothing to do with the post
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tankd0g 12:27PM (4/15/2008)
I guess we still haven't reached the point where aerodynamics is a consideration in these things.
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Chris 12:45PM (4/15/2008)
how do you make a brick aerodynamic?
Besides with all the new rules for protecting pedestrians in collisions with vehicles I doubt aerodynamics really matter.
besides, vehicles like this are not about economy but function
tankd0g 12:54PM (4/15/2008)
You make a brick aerodynamic the same way you make everything else aerodynamic, by reducing it's drag coefficient. You think that big slab of chrome is pedestrian friendly? I think a little better aerodynamics would save a ***load of fuel on this thing over it's lifetime.
Dustin 10:53PM (4/15/2008)
A truck like this isn't designed to be a high-speed highway cruiser. People need to understand that different applications have different solutions. It's like saying your blender doesn't make a good cup of coffee. Of course not, it wasn't designed to.
tankd0g 11:13PM (4/15/2008)
That is easily the worse analogy I have ever heard. This truck is for hauling, mostly on the highway. You think haulers aren't worried about fuel economy? Laughable.
Mike 1:11AM (4/16/2008)
A slick front end doesn't have the open grille area needed to cool a big, modern diesel down. I think there are like 7 coolers on this truck, you're not going to move enough air across them all with a plastic deflector like you would on a car.
Luis 12:29PM (4/15/2008)
And the tale of our dependance on oil continues...
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Noah 12:43PM (4/15/2008)
Yeah, well it wouldn't take much to have the engine maker collaborate with biodiesel so that we can power these suckas with algae-based biodiesel (well, regular biodiesel for now).
I also somehow doubt that F-350's make up the bulk of our oil consumption.