Autoblog

Who sold the most heavy-duty pickups in 2012? PickupTrucks.com investigates

Zach Bowman — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:44:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Truck, Work, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, GM, GMC, Ram

Domestic manufacturers enjoyed a good year for heavy-duty pickup sales in 2012. PickupTrucks.com has taken a close look at exactly how those sales broke down between each manufacturer and between three-quarter and one-ton pickups. Ford sold some 67,786 F-250 Super Duty models last year with the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD falling just behind at 56,359 units. The Ram 2500 HD came in third at 41,918, while the GMC Sierra 2500 HD earned itself fourth place with 27,616 deliveries. While Ford held onto the top spot in the one-ton market, Ram easily nailed down second place by selling more 3500 HD models last year than General Motors sold Silverado 3500 HD and Sierra 3500 HD trucks combined.

So, did GM manage to sell more trucks than Ford with its two brands? Very nearly. Ford sold a total of 119,338 heavy-duty pickups to GM's 111,555. Ram, meanwhile, moved a distant 77,583. But perhaps more interesting is the diesel take rate in this segment. PickupTrucks.com says 80 percent of all domestic one-ton trucks roll from the dealer lot with a turbo-diesel under the hood. Head over to the site for a closer look at the breakdown.

Who sold the most heavy-duty pickups in 2012? PickupTrucks.com investigates originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Truck decked out in festive lights gets owner a ticket for Christmas [w/video]

Jeffrey N. Ross — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Videos

Nobody likes getting a ticket from the police, but a $300 fine given to David Hill of Wichita, KS could prove to be some of the cheapest PR a charity could receive. Hill had his Ford F-350 Super Duty covered in 856 Christmas lights to help raise awareness to his charity, One Spark Can Start a Fire, when a Wichita police officer pulled him over and ticketed him for being a distraction on the road and illegally displaying red and blue lights on a vehicle (although it's hard to believe that anyone could confuse this truck for any sort of emergency vehicle).

The lights were attached to the truck using magnets and powered by an 8,000-Watt generator mounted in the bed of the truck. The lights are a great way to draw local attention to his charity, but Hill sees the ticket as a way he can draw even more attention to One Spark, which is a non-profit organization intent on performing random acts of kindness such as collecting clothes and providing food for the homeless, according to the organization's Facebook page.

Be sure to scroll down to watch the news report video, and check out Hill's charitable cause here.

Continue reading Truck decked out in festive lights gets owner a ticket for Christmas [w/video]

Truck decked out in festive lights gets owner a ticket for Christmas [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 15 Dec 2012 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kelderman Ford F-250 Super Duty laughs at lesser trucks

Seyth Miersma — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 20:40:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Truck, Ford, Off-Road

Don't be confused; for every low, fast and/or sleek looking car at the SEMA show, there is at least one towing truck or SUV. The off-road and working vehicles of the world are well represented here in Las Vegas, as typified by this Ford F-250 XLT Crew Cab by Kelderman Air Suspension Systems and Tim Nicolau Designs.

The huge Super Duty diesel has between eight- and ten-inches of available lift via tricked-out suspension components and an AccuAir TouchPad air suspension management system. It can probably drive over most of the traffic in and around the Las Vegas convention center, which means we're seriously considering it for our escape vehicle later in the week.

Enjoy the monstrous live image gallery, attached.

Kelderman Ford F-250 Super Duty laughs at lesser trucks originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Oct 2012 20:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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From Super Duty to Call of Duty: Ford could power U.S. military's future

Scott Burgess — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Ford, Military, Diesel

The future of the U.S. Army's Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program might be powered by a Ford V8. BAE Systems, Northrup Grumman and Meritor Defenses said this afternoon that their proposed light fighting vehicle, which is called the Valanx, will have a Ford Power Stroke 6.7-liter diesel engine under its steel hood. (And likely a .50 cal on its roof.)

If it's good enough for the Super Duty, it's good enough for a Call of Duty.

"Ford products have a reputation for dependability and performance, even under challenging conditions," said Ann Hoholick, BAE Systems Vice President of Amphibious & New Programs in the release.

Ford had dropped out of the JLTV program, which is searching for the next fighting machine to replace the venerable Humvee for the U.S. military. Ford is not a partner with the group but did provide a statement this afternoon.

"We're proud of Ford's 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 diesel engines and their best-in-class power, durability and fuel economy," said Ford spokesman Mike Levine. "And we are proud the engines were chosen to be part of BAE's JLTV entry."

Let's just hope that engine is as bulletproof.

Continue reading From Super Duty to Call of Duty: Ford could power U.S. military's future

From Super Duty to Call of Duty: Ford could power U.S. military's future originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford unveils 2013 F-Series Super Duty, now with Platinum [w/video]

Zach Bowman — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 10:33:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Technology, Ford, Luxury, Infotainment

Ford has officially served up the details on the upcoming 2013 F-Series Super Duty. Buyers will be able to snap up the latest work rig with in a new Platinum trim level that throws in niceties like SYNC, MyFord Touch, navigation and a rear-view camera as standard equipment. Power telescoping mirrors are also part of the package.

Unfortunately, the Platinum trim will only be available in Super Duty Crew Cab configuration. Even so, the cabin is swaddled in high-quality wood grain trim and premium leather seating. The leather-wrapped steering wheel is also heated for those really frosty mornings.

Outside, a smattering of chrome trim work sets the 2013 F-Series Super Duty Platinum apart from the rest of the trucks on the job site. Chrome door handles, mirror caps and running boards all add a bit of splash, as do the sizable 20-inch wheels that are newly designed for 2013.

Ford says the MyFord Touch at work in the new Super Duty is truck specific with features like a massive eight-inch touch screen display which has been optimized to function even when users are wearing thick work gloves. See below for the full press release as well as a brief video.

Continue reading Ford unveils 2013 F-Series Super Duty, now with Platinum [w/video]

Ford unveils 2013 F-Series Super Duty, now with Platinum [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Ford Super Duty teased, new trim coming

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 00:01:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Work, Ford, Design/Style

The Ford F-Series Super Duty pickup truck is a pretty big deal. Not only is it physically large and imposing, it's also a huge seller for Ford and a vehicle that practically generates its own weight in ~~gold~~ profit. That being the case, it's no surprise that Ford is keen to make some noise about a new trim level for the 2013 Super Duty.

Judging from the lone teaser image let out by Ford, we can all expect the 2013 F-Series Super Duty to retain its massive, upright and in-your-face grille, flanked on either side by squared-off headlamps. We'd also expect to see enough chrome to bling the teeth of a dozen rappers, though nothing much is visible behind the curtain of the image above.

What will the trim level be called? We have no idea, but Ford is announcing the truck alongside its Professional Bull Riding partner, so we're figuring there may be some sort of tie-in along those lines. In any case, we'll just have to wait until Friday, March 9 for all the details. Stay tuned, truck lovers, and feel free to click on the image above for the full-size version.

2013 Ford Super Duty teased, new trim coming originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Infographic: Ford Super Duty shows off market share in the workplace

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:31:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Marketing/Advertising, Work, Ford

Use your truck for work? Chances are good, according to Ford, that truck is an F-Series Super Duty proudly wearing a Blue Oval on the massive front grille. Perhaps that shouldn't come as too big a surprise, considering that Ford has sold 4.1 million Super Duty pickups since 1998, which, Ford is happy to point out, is enough trucks to wrap around all 16,000 miles of the Australian coast.

Something tells us that Ford's placement atop the heavy duty work truck market is secure for at least a little while; after all, every 63 seconds, a Super Duty pickup truck rolls off the assembly line. Want more interesting stats? You'll find plenty of 'em - including 21 separate industries where the Super Duty reigns supreme - in the infographic above (click on the image for the full-size version) and press release after the break. And if you're a Super Duty owner yourself, Ford invites you to share your own story at its new We Own Work website.

Continue reading Infographic: Ford Super Duty shows off market share in the workplace

Infographic: Ford Super Duty shows off market share in the workplace originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Matchbox 2011 Ford F-350 Super Duty by Superlift suspensions is one hot fire truck

Zach Bowman — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Truck, Work, Ford, Police/Emergency

We have little interest in running into burning buildings, but we can imagine being a firefighter has its perks. For starters, those guys and girls get the chance to pilot some seriously incredible machinery. Superlift, Matchbox and Ford got together to create what could very possibly be the world's most bad-ass brush truck using a 2011 F-350 Super Duty as the base chassis. The truck wears an astonishing 10-inch lift and 41-inch Interko IROK tires. A full tube exo-cage helps protect the PPG "Oh So Orange" paint, and a smattering of lights and sirens ensure that everyone will see this emergency vehicle coming.

A full fire-fighting utility bed, complete with water tanks, pumps and hoses, sits ready to take on brush fires and the like, and a front-mounted water canon means that the Matchbox brush truck can tackle flames going and coming. We dig it.

Matchbox 2011 Ford F-350 Super Duty by Superlift suspensions is one hot fire truck originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ohio judge orders Ford to pay $2B to dealers over class-action suit

Aaron Richardson — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 16:03:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Government/Legal, Work, Ford

An Ohio judge ordered Ford to pay $2 billion to thousands of its dealerships to settle a 2002 lawsuit. Dealers brought the class-action lawsuit after Ford overcharged them for commercial trucks over an 11-year period.

The cash reward breaks down like this: $781 million in damages and $1.2 billion in interest will be divided up among nearly 3,000 dealerships after being overcharged on nearly 475,000 trucks.

According to Ford, the lawsuit covered 600 Series and higher trucks built between 1987 and 1997. Dealers accused Ford of failing to let them know about price concessions given to some dealers. Ford says it will appeal the decision, so the $2B likely isn't going anywhere just yet.

Ohio judge orders Ford to pay $2B to dealers over class-action suit originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 11 Jun 2011 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Ford feels Japan quake effect with shortage of red, black paint

Aaron Richardson — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Ford

2010 Ford Taurus SHO - Click above for high-res image gallery

Due to a pigment shortage stemming from the March 11 earthquake in Japan, Ford has had to stop taking new orders for cars in Tuxedo Black, and is limiting orders of three shades of red. Officials from Ford say they're working on another source for the pigment as you read this, and have enough cars in each color to satisfy demand until production resumes.

The paint shortage affects the F-150 and Super Duty lines of pickups, as well as the Explorer, the Expedition, Focus, Taurus and the Lincoln MKS and Navigator. Ford's slowdown follows General Motors, who slowed production of pickups in Shreveport, Louisiana, as well as compact cars in Europe following parts shortages.

Honda, Toyota and Nissan have all experienced slowdowns as a result of the quake, though none have had to limit color choices.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Ford Taurus SHO

Photos copyright (C)2011 John Neff / AOL

[Source: Bloomberg]

Report: Ford feels Japan quake effect with shortage of red, black paint originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford Super Duty pickups to regain maximum towing title

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Work, Ford, Diesel

The never-ending battle of heavy-duty pickup truck one-upmanship continues with Ford's announcement that it will increase the maximum trailer tow rating on its 2011.5 F-350 and F-450 Super Duty models to 17,500 pounds. Not coincidentally, General Motors nabbed the maximum conventional trailer rating at the beginning of 2011 with the latest versions of its Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD with ratings of up to 17,000 pounds.

Of course, to pull such massive loads, any fullsize truck needs to be properly equipped, and in the case of the Ford, that means a 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 diesel (400 horsepower and 800 pound-feet of torque), a Crew Cab, dual-rear-wheel chassis and a weight-distributing hitch. For those keeping track, GM says its trucks can pull their maximum loads with a standard weight-carrying hitch. Thanks to all for the tips!

At the start of 2011, the Ford Super Duty's maximum conventional tow rating stood at 16,000 pounds when properly equipped. What led to the increase? Speaking to PickupTrucks.com, Ford spokeswoman Anne Marie Gattari explained that a frame change made back in August of 2010 will work together with a new hitch design that will go into production on Monday, February 7th. So there you go.

Naturally, we expect a suitably quick response from General Motors, and possibly even Ram. Of course, there's always the Ferd F-Teenthousand...

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Ford Super Duty pickups to regain maximum towing title originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumble in the Rockies with HD pickups results in lopsided victory for...

Chris Shunk — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 13:31:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Chevrolet, Ford, GM

Pickuptrucks.com published its Heavy-Duty Shootout over the summer, which the truck-centric site calls the most exhaustive testing of pickups you'll find anywhere (it's true). The title bout of that competition featured Detroit's best diesel-powered three-quarter and one-ton pickups, with the Chevy Silverado HD coming out on top. But while victory was sweet for the Bowtie brand, some Blue Oval fans bemoaned the fact that the Super Duty trucks weren't of the "Job Two" variety. The Job Two trucks from Ford featured an ECU reflash for their 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 diesel engines, which resulted in a power bump to best-of-class levels of 400 horsepower and 800 pound-feet of torque. So on paper, the Job Two Super Duty appeared to be more stout than the Silverado HD and its 6.6-liter Duramax V8 diesel rated at 397 hp and 765 lb-ft of torque.

But General Motors didn't back down, instead challenging The Blue Oval's truck team to a mountainous tow-off. Ford refused. Instead of walking away, GM offered Pickuptrucks.com the opportunity to observe a competition between the Ford and Chevy, an opportunity the truck site couldn't pass up, with stipulations. The trucks had to be purchased off the dealer lot, equipment levels had to be as close as possible and the testing would have to be performed by Pickuptrucks.com and Diesel Power magazine, with Chevy merely looking on.

The trucks were driven out to Dillon, Colorado to the Eisenhower Pass on Interstate 70 for a 7.6-mile mountain course with grades ranging between five and seven percent at an elevation that topped two miles high. With four adults and an 18,920-pound trailer for each truck, the overall GCWR of the Chevy came in at 27,940 pounds, while the Ford tipped the scales at 28,160 pounds. The very simple goal was to determine which one-ton truck would reach the summit first, as well as to compare how their exhaust brakes performed.

[SPOILER ALERT: Follow the jump to find out who won or read the official results at Pickuptrucks.com]

[Source: Pickuptrucks.com]

Continue reading Rumble in the Rockies with HD pickups results in lopsided victory for...

Rumble in the Rockies with HD pickups results in lopsided victory for... originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy challenges Ford to HD towing contest, gets turned down

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 08:27:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Marketing/Advertising, Work, Chevrolet, Ford, GM, Diesel

Numbers like maximum horsepower, torque and tow ratings are the heart and soul of the full-size heavy duty pickup truck segment. No shocker there. But how much reliance can consumers actually put on figures provided by the manufacturer? And, keeping in mind that the average test drive doesn't include hooking up a ten-ton trailer, how might we all get a proper frame of reference when judging one massive diesel beast with another?

Such questions may soon get an answer... other than this one, decided upon just a few weeks back. It seems that General Motors has issued a pretty straightforward challenge to Ford: a towing duel up mountain grades, followed by a comparison of factory-issued exhaust brakes on the way back down. (Sorry, Ram... guess you're not invited out to play.) Seems simple enough, no?

Here are some relevant statistics: Ford's (reflashed) 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel V8 engine punishes the tarmac with an even 400 horsepower and 800 pound-feet of torque. That's class-leading, as GM's 6.6-liter Duramax pumps out 397 horses and 765 pound-feet. Looking at those numbers, Ford wins... right?

Not so fast, says Chevrolet Silverado Marketing Manager Tony Truelove, "Numbers on paper are fine," he said. "Let's go work these trucks in the mountains, and may the best truck win." To which Ford Trucks spokeswoman Anne Marie Gattari replied, "We challenge our trucks against the competition in grueling prove-out tests continually, and the customer gives us the results - sales leadership year after year."

That's right, The Blue Oval plainly and unsurprisingly declined Chevrolet's invitation. But the show must go on, and our friends at Pickuptrucks.com promise to be on hand in their very best black-and-white-striped shirts to serve as referees for the main event. Let's get ready to rumble!

Gallery: PickupTrucks.com Heavy-Duty shootout 2010

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Chevy challenges Ford to HD towing contest, gets turned down originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Duty's Power Stroke diesel gets 800 lb-ft of torque reflash

Chris Shunk — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 10:58:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Ford, Diesel

2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty - Click above for high-res image gallery

We don't remember feeling at all disappointed when Ford released power figures for its new 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel engine available in the 2011 Super Duty. After all, who's going to argue with 390 horsepower and 735 pound-feet of torque? Then General Motors published power figures for its new 6.6-liter Duramax Diesel of 397 ponies and 765 stump-pulling lb-ft of twist. Oh snap! That left Ford on the shallow end of the power pool, but engineers were secretly working on a flash update for its in-house oil burner. The engineering tweak is now available and brings the Power Stroke's figures up to 400 horsepower and 800 lb-ft of torque, besting the General's mill by three ponies and 35 pound-feet.

Our friend Mike Levine over at Pickuptrucks.com dyno'd the engine before and after the reflash. The new Power Stroke has a lot more low-end torque than it did before the reflash, with an extra 45 lb-ft available at the rear wheels at a measly 2,000 rpm. But as the power band stretches towards 4,000 revolutions, the torque totals swing back into the favor of the pre-calibration engine by 22.1 lb-ft. Is that a big deal? Probably not to truck drivers, as low-end torque is the name of the game when you're pulling and hauling for a living.

Beyond added capability, Levine tells us that the reflashed Super Duty feels less jumpy, adding "gear shifts were smoother and less noticeable after the update than before getting on the freeway and driving on surface streets." New 2011 models heading down the assembly line will receive the updated mill, but existing customers can get a free reflash from their dealer. For the next 12 months, some early purchasers of the 2011 Power Stroke will also have to visit a dealer for the upgrade. The whole process reportedly takes all of 30 minutes, or enough time to think about what else you can tow with your newfound torque. Head over to pickuptrucks.com to read the extensive review of the new engine calibrations.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty

[Source: Pickuptrucks]

Super Duty's Power Stroke diesel gets 800 lb-ft of torque reflash originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Ford 6.7-liter PowerStroke gets 800 lb-ft as of next week, upgrades available

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Work, Ford, GM, Diesel

2011 Ford Super Duty pickup - Click above for high-res image gallery

Ford has made it official: beginning with next week's production, the 6.7-liter PowerStroke turbo diesel in the 2011 Ford Super Duty pickup will be upgraded to 400 horsepower and 800 pound-feet of torque. That's a bump of 10 hp and a jump of 65 lb-ft, enough to leapfrog General Motors' 6.6-liter Duramax by 3 hp and 35 lb-ft. Or, to put more bluntly, enough to run over the Duramax on its way to the top of the heavy duty engine heap.

Further, at the end of August, the Super Duty's frame will be strengthened, upping its payload rating by 550 pounds (to 7,070), which will also increase its fifth-wheel tow rating by 1,000 pounds to 22,600.

Although not much can be done for your tow rating if you bought a Super Duty as soon as it hit the showroom, you can get the power upgrade from your suddenly feeble 635 torques. For one year starting on August 31, 2010, will be able to take their pickups into Ford dealers and get their engines tweaked to the new standard. Since there's no hardware involved, Ford says it should take just 20 minutes to get the reflash job done - learn more with the official press release after the jump.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty

Photos by Rex Roy / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Sources: Ford, Detroit News]

Continue reading Official: Ford 6.7-liter PowerStroke gets 800 lb-ft as of next week, upgrades available

Official: Ford 6.7-liter PowerStroke gets 800 lb-ft as of next week, upgrades available originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Ford 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel to churn out 800 lb-ft of torque

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Work, Ford, GM

In February, the specs on Ford's 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbo-diesel V8 were announced: 390 horsepower and 735 pound-feet of torque. A month later, General Motors laid out the specs on its 6.6-liter Duramax turbo-diesel: 397 hp and 765 lb-ft. According to PickupTrucks.com, the Duramax could be shoved to the corner again later this year, when a high-output Super Duty blows out the footlights with 400 hp and 800 - or more - lb-ft of twisting gumption.

According to the unknown source within the Blue Oval, Ford's new 6R140 TorqShift six-speed transmission has strong enough guts that Ford can open up the taps on that engine a bit. And give GM something to think about. If this absurdly powerful dream does come true, the behemoth motor will be seen in the second wave of 2011 Super Duty pickups that begin production in a few months. No word on whether early adopters of the 6.7-liter will get a free upgrade.

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Report: Ford 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel to churn out 800 lb-ft of torque originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Ford's Power Stroke diesel getting power increase to beat GM Duramax

Chris Shunk — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 09:02:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Chevrolet, Ford, GMC, Rumormill

2011 Ford Super Duty - Click above for high-res image gallery

Volatile gas prices and increasingly stiff emissions standards were supposed to kill the auto industry's horsepower wars, or so we ~~thought~~ feared. Recent news out of the General Motors and Ford camps appears to prove otherwise. The second act in the battle for power supremacy took a turn for the better last November when The Blue Oval announced that the 2011 Mustang would receive a 305-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 powertrain; a hair more punch than the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro V6's 304-hp output. But what's one extra horse between neighbors, right?

The General struck back a couple weeks ago when it announced power figures for the 6.6-liter Duramax diesel available in the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra heavy duty pickups. The new Duramax pumps out 397 hp and 765 lb-ft of torque, besting Ford's 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel that was announced just a few weeks earlier by seven hp and 30 lb-ft. Ford likely isn't going to take this Super Duty setback lying down, and sources tell our friends over at PickupTrucks.com that the company Henry built is looking to regain the power lead within a year.

PickupTrucks.com reports that the new 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel engine is an all-new architecture that likely has plenty of room for more punch, while the 6.6-liter Duramax is an older engine with less room for improvement, so the seesaw battle may not last too long. And sources say Ford engineers could crank the mill beyond 400 ponies and 775 lb-ft; or enough power to tow Florida closer to Texas.

But for now GM's new fullsize pickups hold the power figure crown while Ford engineers look on with malice in their micrometers. At least Ford has that one pony lead over the Camaro, right? Rumor has it that the Bowtie brand is working on that one, too.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty

[Source: PickupTrucks]

Rumormill: Ford's Power Stroke diesel getting power increase to beat GM Duramax originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM quickly one-ups Ford with 2011 Duramax diesel ratings, shows off GMC Sierra Denali HD

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Chevrolet, Ford, GM, GMC, Diesel

2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD - Click above for high-res image gallery

Not even a month ago, at the end of our post on the 2011 Ford Super Duty engine specs, we wrote: "General Motors, there's a big ass ball in your court." Someone at GM has apparently grabbed their big ass racket and said, "Oh, I got this...", then smacked the ball right back into play. The Ford's measurements 390 horsepower, 735 pound-feet of grunt. The General has just announced that its 6.6-liter Duramax turbo diesel has 397 horsepower and 765 lb-ft. of torque, a jump of 32 horsepower and 105 lb-ft. over the previous Duramax.

A closer look at the numbers does reveal some give-and-take, however. The Ford's maximum tow rating is 21,600 pounds, while GM's is 20,000 pounds. And while not exactly engine related, the Ford truck also has a higher max payload than the GM twins. Still, the RenCen pickups take the power crown, and the new Duramax is more efficient than the previous one - GM didn't put a specific mileage number to it, but claims 680 miles of highway going possible from the 36-gallon tank. You'll find GM's press release on the new engine after the jump.

In related news, GM has released the first image of its GMC Sierra Denali HD pickup, mechanical and sheetmetal twin of the Chevrolet Silverado HD. There's an additional press release after the jump for it as well.

So... anyone else want to take a swing at that even bigger ass ball?

Gallery: 2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD

[Source: General Motors via PickupTrucks.com]

Continue reading GM quickly one-ups Ford with 2011 Duramax diesel ratings, shows off GMC Sierra Denali HD

GM quickly one-ups Ford with 2011 Duramax diesel ratings, shows off GMC Sierra Denali HD originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty brings the biggest tools

Rex Roy — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:56:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Work, Ford, First Drives, Off-Road

2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty - Click above for high-res image gallery

It's a guy thing. Tim Allen understands. If you've got a job to do, you need the right tool. As guy logic goes, the bigger and more powerful the tool, the better.

If what you do requires a tool shaped like a truck, then you're currently experiencing a nirvana-like period in history. In just the last few months, Chrysler and General Motors introduced their new heavy-duty trucks. We drove the 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty in October and liked it. We also saw the Chevrolet and GMC HDs at the Chicago Auto Show last month. Although we've yet to get behind the wheel, the powertrain and chassis improvements appear promising.

Not to be left out, Ford's rolling introduction of its latest F-Series Super Duty just culminated with an Arizona-based press-only driving event (we first reported on the new truck in September). Want to know everything about Ford's big, new tool? For starters, the blue oval on the grille measures 13 inches. Believe it or not, there's more. Find out after the jump.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty brings the biggest tools

First Drive: 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty brings the biggest tools originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Ford Super Duty power, towing specs released

Damon Lavrinc — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:59:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Work, Ford

2011 Ford Super Duty - Click above for high-res image gallery

Heavy duty truck lovers have been waiting for these figures for a while, so let's just cut to the main course. The 2011 Ford Super Duty can be had with two engines: the 6.2-liter gasoline-powered V8 found in the upgraded SVT Raptor, which puts out 385 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque, or an all-new, Ford-designed 6.7-liter turbo-diesel V8 producing 390 hp and a pavement pummeling 735 lb-ft of twist (at 1,600 rpm).

The latter engine in the F450 is able to tow some 24,400 pounds and has a maximum payload of 4,920 pounds. The F350, which is the closest competitor to the Chevrolet, GMC or Ram equivalent, comes to the fight with 21,600 pounds of towing capacity and 6,520 pounds of payload (if you're curious why the F450's maxium payload is less than the F350's, check out this explanation half-way down the page). Each engine is mated to a 6R140 heavy-duty TorqShift six-speed automatic transmission.

Our First Drive of the new King of the Hill will be forthcoming, but you can get all the details in the press release after the jump. Oh, and General Motors, there's a big ass ball in your court.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Super Duty

Continue reading 2011 Ford Super Duty power, towing specs released

2011 Ford Super Duty power, towing specs released originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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