Ford says 2018 Super Duty will be most powerful heavy duty pickup ever

Ford announced that the 2018 Ford Super Duty will be the most powerful heavy-duty pickup truck ever, with best-in-class horsepower, torque and towing capacity, from a newly upgraded 6.7-liter V8 diesel engine.

The F-450 4x2 Crew Cab dual-rear-wheel pickup joins the Super Duty lineup for 2018, with 34,000-pound towing capacity.

"The 2018 Super Duty has brought a bazooka to a knife fight," said Dave Sullivan, a product analysis manager at AutoPacific. "To take full advantage of the F-450's capability, you'll need a commercial driver's license. This update comes with major bragging rights. You can haul the family and a house behind your truck. No other crew cab model can come close to hauling 17 tons."

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Super Duty trucks have seen incredible sales growth in recent months, and now the hauling hardware is matched by impressive specs, Sullivan said. "Just a decade ago, we were impressed with 600-lb-ft of torque. As the price for diesel engines continues to increase in this segment, the capability seems to grow with it."

Heavy duty pickups such as the Super Duty are extremely profitable.

Ford, Chevrolet and Ram are engaged in an intense fight for bragging rights.

The 2018 Super Duty makes five best-in-class claims, according to Todd Eckert, Ford truck group marketing manager:

• 450 horsepower (a 10 horsepower improvement over 2017)

• 935 lb.-ft. of torque (a 10 lb.-ft. improvement over 2017)

• 34,000 pounds of gooseneck towing, when properly equipped (a 1,500-pound improvement for the new F-450 4x2 model)

• 21,000-pound conventional hitch towing 

• 7,360-pound payload capacity

The F-450 will be available this winter in XL, XLT, Lariat and Platinum series offerings. The base price is $52,830.

Contact Phoebe Wall Howard: 313-222-6512 or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @phoebesaid