2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty Leads Heavy-Duty Trucks in Capability, Now Fuel Economy, Too

DEARBORN, Mich., Feb. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

• The most capable heavy-duty pickup in America – the Ford F-Series Super Duty – also is the most powerful and fuel efficient for the 2011 model year, offering customers their choice of either gas or diesel engines

• Fuel economy on the all-new 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty equipped with the 6.7-liter Power Stroke® V-8 diesel engine averages an 18 percent improvement for pickup models and up to 25 percent improvement for chassis cabs versus 2010 models. Trucks equipped with new base 6.2-liter V-8 gas engines average a 15 percent improvement versus 2010 models

• The all-new Ford-engineered, Ford-designed, Ford-built 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine has best-in-class torque of 735 ft.-lb. (at 1,600 rpm) and best-in-class 390 horsepower (at 2,800 rpm) – 85 ft.-lb. and 40 horsepower more than the outgoing model – with best-in-class fuel economy; new engine is B20 biodiesel compatible, too

• All-new 6.2-liter V-8 gas engine is also best-in-class with 385 horsepower and 405 ft.-lb. of torque – 85 more horsepower and 40 ft.-lb. of torque more than the current 5.4-liter V-8 gas engine. It also delivers class-leading fuel economy and E85 compatibility

• All-new powertrains are the backbone of the new 2011 F-Series Super Duty, which has class-leading towing capability of 26,400 pounds on chassis cabs, 24,400 pounds on pickups; best-in-class payload capability of 12,711 pounds on chassis cabs, 6,520 pounds on pickups

The new 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty delivers the most heavy-duty truck horsepower. Top torque. Industry-best towing capability and payload. Fuel economy leadership. In short, the new Super Duty delivers leadership in every feature that matters to heavy-duty truck customers.

With Ford-built diesel and gas powertrains, the all-new Ford Super Duty dominates the competition in payload, conventional towing, fifth-wheel towing and gross combined weight rating in both pickups and chassis cabs. Diesel engines account for 65 percent of the Super Duty sales, with gas engines making up the remaining 35 percent.  

The new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel – designed, engineered and built by Ford – delivers class-leading fuel economy as well as best-in-class 390 horsepower and 735 ft.-lb. of torque – that's 75 ft.-lb. more than its nearest competitor in the market today. Plus, the new Super Duty fuel economy improvement averages 18 percent better for pickup models and up to 25 percent for chassis cab versus the outgoing Super Duty.

Significantly improved torque – 85 ft.-lb. more than the current 6.4-liter Power Stroke diesel – is good news for the nearly 97 percent of Super Duty customers who tow and helps the 2011 Super Duty deliver class-leading towing capability of 26,400 pounds with the F-550 chassis cab. The 2011 Super Duty also has class-leading payload capability of 6,520 pounds.

"Having best-in-class numbers is powerful, but the real payoff is how those numbers deliver for our customers," said Mark Fields, Ford president of The Americas. "For 33 years, F-Series has been the No. 1-seller in America because we listen to our customers. With Super Duty, they've told us how they use their trucks to tow, and on the new truck, we focused on delivering best-in-class towing capability for them with new powertrains that deliver best-in-class power and best-in-class fuel economy."

Built to last, just the way customers like

During the Super Duty's development, engineers put more than 10.3 million equivalent test miles on the new diesel engine, including extreme road and weather conditions. The new Power Stroke diesel is the most-tested Power Stroke ever, incorporating the most rigorous engine tests found in Ford globally.

Extensive CAD (computer-aided design) and CAE (computer-aided engineering) work was completed to identify any potential challenges before hardware was created, which not only is time-efficient but also helps ensure quality at the outset.

Customer data, including driving styles, road types and vehicle usage (towing and payload), also played a key role in developing the testing program that best replicated Super Duty use.

Components were tested in the laboratory with a regimen designed to exceed what even the most extreme-use customer might dish out. Engines literally ran continuously for hundreds of hours.  Engines were started in below-zero temperatures more than 2,600 times. Plus, laboratory tests simulated 10 years of use in arctic conditions.

B20 compatibility added for 2011 model year

The strict testing work also ensured the new engine is B20 compatible, which allows customers another fueling option that uses blends of up to 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel. Because biodiesel fuel varies in quality in the U.S. and Canada, durability testing cycles were run on multiple blends of the fuel to ensure the robustness of the system. This is especially important to the agricultural industry, where biodiesel is often the preferred fuel.

"These tests give us the full spectrum of Super Duty customers – from those who run their trucks at maximum power with a maximum load for long periods to those who use them more in a start-stop mode," said Ed Waszczenko, lead engine durability engineer.

Finally, a battery of in-vehicle, real-world tests validated the work done in the laboratories. The 2011 F-450 Super Duty, for example, can tow a 24,400-pound trailer up a 6 percent grade at 47 mph, which is more than 50 percent faster than the outgoing product. The F-450 and F-550 have no competitors in the marketplace.

"That's the difference between trucks passing you, or you passing trucks," said Chris Brewer, Super Duty chief engineer.

Class-leading capability

Growing Super Duty's heavy-truck leadership legacy, the 2011 F-250 and F-350 pickup trucks have best-in-class conventional towing and payload capability. The F-250 and F-350 single-rear-wheel model can tow up to 14,000 pounds with payloads of 4,050 pounds and 4,600 pounds, respectively.

In addition, the F-350 dual-rear-wheel model delivers best-in-class conventional towing of 16,000 pounds and fifth-wheel towing of 21,600 pounds as well as best-in-class payload of 6,520 pounds. With chassis cab sales accounting for up to 25 percent of the Super Duty mix, the leadership towing capability of the F-550 fifth-wheel hitch is notable: 26,400 pounds.

The improved torque also enables the driver to hold a higher gear longer, which helps with highway fuel economy. "This prevents transmission 'gear hunting,' and lets you stay in gear longer before downshifting, ultimately saving fuel," Brewer said.

Quietest Power Stroke ever

In addition to its capability, the new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 has the lowest NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) in the class with a notably quieter, more refined sound than ever. Improvements to the combustion system, structural integrity of the compacted graphite iron block and the single turbocharger mounted to the engine block account for many of the NVH improvements.

Specific design upgrades were made to both the piston and the piston bowl to optimize the combustion process, which features a two-stage combustion event instead of a single-injection event. Single-injection events can cause harsh, sudden and loud combustion. On the 2011 Super Duty, a starter or pilot injection of fuel begins the combustion process before the main injection.

The result is smoother combustion and a more refined sound for the customer. When at idle, two pilot injection events are used to make the firing process even smoother and aid in quietness.

The "ticking" of the high-speed injectors also is quieted by specially designed covers on the engine. Mounting the turbocharger from the center housing directly to the block provided several advantages as well in terms of NVH.

"When turbochargers vibrate, it can lead to other parts of the vehicle, such as the exhaust system, vibrating," said Adam Gryglak, chief diesel engineering manager. "So when the turbocharger vibrates a lot, the exhaust system vibrates too, and that's disturbing to the customer. Bolting the turbocharger directly to the block eliminates that concern."

Using one turbocharger, instead of two operating in series or sequentially, helped resolve some NVH challenges as well. The single turbocharger eliminates air-handling noises – the whooshes – typically heard when the engine switches from one turbo to the next. Also, the single turbocharger has ball bearings that pilot the shaft in the turbo, eliminating the potential for the shaft of the turbocharger to gyrate in its housing, another potential NVH issue.

Other improvements include the addition of two resonators in the intake system as well as a third resonator near the air cleaner. These additions made it possible to tune the diesel intake system to the desired sound.

New gas engine leads in torque, horsepower and fuel economy

The 2011 Super Duty features a new, more powerful and efficient standard gasoline engine that also delivers class-leading numbers. The new 6.2-liter V-8 gasoline engine produces 405 ft.-lb. of torque (at 4,500 rpm) and 385 horsepower (at 5,500 rpm) on regular gasoline. These numbers represent an increase of 40 ft.-lb. of torque and 85 horsepower versus the current 5.4-liter V-8. The new engine also is E85 compatible.

Already cementing its 'Built Ford Tough' status

Nearly all the components of the 2011 Super Duty 6.2-liter V-8 are shared with the 6.2-liter V-8 engine found in the 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor, a purpose-built, high-performance off-road truck versatile enough to take on the most challenging desert adventures as well as daily commutes.

In November 2008, the 6.2-liter Raptor R not only survived its first grueling Baja 1000, it earned a podium finish.

Testing on the 6.2-liter V-8 included running multiple engines for more than 500 hours at peak torque and peak horsepower as well as customer-correlated 1,000-hour road load tests to ensure dependability for even the toughest Ford F-Series Super Duty customer.

"Having two outstanding powertrains to choose from is a real win-win for Super Duty customers," said Doug Scott, truck group marketing manager. "Both Ford's new diesel and new gasoline engines deliver the 'and solution' – best-in-class horsepower, torque and fuel economy.

"Leadership in areas that matter most to customers will help ensure the 2011 Super Duty will continue to be the undisputed leader in full-size pickup towing, payload and capability."

More information

For additional information and images of the 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty, click here.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 198,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.  

SOURCE Ford Motor Company