Resembles: Retro Super Duty with Ranger Global Front End
Motors: 6.8L Petrol V-8, 7.3L Petrol V-8, 6.7L Diesel Power Stroke V-8 or 6.7L High Output V-8 Diesel; 10-speed automatic transmission, rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive
Hit Agents: early 2023
Here’s an interesting statistic for you: Ford generates more revenue from sales of Super Duty heavy-duty pickups than many Fortune 500 companies do from its operations, including Southwest Airlines, Marriott International, or clothing stores Nordstrom, as reported in 2021. This makes Ford A big pickup is a critical factor in the automaker’s bottom line and helps you see why Ford put so much effort into redesigning the truck. And it looks like it’s time for another one, as Ford brought out the updated 2023 Super Duty pickup at an event at Churchill Downs Raceway in Kentucky. It’s a mild update to the truck, with some new styling, new powertrain options, new interiors and updated tech, all designed to maintain Ford’s famous workhorse power that carries its weight across America’s highways and job sites.
The design is beautiful, but not the goal
The overall look of the Super Duty remains largely the same as the previous model, but there are some subtle tweaks and changes to nearly every body panel to give it a cleaner, more modern look. Most noticeable are the grille and headlights, which now resemble the photos we’ve seen of the global version of the next-generation Ford Ranger (which has not yet been sold in the US). There are six trim levels to choose from — XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum and Limited — as well as different grille options and packages that affect the look of the truck as well, such as the STX, Sport and Black Appearance packages.
Functional changes to the truck’s appearance come with the new XL Off-Road package, available on F-250 and F-350 4×4 rear single-wheel trucks, that adds 33-inch tires, raised air dam, skid plates, and hydro-axle vents and electronic rear differential lock. The Tremor Off-Road package also returns for 2023 with unique suspension, 35-inch Goodyear tires, front lift, Dana front axle with limited-slip differential and axle vent tubes, and unique 18-inch wheels. For the first time, the Super Duty Tremor will add Trail Turn Assist, which selectively brakes the truck’s single wheel to allow for extremely tight turning in off-road environments.
Updates where it matters
More important than the Super Duty from its design is its capabilities, which have been improved for 2023 by the addition of two new powertrain options. The new standard engine is a 6.8-liter V-8, but we don’t have any horsepower or torque numbers yet (Ford hasn’t released them for any of the truck’s powertrains). Optional would be a larger 7.3-liter petrol V-8. A turbocharged 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 diesel engine also extending from 2022, the new high-output 6.7-liter V-8 diesel benefits from a water-cooled turbocharger and an upgraded exhaust manifold.
Of course, the automaker says it’s targeting a best-in-class spot for its engines, but we still need to see the official numbers. All engines are now mated to a standard 10-speed TorqShift automatic transmission; The old eight-speed car of the base engine is gone. And perhaps most interestingly, Ford says that all-wheel drive will now be standard on all trim levels from XLT and up.
But most of the automaker’s attention has been focused on the onboard Super Duty technology, which gets some useful improvements. Of note is the Pro Power Onboard generator system, which enables a truck to power tools on the job site, a pickup truck or a tailgate party. Given that the vast majority of Super Duty owners buy it for towing, that’s a big area that Ford has improved for 2023 — although absolute towing capacity numbers aren’t released either. So while we don’t know how much of the new Super Duty it can pull, we do know what the automaker has included to make the experience easier, which is arguably more important than the numbers themselves.
It starts with the inclusion of Onboard scales with the Smart Hitch feature, which estimates the bed’s cargo weight and trailer tongue weight distribution, then displays that information on the center touchscreen, in the FordPass phone app or in LED strips on the taillights. A new 360-degree trailer cam system, with the inclusion of multiple customer-mounted trailer-mounted cameras, presents a full peripheral view of not only the tow vehicle, but the trailer itself, useful for navigating tight spaces.
The Blind Spot Information System for 5th wheel and turn wheel trailers is also new and again requires some accessory sensors to integrate the trailer blind spot monitoring device into the existing truck system. Do you need to put a tailgate to tie the gooseneck? Connectivity will be made much easier thanks to the industry-first Tailgate Down Camera and Tailgate Reversing Sensor System; Basically, Ford put a camera and sensors in higher From the tailgate, which activates when the tailgate is down (why hasn’t anyone done this before?).
Additionally, the navigation system’s new trailer navigation feature can calculate a suitable route for you based on the dimensions and weight of the truck and trailer, avoiding things like bridges that are too low or corners that are too tight. But perhaps the most exciting new feature is Pro Trailer Hitch Assist (or as some might call it, a “marriage savior”), which uses the backup camera to help identify the trailer hitch ball at the time. automatically It backs the truck up exactly against the ball, with the driver only needing to operate the pedals.
New digs inside
While the exterior gets a few minor tweaks, the interior gets an extensive redo, with increased material quality across the board and upper trim levels that taste the luxury designations previously seen in the F-150. A new customizable 12-inch digital instrument cluster is standard, a 12-inch touchscreen comes standard on XLT models and up, and the base XL gets an 8-inch touchscreen. For the first time, a full-color display is optional.
Max Recline front seats are now an option in upper trim levels and retract to an almost horizontal position, which Ford says a number of Super Duty owners are already napping in their trucks. If instead they would like to host a dance party in their truck, the option of an eight-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system or an 18-speaker B&O Unleashed sound system is available.
Safety tech got a bump, too, with Ford now offering Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control with stop-and-go and lane-centering features. Front and rear sensing systems are available, as well as the front and rear collision-preventing brake system at low speeds. The Trailer Theft Alert function will notify the truck owner via the FordPass app if someone unplugs the trailer from Super Duty when the truck is locked, and a host of other fleet management features can also be obtained by subscribing to Ford Pro Telematics.
Pricing and availability
Pricing and availability aren’t known yet, but Ford says a new 2023 Super Duty pickup will debut sometime in early 2023. Pricing, power numbers, towing numbers, payload — and fuel economy — will be announced near the truck’s production and sale date.
