Who's Yer Daddy: A Brief History Of Ford Super Duty Pickups
Talk to the truck guys at Ford and you’ll find they’re down-right bullish about the newest offspring: The line of pickups. In fact, they’re perfectly proud about the latest prodigy as a result of its increased capabilities, its cutting-edge technologies and a plethora of upgrades. But the truck that debuted at the State Fair of Texas isn’t the result of several years of work improving the previous Super Duty. It’s the culmination of more than a decade of focus on Ford’s heavy-duty pickups.
“We’re pretty confident in our DNA, especially with Super Duty,” said Pat Schiavone, Director of Ford Truck Design. Credited with the design of the 11th-generation Ford F-150, the best-selling truck in the world, Schiavone pointed out that the Super Duty blueprint has been “consistent from Day One.” While Ford pickups go back to the F-1 and the F-Series line of trucks, was crafted as a unique extraction from the bloodline.
“In ’99, we were a little more tentative about what our customers would think, but we’ve been consistent since then,” Schiavone said. “Now, we have more confidence; we make it tougher and they (our customers) say you can’t make it too tough. We’ve made it bolder and stronger with every generation and, now, it’s even more so.”
Ford drew a firm line between its light and heavy-duty pickups when it introduced the 1999 F-Series Super Duty trucks. It featured the legendary 7.3-liter Power Stroke diesel V-8.
When a new branch was cleaved from the F-Series family tree, Super Duties were influenced by Ford’s semis and big trucks, with a drop-down belt line and huge mirrors, to help with trailer towing. “We didn’t know how that would play out,” Schiavone explained. “The change with big mirrors was about durability, form-following-function, and trying to distinguish it from the F-150, but we’ve come to see it as a part of what Super Duty is.
“It’s been absolutely wonderful,” Schiavone said. “Harley would never stray too far with what Harleys would look like and Ford wouldn’t either. We started with big nostrils and we’ve continued with big nostrils, big lamps, big mirrors and a big grille.”
Schiavone says that the Super Duty is about the customer and what the customer likes is a capable look.
“It can’t be too tough for us and for them. The grille has grown and the headlamps have grown and, the truth is, they function better,” Schiavone said. “The same with the bumper; it’s about big chrome, about how we’ve tuned and refined it, and it’s also about the world’s biggest Ford Logo. If we go one step bigger, it’ll be on the front of a dealership.”
1997 Ford Powerforce Concept: Designed by computer and powered by a 6.8-liter V-10. The 2011 Super Duty is a direct descendant of this truck. It's styling set the tone for an entire generation of Ford heavy duty pickups. Note the vertical exhaust stacks behind the cab.
The last generation Super Duty was influenced more by the , the designer noted, whereas the new version is more like the Super Chief concept truck. What has really influenced pickups, however, is the uniquely-American, three-box shape, which Schiavone said is more of a cue from semi-tractor-trailers, rather than something like a locomotive, because these are considered the biggest trucks — the Peterbilt and Kenworths with the big grilles.
“When people think of the Super Duty, it’s not about cues from a locomotive or tools, it’s about the capability of big trucks and their image—and it’s not the look of the new aero ones!,” Schiavone explained. “It’s also about the integrity of Harley Davidson; I’ve been working with and gotten to know ‘Willie G.’ very well and learned how important it is to maintain integrity.” is a legendary motorcycle designer at the famed company that his grandfather founded.
Looking back at the , Schiavone told an interesting anecdote of this now ancestral version that grew even larger and wore an even bolder exterior than the . This Super Duty was created with lowered lamps, a bigger grille, a tougher bumper, and a more defined chamfer on the front end.
The 2008-10 Ford Super Duty featured new styling and the introduction of the F-450 pickup with up to 24,500 pounds of towing capability
“The headlamps were tilted back, and customers in cars were complaining that they were blinded from behind. Again, with form following function, we dropped them down and, at first it felt really, really wrong,” Schiavone said. “But, we dropped them down even lower, until we reached a point where the design was executed properly. We had no idea where the firestorm was created, with people writing and saying ‘I hate this truck’. But, a year later they loved it. I totally expect to get the same kind of noise with the new model. If it looks right to us in the studio, we’ve done our job. It’s tougher and tougher again. And it’s the new Daddy!”
For Doug Scott, Ford Truck Group Marketing Manager, the 2011 Super Duty is the “launch of a powertrain wrapped in a new truck.” Scott said the big story is how much the capability of the powertrains has grown, and the all-new Ford-designed and Ford-engineered diesel engine is the heartbeat of that tale.
Ford started sourcing diesels from Navistar in 1983, using a 6.9 liter, with 170 hp. and 315 lb. ft. of torque, says Scott. A second version, the 7.3-liter diesel, was rated at 190 hp/395 ft. lbs. of torque. The next milestone was branded diesels–the “Power Stroke” diesels that originated with the 1994 model line.
The Ford F-350 Tonka Concept previewed the styling revamp of the 2008-10 Super Duty trucks
As all work and commercial-grade models were built on and a part of the F-Series platform, it wasn’t until 1999, when the platforms split, that Super Duty became a dedicated platform and took on a new and distinct look and there were two differing vehicles in terms of appearance and capability, says Scott. By then, the 7.3 liter diesel had grown to a whopping 235 hp. and 500 ft. lbs of torque. “Whereas maximum towing had been 10,000 lbs., it was now 14,600, and payload increased from 5,100 up to 5,655,” enthuses the truck marketing manager.
In ‘93 and ’94, the 5.8-liter petrol engine was rated at 210hp./325 ft.lbs. of torque and the 7.5 liter at 245/400; in 2002 there were interior changes and a new 6-speed manual transmission, along with the third-generation Navistar diesel. In 2003, the 6-liter Power Stroke achieved 325/560, while the 5.4-liter V8 gasoline engine was rated at 260/350 and the 6.8 liter V10 made 310/425.
When the 2005 model freshening restyled the front end and interior and added Tow Command, the 6.0-liter engine gained more torque and was boosted to 570 (up from 560); the V10 bumped up to 362/457; the 5.4 liter was 300 hp. and 365 ft. lbs. of torque.
The 2006 Ford Super Chief played up luxury and offered a sneak peak at the styling of the new 2011 Ford Super Duty trucks
In 2008, the major change was new sheet metal and interior upgrades, along with engines that included the 5.4 liter and 6.8 liter, along with the 6.4 liter diesel that grew horsepower to 350 and torque to 650. Towing swelled from 16, 700 lbs. in ‘05 to 19,200 in ‘06 and to 24, 500 in ’08, when the payload of an F-450 was rated at 6,120.
“The 2011 Super Duty is all about big changes in powertrain capability — engine performance, towing and payload, plus the Ford-designed and Ford-engineered 6.7-liter diesel that evolved as a result of leveraging global resources,” Scott said, noting that the truck used “diesel resources in Europe, in particular; and using a dedicated diesel team, established at Ford, in 2007.”
The new 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbocharged V-8 diesel joins a new standard 6.2-liter V-8 petrol engine that replaces the 5.4; both have 6-speed transmissions, which help improve fuel economy. “We expect to have class-leading fuel economy; horsepower and torque; significant improvements over today’s gas and diesel offerings; and expect the Super Duty to be a segment-leader in payload and towing.”
Scott said the new diesel is also significantly quieter, so it’s easier for passengers to hear inside the truck, and there’s a “green angle” to both engines: the 6.7-liter diesel is B20-capable, “which is huge for the agricultural market and a ‘customer want’. The 6.2-liter gasoline engine is E85/Flex Fuel capable and, from a durability standpoint, it’s about towing, payload and engine performance.” Scott expects that up to 65 percent of new Super Duty buyers will choose the diesel option.
“It’s critical to the segment. We think we have the amped solution with the 2011 Super Duty.”
