2018 Ford Super Duty Gets Engine Upgrade For Best-In-Class Power

The 6.7-liter Power Stroke Diesel now makes 450 horsepower and 935 lb-ft of torque.

KhodroCar - Pretty much everybody knows about the horsepower war currently raging among automakers around the world. Fewer people are aware that a similar battle is occurring among Detroit manufacturers, only the name of the game isn’t supercars and insane acceleration, but pickup trucks and insane pulling power. Ford has stepped the war up a notch by announcing power gains for its 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 available in the 2018 Super Duty line.

"Super Duty customers expect the best, and for 2018 we’re giving our customers even more power and torque from our 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel – delivering the most horsepower and torque available among all heavy-duty pickups,” said Todd Eckert, Ford truck group marketing manager. "Plus, our new F-450 pickup now includes a 4X2 model, enabling our customers to get more done with the segment’s best payload and towing.”

The tweaked engine now produces 450 horsepower and 935 pound-feet of locomotive-pulling torque, thanks to redesigned cylinder heads and fresh tune. Compared to the previous engine, that’s a gain of 10 for each figure. It’s also conveniently just enough for Ford to claim best-in-class horsepower and torque, albeit barely.

Five is the key number here, as Ford’s updated mill tops the Chevrolet Silverado HD's 6.6-liter Duramax diesel by five ponies, and it beats the Ram's 6.7-liter Cummins diesel by just five torques. As a result, Ford also says the Super Duty delivers best-in-class towing with a gooseneck trailer at 34,000 pounds, as well as best-in-class towing with a conventional hitch at 21,000 pounds, and best-in-class payload capacity at 7,360 pounds.

There is a bit of a caveat there, however. The gooseneck towing capability relates specifically to the aforementioned new-for-2018 F-450 4X2. Ford says it’s designed for customers who haul big trailers, meaning it’s primarily an on-road pickup as opposed to something adept at getting to remote worksites. Eliminating the weight of a four-wheel drive system gives the two-wheel drive F-450 just a bit of an edge, but for those wanting to spend upwards of $100,000 for the ultimate luxury towing rig, you’ll be slightly disappointed. The F-450 4X2 starts at $52,830 and is available only up to the Platinum trim. To get the top-of-the-line Limited model means adding 4WD.