2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty Preview – Brawny Trucks Beef Up on High Tech

By Steve & Tamami Laser

Following up on the successful launch of its revamped F-150, Ford is providing a sneak preview of its big brother – the all-new Super Duty series scheduled for release in late 2016 as a 2017 model. Ford says the new Super Duty is the “toughest, smartest, most capable player in the history of the line.”

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The biggest changes include an all-new, high-strength steel frame plus a segment-first, high-strength, military-grade, aluminum-alloy body. Stronger axles, springs and suspension are also part of the deal.

Ford says that in addition to using advanced materials to reduce weight, the 2017 F-Series Super Duty pickup truck and chassis cab feature all-new, segment-exclusive smart technology to help increase customer productivity, comfort and convenience.

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The backbone is an all-new, fully boxed frame composed of more than 95 percent high-strength steel that’s up to 24 times stiffer than the previous frame – enabling the most towing and hauling capability ever delivered by Super Duty according to the truck maker. The new truck line features heavier-duty four-wheel-drive components, driveline, axles and towing hardware.

For the first time, the Super Duty body uses high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloy, which is more dent- and ding-resistant than the outgoing steel body and not subject to red rust corrosion.

Ford says that together, high-strength steel and high-strength aluminum alloy help reduce weight by up to 350 pounds while the truck maker is reinvesting additional weight savings everywhere it counts, to give its customers more towing and hauling capability.

Super Duty chassis cab features an all-new, high-strength steel frame with an open-C-channel design behind the cab to enable aftermarket body upfit and modification. And since towing is core to the Super Duty mission, an all-new advanced coaching and camera technology is said to make conventional and gooseneck/fifth-wheel towing easier and more efficient.

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Ford says there are 16 segment-first new features – from LED lighting to adaptive cruise control – that assist Super Duty drivers to make driving and work situations easier and more comfortable. As many as seven cameras help customers see more angles and monitor conditions surrounding the truck, and provide better trailering.

A center high-mounted stop lamp camera provides visibility into the cargo box, especially for easier hook-up of gooseneck/fifth-wheel trailers. A 360-degree camera system uses four digital, high-definition cameras to give the driver a bird’s-eye view surrounding Super Duty. Trailer reverse guidance provides visual cues and tips to help ease backing up a trailer. A new factory-available trailer camera can be attached to a trailer to improve visibility backing up.

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Adaptive steering is designed to provide increased confidence to help make towing the heaviest of loads easier and brings greater ease to navigating job sites and parking lots – with or without a trailer. The technology reduces the amount of steering input needed to change direction at low-speed, while reducing sensitivity to steering input at higher speeds.

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The second-generation Ford-designed and built 6.7-liter Power Stroke® V8 diesel engine is available for pickup trucks and chassis cabs providing the highest combination of horsepower and torque ever says the truck maker.

The 6.2-liter V8 gasoline engine comes equipped with the new TorqShift-G transmission for the F-250 pickup. The Super Duty chassis cab lineup offers a choice of 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 diesel, 6.8-liter V10 gasoline or 6.2-liter V8 gasoline engines.

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All three cabs – Regular Cab, SuperCab and Crew Cab – are longer and feature a new interior design, including dual compartment glove box, overhead console-mounted auxiliary switches to operate aftermarket equipment, and flat SuperCab and Crew Cab second-row floors that make loading large items in the cab easier.

BoxLink is a Ford-patented combination of metal brackets and custom cleats that can be used to secure a variety of accessories in the cargo box. Remote tailgate lock and release allows the tailgate to be locked/unlocked and opened with the key fob, eliminating manual locking. The tailgate is also damped – dropping gently down, hands-free, to a flat position when opened.

There are five models in the Super Duty lineup – XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum. The all-new Super Duty will be built at Kentucky Truck Plant, and goes on sale late next year.

Features and specifications are subject to change without notice

News source and photos courtesy of Ford Motor Company

Story (commentary) © 2015 CarNichiWa.com