2020 Ford Super Duty’s New Diesel V8 Wins Engine War With 1,050 LB-FT of Torque
The F-450 4×2 model in regular cab configuration can tow a staggering 37,000 pounds.
It was only a matter of time before the Blue Oval released the horsepower and torque figures of its updated 2020 Ford Super Duty. Would it beat the Ram's 1,000 lb-ft of torque? Could it top GM's 35,500-pound towing capacity? Yes, it could, and it did. But you've got to read the fine print.
First, the engine. Ford's updated Power Stroke diesel makes 1,050 pound-feet of torque and 475 horsepower. That's 50 more torques than Ram's optional Cummins that makes 1,000 pound-feet, and like the Chevy and GMC, it sends that power to the ground via a new 10-speed automatic transmission. Meanwhile, the Ram HD relies on a six-speed unit.
Here's where you gotta pay close attention. The 2020 Super Duty out-tows its rivals, but the advertised 37,000-pound max tow rating belongs to the massive F-450. And not just any F-450, but a regular-cab 4x2 model with a gooseneck setup. So if you think you can buy a luxurious F-Series to take the family on a cross-country trip while towing 37,000 pounds of God-knows-what, you can't. Buy a Freightliner instead. Thirty-seven thousand pounds is a massive figure, however, and it's also 1,500 pounds more than the range-topping Sierra and Silverado HDs.
Fifth-wheel towing for the F-450 sits at a maximum 32,500 pounds, while conventional (bumper) towing maxes out at 24,200 pounds. In case you were wondering, those are all best-in-class metrics.
We should also note that the Power Stroke engine is the only diesel option for the 2020 Ford Super Duty. Ram offers two diesel engines to meet its clients' needs, with the big-boy Cummins being a $9,100 upgrade.
"We’re excited to be in the nation’s largest truck market at the State Fair of Texas announcing we’ve surpassed the kilotorque barrier and made it standard with every pickup truck featuring a Power Stroke diesel engine," said Super Duty chief engineer Mike Pruitt.
Ford claims to be finalizing engine specs and towing figures for the more-common F-250 and F-350 in SuperCab and SuperCrew configurations. These figures are without a doubt impressive, but the truth is that people mostly buy larger cabs and 4x4 units with plenty of options, so hopefully we won't have to wait too long to find out the real, down-to-earth specs.
Pricing hasn't been announced yet but expect the truck to go on sale later this year.
