If you need to tow a house, this is your rig! Say hello to the new Ford F-450 Super Duty King Ranch FX4!
The heavy-duty pickup truck wars are in their heyday. It is like the modern interpretation of the muscle car wars of the 1960s, manufacturers are constantly one-upping their competition (and themselves) in insane torque numbers and towing figures. The spec sheets on some of these rigs are getting insane. Never in my youth did I imagine that my grown-up years would feature vehicles pushing over 1,000 lb-ft of torque, but here we are.
Superlatives aside, the war runs deeper than just having the most twist and translates into the technology behind the art of towing. Manufacturers are building trailering apps that take into consideration owners towing multiple different trailers with the same tow vehicle, the hookup process, and the navigation down highways when hooked up. This really is next-level innovation.
Ford has introduced blind spot monitoring for fifth-wheel and gooseneck trailers, an industry-first tailgate-down camera with a tailgate-down reverse sensing system, Pro Trailer Hitch Assist (which will align the truck to the hitch for you), and trailer navigation that allows you to avoid low clearances for your trailer.
The new High-Output 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 diesel with its compacted graphite iron block is good for 500 horsepower and an astounding 1,200 lb-ft of torque. Helping translate that power to the road is Ford’s own designed and built 10-speed TorqShift® automatic transmission.
As you can see from the video, we were locked out of this one, but the interior is reminiscent of the 2021 F-150 King Ranch we tested for a week a couple of years ago. Expect heated and ventilated front seats with massage. Ford’s new max-recline driver seat that actually raises the back of the seat bottom for a full-flat laying posture also makes an appearance on this work truck.
This 2023 Ford F-450 Super Duty definitely commands a presence both here on the show floor of the 2023 Houston Auto Show, but also on the road and at the worksite.
2023 Ford F-450 Super Duty King Ranch specs:
6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 diesel
Compacted Graphite Iron Block with Aluminum Heads
475 Horsepower
1,050 lb-ft of Torque
High Output
500 Horsepower
1,200 lb-ft of Torque
Ford-designed and built 10-speed TorqShift® Automatic Transmission
Blind Spot Information System for Fifth Wheel & Gooseneck
Industry-First Available Tailgate Down Camera and Tailgate Down Reverse Sensing System
Pro Trailer Hitch Assist
Trailer Navigation
Trailer Theft Alert
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