2011 Ford F-350 Super Duty Lariat 4x4 Crew Cab

2011 Ford F-350 Super Duty Lariat 4x4 Crew Cab 2011 Ford F-350 Super Duty Lariat 4x4 Crew Cab
Short Take Road Test

In all the excitement over Ford’s new Power Stroke turbo-diesel V-8—and excitement is not too strong a word—its gasoline-burning stablemate has received a bit less fanfare, even though it’s equally new and equally welcome in the company’s big-job pickup range. Now, after being thoroughly impressed by the performance and thrift of the Power Stroke during a product preview in Arizona, we spent some quality time here in the Midwest with the new 6.2-liter V-8 in an F-350 Super Duty 4x4 crew cab. And by “quality time,” we mean to say we put the truck to work.

Racing Heritage, in a Way

But first, the engine details. The preferred configuration for a modern racing engine favors large cylinder bores and a short stroke. When the dimension of the bore exceeds the length of the stroke, the engine is said to be oversquare, and that term certainly applies to Ford’s new 6.2—102-mm bore, 95-mm stroke. An oversquare design permits the use of bigger valves, which promotes better breathing and allows the engine to rev more freely, delivering more power at higher rpm. The new engine also incorporates single overhead camshafts with roller rockers, variable valve timing, two spark plugs per cylinder, dual knock sensors, and oil jets for the undersides of the pistons to improve cooling—an old racing trick.

With its increased displacement—6.2 liters versus the previous Triton V-8’s 5.4 liters—you’d expect the substantial bump in torque: 405 lb-ft (at 4500 rpm) versus 365. But it’s the horsepower gain that gets our attention: 385 at 5500 rpm versus 310 for the Triton 5.4. Allied with a smooth six-speed automatic transmission—yet another recent addition to Ford’s revitalized powertrain inventory—the 6.2 propelled our F-350 to 60 mph in 8.5 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 16.6 seconds at 87 mph. The six-speed undoubtedly contributes to this performance, with smooth upshifts and prompt kickdowns for passing or other hurry-ups.

Does the performance sound so-so? Consider the mass being propelled: 7336 pounds. That’s 3.5-plus tons before anyone gets into that roomy cab or puts anything into the cargo bed or fastens anything onto the Class IV hitch.

In our case, what we fastened to that hitch weighed about 4600 pounds, which doesn’t amount to much at all in a truck with a max towing capacity of 11,900 pounds (and a payload capacity of almost two tons). We could tell there was something back there, but the 6.2 overpowered the added inertia without breaking a sweat.

MPG, Quivers, and Other Quibbles

As you might expect with all that avoirdupois, fuel economy isn’t much of a bragging point. Ford says it betters the mileage you could expect from the 5.4-liter V-8, but since the EPA doesn’t require fuel-economy forecasts for vehicles in this class, the actual improvement is hard to quantify. We can, however, quantify our experience, and we logged 12 mpg. You’re likely to achieve substantially better fuel economy with the 6.7-liter turbo-diesel V-8. But such efficiency doesn’t come cheap, as adding the diesel option means adding $7735 to the bottom line, and that’s before considering fuel prices.

The only negative comment in the F-350’s logbook had to do with occasional seismic tremors in the chassis on bumpy stretches, particularly those with washboard ripples. Burdening the rear springs with trailering loads didn’t really alter the behavior. This came as something of a surprise, since impressive chassis solidity has been a regular take-away in tests of the lighter members of the F-series line. We put it down to the stiff suspension and large chunks of unsprung weight associated with such trucks, particularly one equipped with four-wheel drive. But the intermittent quivers never impinged on the comfort of the cabin crew, which can number up to five in this roomy crew-cab model. Our test truck was the Lariat trim level, which is one step below the top-of-the-line—and beautifully hedonistic—King Ranch edition.

The Bottom Line

Which brings us to money. The base price for this truck is $45,720, which includes a long list of standard features—not the least of which is that 6.2-liter up front—including dual-zone climate control, 10-way power front seats, a power-sliding rear window, Sirius satellite radio, power windows and locks, power extendable mirrors, Ford’s Sync system, backup sensors, and a trailer-brake controller.

Our test truck was packed with a long list of options and option packages. The biggest of the latter was the Lariat Ultimate package (power sunroof, heated and cooled front seats, nav system, rearview camera, tailgate step, and remote start), which runs $3995. Our Super Duty had a chrome trim package ($995); an FX4 off-road package with hill-descent control and skid plates ($295); a universal garage door opener ($125); an in-bed cable lock system ($120); and two-tone paint ($470). A bed extender ($250); a spray-in bedliner ($450); a bank of switches for auxiliary systems ($125); all-terrain tires ($125); and an electronic locking 3.73:1 rear axle ($390) were fitted, too. The truck had an engine-block heater; it’s standard in a number of cold-weather states, including Michigan, but we’ve included its $75 cost in our as-tested price.

That as-tested price adds up to $53,135 and nets you a very nice truck. But it’s obviously a truck designed for serious hauling—big boats, big trailers, big horses, what have you. And with its substantial size and thirst, it doesn’t make much sense as an all-around transportation device. If you’re not dealing with 10,000-pound loads on a regular basis, this probably isn’t the truck for you.