2007 Detroit Auto Show: 2008 Ford Super Duty
Major Change; Improved, but Not Yet Perfect
Ford showed an array of 2008 model year Super Duty Pickups at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week. This is a really important vehicle for Ford - both for sales/market share reasons and, more important yet, for profitability reasons.
The Exterior
The exterior appearance is enhanced. More masculine, but not overdone. Very appropriate. Give 'em an A.
ED: OK, give 'em an A, but I would have loved to have seen a bit more Super Chief in the new Super Duties. With the public gaga over the Super Chief, it would have been great if Ford could have pulled off more Super Chief styling cues.
The Interior
The interior appearance is significantly updated, and looks great - fully competitive with the all-new GMT 900 series Silverado and Sierra pickups from General Motors. Maybe an A-.
The Powertrain - New 6.4L Turbo Diesel
The powertrain news is all related to the new 6.4L V8 Turbo Diesel from International, which replaces the prior star-crossed 6.0L. More power (350 HP) more torque (650 lb.-ft.). Hopefully the early 6.0L reliability problems are behind us now. The diesel mix in the Super Duty is pretty high (about 85%) so this engine is really important.
Diesel engine pricing was not announced, but is rumored to be +$1,500 over 2007. That's to cover the increased cost of 2007 diesel exhaust emissions gear. The diesel vs a gas price differential which was about $5,300, will now be about $6,800. And diesel fuel is now selling for $0.40 per gallon over regular grade gas in many parts of the country, largely negating the better fuel economy of the diesel.
So, what will happen to diesel sales and mix this year? I don't know...that remains to be seen.
Line extension to F-450 pickup
Ford introduced the F-450 Pickup. That will help both sales and profits. While F-450 pickups were previously available on an aftermarket conversion basis, here comes Ford with a factory offering - a better truck at a lower cost. Well done Ford! With the move to ever larger and heavier RVs, boats and horse trailers, this is likely to be a profitable niche for Ford. Imagine, 24,000 pounds towing capacity - with brakes to match!
The new Super Duty also has an optional Tailgate Step. Clever! Maybe not the answer to a maiden's prayer, but one more feather in Ford's cap.
Super Cab - Room for Improvement
Carryover Super (Extended) Cab a Deficiency: One obvious compromise in the 2008 Super Duty program involves the Super (Extended) Cab. Essentially it is carryover. That means rear hinged rear doors that have to be opened sequentially, that only open 90 degrees (GM's access doors open a full 170 degrees), and contain windows that don't go down. Just not competitive in today's pickup market. I'd say those doors are worst in class, and may well hurt Extended Cab sales.
Why did Ford do that? What were they thinking? Well, my guess is they were thinking about engineering workload and manufacturing expenditures. Nothing is less costly than doing nothing. But the competition (Chevrolet, GMC, Dodge, even the 1/2 ton Titan and Tundra) have raced ahead. What can Ford do now? It's too late to fix the problem. Maybe customers won't know or care as much as I think they will. Let's hope so, for Ford's sake. And if it does cost sales, then some sort of bodystyle repricing strategy may be necessary to address the problem.
Comments
Have driven 5 separate Diesel 6.4 F-250s/350s. Each was a crew cab and have none of the Extended cab issues you mentioned. My new one is arriving July 30th in XLT Trim but with a few special order amenities. Lists for $44k out the door probably around $39k with due haggling. One thing not mentioned...How long the Ford lasts. I still have my 1997 F-250 7.3 Diesel (220K miles). My son's business is inheriting a work truck. Ten years from now maybe one of them will get a 2008 F-250. True value is 5 years of no payments.
Posted by: David Huber | July 2, 2007 08:00 AM