2020 Ford Super Duty’s 7.3L V8 Offers Class-leading Power, Torque
With FCA and General Motors seriously elevating their game in the heavy-duty pickup segment with next-generation models, Ford had no choice but to respond in a big way.
The 2020 Ford Super Duty trucks were introduced back in February after getting a significant mid-cycle update and we now have the all-important specs that were missing at the time.
- Also: 2020 Ford Super Duty Launched with Tremor Off-Road Package
- Also: Ford Introduces a New Workhorse: The 2020 Super Duty F-600
Most notably, the available new 7.3-litre V8 cranks out 430 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 475 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm—unmatched figures among gasoline V8 pickups.
“The 7.3-litre engine is designed for maximum durability in the harshest environments given that our customers live and work in these conditions every day,” said Joel Beltramo, Ford manager for gas V8 engines. “This engine has the largest displacement in its class and is designed to provide benefits in key areas like power, durability, ease of maintenance and total operating costs.”
The new V8 benefits from decades of commercial engine experience. It features an overhead valve architecture that generates power low in the rev range to help get heavier loads moving sooner and with greater confidence, Ford says. It also includes a variable-displacement oil pump, extra-large main bearings, forged steel crankshaft for durability, and piston cooling jets to help manage temperatures under heavy load.
The 7.3-litre engine will be available first in F-250 and F-350 pickup models starting this fall, joining the 6.2-litre gas V8 and the upgraded third-generation 6.7-litre Power Stroke diesel V8.
A dyno-certified version of the 7.3-litre V8 producing 350 horsepower and 468 pound-feet of torque will be standard on F-450 chassis cab, F-550, the new F-600, F-650 and F-750 Medium Duty trucks, and F-53 and F-59 stripped chassis models. The upgraded E-Series will also feature the 7.3-litre V8.
Additionally, all models utilize a new 10-speed heavy-duty TorqShift automatic transmission except the F-650 and F-750, which retain the 6-speed heavy-duty gearbox.
Ford has yet to release 2020 Super Duty towing and payload ratings as well as output numbers for the Power Stroke diesel, however. These will be announced later this year. As far as the latter is concerned, we fully expect a higher torque figure than the new Ram Heavy Duty’s 1,000 pound-feet.
Remember, Ford also launched a Tremor Off-Road Package to compete directly against the GMC Sierra HD AT4 and Ram 2500 Power Wagon.