2011 Ford Super Duty, Put to Work

American manufacturer Ford is trying to prove that the "Built Tough" motto which comes with the upcoming Ford Super Duty is not just a saying, but a fact. Several preproduction models have been delivered to selected commercial customers working with severe-duty applications to be put to the test.

“The 2011 Ford Super Duty has been designed, engineered and manufactured by Ford to the highest standards,” Doug Scott, Ford Truck Group marketing manager said in a release.

“We have complete confidence that this ‘best tool in the box’ will deliver beyond customer expectations. It’s why we’re willing to share pre-production units with companies that do the toughest jobs. We can’t wait for everyone to see the new 2011 Ford Super Duty in action.”

Two of the companies which received a test mule are Reynolds Asphalt & Construction and TexOp Construction, both from Texas. Reynolds Asphalt received a 2011 Super Duty F-550 4x2 dual rear wheel chassis cab upfitted with a mechanic’s “bed” to be used as a service truck for the company’s heavy-duty equipment.

It will carry heavy equipment, including pavers, rollers and graders with a maximum payload approaching the maximum weight which can be handled by the truck: 19,500-pound GVWR.

TexOp received a Super Duty F-350 4x4 Crew Cab XL outfitted with toolboxes to assist with maintenance. The truck will also tow Bobcats and other equipment on a double-axle tandem gooseneck trailer.

“We’re a business, not a laboratory. We don’t have time for that,” Danny Simpson, managing partner of TexOp Construction concluded. “Anything we use has to help us get the job done right for our customers. Based on everything we’ve seen, the new 2011 Ford Super Duty with the new 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel will do just that.”