DRIVEN: Ford F350 pickup a gentle giant

February 2011 News

Arizona is definitely pickup-truck country, but I'm not really a truck guy. Oh, I like them, think they're fun and handy and all that, but I'd rather drive a cool car than a lumbering truck.

Although I did learn to drive stickshift on a half-ton pickup that my buddy's father, a carpenter, kept out back in the alley, all ready for us to jack for midnight joy rides.

But that basic carpenter's pickup was a whole lot different from the mighty Ford F350 Super Duty that I piloted recently. Sort of like comparing a skiff to a luxury yacht.

Capable of towing nearly 25,000 pounds, the heavy-duty diesel truck would make light work of a large-scale camper or a trailer loaded with race cars. (Photo: Bob Golfen)

Revamped for 2011, the F350 is a behemoth that stands 6-foot, eight-inches tall and stretches out more than 20 feet. The look is quite imposing, a pickup on steroids with a massive semi-tractor-style grille and a seat height that has you looking down on Escalades.

While it's daunting at first to approach this looming beast and literally climb into the driver's seat, F350 does have a nice surprise in store: it drives really well, amazingly so. Refined, even. Despite its monumental dimensions, F350 is easy to maneuver and it's fairly quiet even with its 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel V8.

In no time, I was whipping around in this giant, although one does have to make some adjustments for the 156-inch wheelbase. Yes, this vehicle does make wide turns. And tight parking lots must be avoided, as I found out.

I've driven other heavy-duty pickups in the past, including dually versions, but never have I felt so comfortable and confident behind the wheel. Ford touts Super Duty's redesigned suspension system, improved shocks and steering gear for the improvement over the last-generation trucks.

The steering is relatively crisp, the brakes are solid and the new six-speed transmission is highly cooperative. The handling is, well, not too onerous.

The fragrant, leather-lined interior of the King Ranch model is like stepping into a Western saddle shop. (Photo: Ford)

Besides, the test truck was the upmarket Lariat version with Western-style King Ranch interior. The seats, the steering wheel, the console, everything was sheathed in substantial brown leather with the look of an expensive parade saddle. It made me feel very Home on the Range.

Plus, it had the full regalia of power features, high-end audio, trip computer, the works.

But you'd have to be a mighty successful cowboy to own this thing. With four-wheel drive, the King Ranch package, the diesel engine that cost nearly $8,000, navigation and a bunch of other goodies, the price tag exceeded a lofty $64,000.

So despite its awesome capabilities, the test F350 was definitely no work truck. More like something for the CEO of a major construction firm or a gentleman rancher. For a contractor who uses his truck as his office, this definitely would be living large.

The truck guys who I encountered were quite impressed by this gussied-up F350. The prevailing comment was a simple, "Whoa."

Read more at http://automotive.speedtv.com/article/driven-giant-ford-pickup-exudes-refinement/

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DRIVEN: Ford F350 pickup a gentle giant

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