Ford Reveals Super Duty Updates at Texas State Fair

DALLAS, Sept. 26, 2013 ““ Ford, America’s truck leader, introduces
the 2015 F-Series Super Duty lineup today at State Fair of Texas, featuring a
second-generation 6.7-liter Power Stroke^® V8 turbo diesel engine;
increased towing capabilities; and a refreshed, Texas-inspired King Ranch model.

“Truck leadership means never resting, and
the Super Duty team has been tireless in finding ways to improve the industry’s
most popular heavy-duty pickups,” said Joe Hinrichs, executive vice president
and president of The Americas, Ford Motor Company. “Super Duty diesel customers
will benefit from improved performance and features backed by outstanding Built
Ford Tough durability.”

Since the 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 turbo
diesel debuted in 2011, Ford engineers have listened to customers and continued
to examine each component of the engine to develop improved performance.

Ford is the only heavy-duty pickup truck
manufacturer that designs and builds its own diesel engine and transmission
combination, ensuring the powertrain will work seamlessly with all chassis
components and vehicle calibrations ““ from concept to execution. This approach also
enables Ford engineers to optimize the vehicle’s performance across the entire
lineup.

A key Ford innovation on the original 6.7-liter
Power Stroke V8 turbo diesel was its so-called reverse-flow layout. The advanced
design places the exhaust inside the engine’s V-shape while the air intake is
positioned on the outside of the V. This segment-exclusive design naturally
improves a variety of attributes:

· Shorter
airflow from the exhaust system to the turbocharger sitting between the
engine’s cylinder banks improves turbo responsiveness ““ key to providing torque
quickly to truck customers when they need it most

· Positioning
the turbo inside the engine’s valley helps isolate the engine’s hottest temperatures,
improving performance and efficiency, while also reducing noise, vibration and
harshness

Ford engineers built upon the many benefits
of this design as they upgraded the Power Stroke. One improvement is a larger GT37
turbocharger that replaces the previous GT32 model, enabling more airflow to
the engine to produce more power beyond today’s 400 horsepower and 800 lb.-ft. of
torque.

Key
components of the new GT37 turbocharger

The GT37 features a single, larger
88-millimeter compressor wheel that replaces the GT32’s dual-sided compressor
design. The compressor forces air into the engine’s cylinders to improve
performance ““ especially at high altitude where the air is thinner than at sea
level. The turbine size is increased to 72.5 millimeters from 64 millimeters,
so exhaust gases have a larger surface area to spin the turbo, providing extra
power. The wastegate and the wastegate controls are eliminated, because the turbo
operates at lower peak pressures than the GT32.

“The original designers of the current Power
Stroke V8 diesel forecasted needs for higher output. This facilitated the
larger turbocharger, increasing airflow and creating more power,” said David
Ives, Power Stroke technical specialist. “We’ve
dramatically improved performance while reducing overall engine complexity by
focusing on the turbo system.”

A further benefit of the larger turbo is
improved engine exhaust braking, manually controlled by a push-button switch on
the dashboard. Extra braking power helps reduce wear and tear on wheel brakes
and requires less manual brake application from the driver, especially on
downhill grades.

Fuel
system improvements 

Turbo
changes drove improvements to the fuel delivery system, specifically a new high-pressure
fuel pump and fuel injectors. The pump’s cam stroke is increased to deliver more
fuel when desired for increased power. All-new injector tips better atomize the
fuel, resulting in improved combustion that enables lower noise, vibration and
harshness. Other benefits include cleaner emissions and a reduction in the
buildup of fuel deposits on the valves over time.

In addition, a new exhaust temperature sensor
enables more accurate fuel control, which improves both durability and driveability
““ especially when towing ““ and helps the customer drive the Power Stroke diesel
to its maximum capability.

Even though the fuel system delivers extra
fuel as needed to provide more power, other efficiency improvements ensure 2015
Ford F-Series Super Duty pickup customers see similar performance to today’s
best-in-class fuel economy.

Further
enhancements to Ford Power Stroke diesel include:

· Ford-designed
and -engineered 6R140 TorqShift^® six-speed transmission uses a new
torque converter to manage increased horsepower and torque

· New
polymer coating on main bearings for improved wear-and-tear durability and
lower friction

· Improved
crankshaft fillet design ““ the transition point between the crankshaft’s journals
““ to increase crankshaft power carrying capability

· Increased
crankshaft damper weight to reduce rotating forces on the crankshaft when the
engine is performing at peak power levels

· New
five-layer head gasket to handle wider range of engine firing pressures
resulting from more powerful engine performance

· Added
material to the engine’s cylinder heads, exhaust manifold and valvetrain to
handle increased power levels

· Redesigned
turbo oil and cooling lines to improve sealing

· Piston
assembly upgrades to increase load-bearing capability

· New
four-layer exhaust manifold gasket for improved durability

2015 Ford F-450 upgrades

The 2015 Ford F-450 tops the F-Series Super
Duty pickup truck lineup with maximum towing and hauling capability. Changes
for 2015 include a strengthened frame, suspension, new commercial-grade 19.5-inch
wheels and tires, and core work components shared with F-Series Super Duty
chassis cab models.

Just as the next-generation Power Stroke
engine reflects changes that improve power while maintaining durability, the
Super Duty engineering team took specific actions to bolster key F-450 components
to improve towing capability, including:

· Upgraded
rear driveline U-joints

· Upgraded
suspension components, including new rear leaf springs, front and rear
stabilizer bars and shocks

· Increased
fifth-wheel and gooseneck trailer capacity

· Stronger
steering gears and steering linkages

· Larger
brakes shared with Super Duty chassis cab models, including wheel brakes,
parking brake and new antilock brake calibration

· F-450-specific
Power Stroke diesel engine calibration

King
Ranch expresses authentic, rugged luxury

The reinvigorated update to the 2015 Ford
F-Series Super Duty King Ranch edition is inspired by the place where American
ranching was born.

“King Ranch is an American original with a
proud heritage of hard work that defines the American ranching lifestyle,” said
Doug Scott, Ford Truck group marketing manager. “The 2015 Ford Super Duty King
Ranch seamlessly combines elements of Texas-inspired luxury and Ford capability.”

As part of the Ford Truck commitment to
continuous improvement, the F-Series design team traveled to King Ranch,
founded in 1853, for fresh perspective and inspiration from the 825,000-acre working
ranch, which is bigger than the state of Rhode Island.

“What really stood out is how prominent the
“˜Running W’ is, and how it defines and unifies the ranch,” said Barb Whalen,
Ford color and material design manager. “Similarly, we wanted that brand to
define the new Super Duty King Ranch.”

On the new Super Duty King Ranch, the Running
W ““ the brand used on cattle raised at the ranch ““ provides a focal point for
the interior. It is cut out and stitched to make the seat backs and center
console appear to have been branded.

A lighter, richer shade of Mesa leather trims
the seats, center console lid, armrests and steering wheel.

Exterior updates include the new, darker
Caribou paint for the wheel lip moldings, bumpers and lower body. The bed rail
caps, bumper caps and running boards are executed in black. The Running W
brings focus to the wheel caps as well.

“Through premium materials and thoughtful
execution, we strived to make the 2015 Ford Super Duty King Ranch have a look
and a feel as authentic as the ranch itself,” said Scott.