Daily Slideshow: 10 Features That Make the F-250 Platinum Everything You Want In A Luxury Truck
For some, gold is enough. For the rest of us, there's Platinum.
Platinum Status
Never a company to miss out on a sales opportunity, Ford has capitalized on the luxury truck market in a major way. One could look back to the Lariat, Harley-Davidson, or King Ranch models as the start of the luxury truck revolution. However, the latest iteration of the Platinum model takes things up to a whole new level. Here are some of the features that make the F-250 Platinum the standout of the class.
1. Size Matters
The F-250 Platinum is gigantic, and not just by truck standards. In fact, a studio this size in the Bay Area would probably cost you a cool $10,000 per month. The smallest Platinum configuration has a wheelbase of over 12 feet long. With the 4x4 option box ticked, the truck sits just a shade under 7 feet high. Width is also a monstrous 8.5 feet and it has a curb weight over 7,000 pounds. What do all these gaudy numbers mean? Well, for starters it means you'll have the most capable tow vehicle at the country club. It also means the ride of your "pickup truck" might be better than your neighbor's 7 Series BMW.
>>Join the conversation about the F-250 Platinum Super Duty right here in Ford-trucks.com.
2. Power
I envision the typical F-250 Platinum buyer as being similar to Jeffrey Donovan's character in the movie Hitch. He's a Type A personality who grabs Will Smith by the arm and says, "You see what I'm doing? This is what I'm about. Power suit, power tie, power steering. People can wince, cry, or beg but eventually, they do what I want."
If power is your addiction of choice, look no further than the 6.7L Powerstroke Diesel found in the Platinum. It's less of a motor and more of a God of torque. It's 440 horsepower sounds nice but the real Earth-shaker is the mammoth 860 lb-ft or torque it kicks out. Ford engineers have been hard at work to ensure torque comes on early and often. Peak torque is delivered at a mere 1,600 RPM for all your towing needs. Unladen, this 7,000-pound truck becomes a rolling burnout machine.
>>Join the conversation about the F-250 Platinum Super Duty right here in Ford-trucks.com.
3. Interior Size
Remember the hypothetical Bay Area studio I mentioned earlier? I doubt it'd be as spacious as the interior of the Platinum. I speak with firsthand knowledge as a 6'5" man, this F-250 interior is enormous. Headroom is aplenty as is space for the knees, shoulders, and hips.
>>Join the conversation about the F-250 Platinum Super Duty right here in Ford-trucks.com.
4. Comfort
Size is one thing, comfort can be something entirely its own. For example, military transport planes are huge but I've never heard a soldier comment positively on the ride quality and passenger features of the C-5 Super Galaxy. The Platinum, on the other hand, features large, supple leather seats. If that's not enough, the front seats are heated and cooled and have a two-zone massaging function. Ford has also managed to keep the typical rattle of a diesel engine out of the cab. Close the doors and turn off the stereo and this Super Duty becomes an isolation chamber removed from the outside world.
>>Join the conversation about the F-250 Platinum Super Duty right here in Ford-trucks.com.
5. Rear Seat Legroom
The back of the F-250 Platinum is less of a rear seat and more of a lounge. In fact, if I was a celebrity headed to a noteworthy event, I'd ditch the limo and ask the chauffeur to drive me in the Platinum. From the backseat, I could charge my phone using either the cigarette lighter or a 110 volt AC outlet. I'd ask the driver to hook my phone up to the infotainment screen featuring Sync 3 and listen to my music library via Apple Carplay. To ensure I was red carpet ready, I'd lean back and relax in the 43 inches of rear legroom while the heated seats fade away any lingering stress.
>>Join the conversation about the F-250 Platinum Super Duty right here in Ford-trucks.com.
6. Twin-Panel Sunroof
Should anyone suffer from claustrophobia (and frankly, I'm not sure how you could in this truck) a twin-panel sunroof is optional. Hit the button controlling the sunroof and endless amounts of sunshine, blue skies, and moonlight is available to those in the cab.
>>Join the conversation about the F-250 Platinum Super Duty right here in Ford-trucks.com.
7. Technology
I feel comfortable saying men enjoy technology and getting things done. Whether or not that was the thought process behind the F-250's "Productivity Screen" is up for debate. Either way, it's nice to have a beautifully lit digital screen showing you temperature gauges, MPH, RPMs, and most importantly PSI of boost. FYI, according to a JD Power study, 92% of Super Duty buyers are male. Go figure.
>>Join the conversation about the F-250 Platinum Super Duty right here in Ford-trucks.com.
8. Trailer Reverse Guidance
Have you ever been at the boat launch ramp and seen some poor schlub attempting to lineup their trailer? Even worse, have you ever been that person? Ford has your back. The Platinum can be bought with Ford's Trailer Reverse Guidance system which utilizes some the Platinum's cameras to assist with visibility and indicates how much steering to input. Trailer Reverse Guidance also warns the driver of an impending jackknife situation so you can avoid irreparable damage to the ego.
>>Join the conversation about the F-250 Platinum Super Duty right here in Ford-trucks.com.
9. Power Tailgate Release and Remote Locking Tailgate
Lowering and raising a tailgate manually feels like a job best served for those who buy the average work truck. By no means is the F-250 Platinum an average work truck. Thus, its owners are not required to strain their muscles and risk injury every time they need to get something out of the bed. By hitting a button on the key fob, the tailgate will release automatically and gracefully make its way to the lowered position. Hit another button and the tailgate will lock automatically, thereby guaranteeing your valuables don't end up for sale on Craigslist.
>>Join the conversation about the F-250 Platinum Super Duty right here in Ford-trucks.com.
10. Innovation
On their own, these four features may not be enough to convince you to buy an $80,000 truck. Put together a package that includes LED lighting, telescoping tow mirrors with blind spot warning, and mirror-housed spotlights and the number becomes a little more bearable. Ford has continued to reinvent the luxury truck segment in the same way Mercedes dictates the progress of luxury sedans with the S-Class. Will you pay a pretty penny for this type of luxury? Absolutely. However, how would you feel at the launch ramp sweating in your base model XLT when you see another boater pull up in his fully-loaded Platinum? It'll be even worse when he flashes a smile and you realize he's getting a massage from his leather driver's seat while his buns are being cooled simultaneously.
>>Join the conversation about the F-250 Platinum Super Duty right here in Ford-trucks.com.
For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.