"Many of the larger commercial fleets (most of which are Fords) are looking for ways to make those vehicles more efficient. "

They're not looking too hard.

The obvious solutions are staring them in the face.

When will Super Duty update its looks??????????????????

I'll take the Tacoma behind the camera car, you can notice the much better approach angle compared to the HD...

Can they move the rear shocks out towards the wheel more, they are begging to get smucked by simple things like a tire in the road, gators, mufflers, etc...

@oxi why? why would you even bring that up? I'll take the super duty any day over the tacoma to stop my 8000 lb trailer. you can notice the super duty is built much better to handle tough hills, quick stops, all while towing big loads. same goes for the silverado, sierra, and ram.

Their just looking for a better build so it will last to the 60,000 mile mark haha

When will Super Duty update its looks??????????????????

Posted by: Greg | Feb 1, 2012 12:19:45 PM

The current design goes back roughly 13 years. I would say that 5-10 more years would be a safe bet. Look at how long they have kept the Expedition, Mustang, and E-Series van around. All of those designs date back further than the Super Duty. Talk about an outdated product line.

@oxi
LOL!
Only YOU would bring up approach angles!

I'll take the truck whose frame won't rust away in less than 10 years.

This should show the TROLLS that Ford does not need a redesign every some odd years to make a sale.

i kinda look the look. A truck doesn't have to be new to still look sharp.

Bobs Gourmet Chef. Well in Ford's defense, if it aint broke, don't fix it. Why fix something that aint broken?

They would need to pay me to use this ugly looking car on the road. Even mahindra looks better, than this 2"x4" front end mess.

Sorry, but this deserves to be posted again. Not sure who the real author is but it rates 10 stars in my book...

These trucks should stay off the roads where they belong. I would have bought a small truck but I would have caused thousands of dollars worth of damage when I went to try to tow my car trailer. The posers I see who try to use small trucks like this to tow make me laugh. I have years of experience at the all American-Tow Off they hold in Indiana every year. NASA even called me in for advice on what kind of size ball-hitch they should put on the next shuttle.
Just the other day I was driving down the interstate in my all custom 1992 -------- 1/2 ton truck while pulling my home-made goose neck loaded with 12,000 lbs, when I looked to the lane next to me. There was some guy using a 2002 tacoma to pull a small trailer with a mower on it. Needles to say he lost control of it and careened out of control. My towing sense was tingling so I leapt out my window and through his open passenger window. I grabbed the wheel and got it under control. He then banished me to the negative zone and took my original name, so as only to masquerade as me tho telling the world the opposite as I would...

Posted by: Nega-oxi | Jan 24, 2012 5:02:07 PM

It used to be you would really only see manufacturers out testing vehicles. Nowadays, you've got a lot more independent testing going on.

Besides manufacturers and suppliers, you've got aftermarket upfitters and conversion companies, you've got colleges, universities, and technical schools, you've got performance product companies and tuning companies......and all of them work a lot closer with manufacturers than they used to.

Personally, I'm really glad to see it. The more testing and reporting done, the better vehicles and vehicle accessories become once they reach the end consumer.

This should show the TROLLS that Ford does not need a redesign every some odd years to make a sale.

Posted by: Frank | Feb 1, 2012 12:41:03 PM

This shows how blinded Ford fans really are. Time to take off the rose colored glasses Frank.

To all of the guys who keep bringing up dated designs, this applies regardless of brand - truck designers prefer evolution versus revolution. Truck buyers are conservative. Big changes do not go over well.
The Ford SD is probably the oldest overall design but outsells Chevy 2:1.
The Silverado/Sierra is also an older design and it outsells the F150.
Age of design isn't necessarily a bad thing. The biggest difference between Ford and Chevy is that Ford continuously tweeks and refines its trucks. Chevy seems to be content with sitting back and rotting in between huge redesigns.

@ Lou

How would you feel about the current Silverado if they updated the interiors with new dash designs and materials and gave the engines a shot in the arm? I have a couple of these trucks in my family and they have been good trucks. The interiors are not at the top of their class, but I feel they are a step above the 99-06 C/K trucks.

It is a myth that Fords are the oldest. Ford SD has had the largest exterior upgrades of all the trucks.

It is a myth that Fords are the oldest. Ford SD has had the largest exterior upgrades of all the trucks.

Posted by: Dave | Feb 1, 2012 1:35:28 PM

Myth? More like the truth. I don't consider 4 changes to the grille significant exterior upgrades. If my memory is right the truck came out in '99. The grille was updated in '03, '08, and '11. The tail lights were also changed sometime, maybe in '08. During this time period (99-12), Dodge and GM have been through 3 body styles. This is counting the 94-01 Dodge and 88-93 GM C/K.

Typo: 88-98 GM C/K

@Bob,

Why would you even care?

"I don't consider 4 changes to the grille significant exterior upgrades. If my memory is right the truck came out in '99. The grille was updated in '03, '08, and '11. The tail lights were also changed sometime, maybe in '08. During this time period (99-12), Dodge and GM have been through 3 body styles. This is counting the 94-01 Dodge and 88-93 GM C/K."

Oh wait, you are just here to TROLL!

@Bob,

Why would you even care?

"I don't consider 4 changes to the grille significant exterior upgrades. If my memory is right the truck came out in '99. The grille was updated in '03, '08, and '11. The tail lights were also changed sometime, maybe in '08. During this time period (99-12), Dodge and GM have been through 3 body styles. This is counting the 94-01 Dodge and 88-93 GM C/K."

Oh wait, you are just here to TROLL!

Posted by: Frank | Feb 1, 2012 1:54:44 PM

Why do you care about similar things related to GM trucks and make basically the same comments? I guess you go in those threads just to TROLL. LMAO

@Bobs Gourmet Chef - I've said it before, but the rabid Ford or Chevy fans don't believe me - when it comes time to replace my current truck, if Chevy or GM has a better truck, that gives me what I want, for the money I'm willing to spend - I will buy one. I don't have a real problem with them. Michigan bob or what ever his current name, and a few others make really dumb comments that unfortunately force me to a more extreme opposite view.
I like the Sierra much better than the Silverado. I've seen the drivetrains in Chevy trucks hold up as well as the Ford or Ram trucks. The bodies seem to get beat up faster than a Ford or Ram. The interiors are a big weak point.
I don't like the whole Chevy work grade, and Sierra premium grade plan. I think it will hurt Chevy. I've always found that it depended on model/year of truck as to which one I liked better (Chevy vs GM). I've ridden in all of my brother's company trucks and I liked the Ram and Ford interiors the best. I've looked at the new trucks and I like the Ram and Ford interiors better. I do hope that GM comes out with a great product in 2014. I'd like to be able to chose from 6 brands instead of 4.

Ford has the largest changes 2011 to present. I like that I can tell a 2011 to present Ford SD from the older trucks unlike the GM's which had carry over bodies and engines.

Ford has the largest changes 2011 to present. I like that I can tell a 2011 to present Ford SD from the older trucks unlike the GM's which had carry over bodies and engines.

Posted by: Dave | Feb 1, 2012 2:02:18 PM

I can easily tell that a Super Duty is the basically the same truck that it was in 1999 with some minor exterior changes.
The current GM HD looks much like it did when it came out in 2007, minus a new front clip and frame design. The 2001 HD and 2007 GM HD are two completely different body styles. Ford may have the largest # of changes to the grill, but they are well behind Dodge and GM on complete body style changes. Your argument is not holding any water Dave.

It's not that we don't believe that you will buy a Chevy truck if they provided a better truck that you want.

It's that we know that Chevy will not provide a truck that you want. Constantly repeating that you would buy a Chevy that you know they will not sell is just a debate tactict. And a weak one at that.

Nothing will ever stop the Super Duty... I find it funny that Chevy handed the HD market over to us on a silver platter. This was when Dale Earnhardt was still alive and Chevy trucks were the biggest baddest thing on the planet with the most rabbid loyal following to boot. The GM suits were flat out morons to ever pull that beam axle out and drop that frame so low to the ground for a couple of torsion bars. It was all to save a buck.. Typical GM. It got them nowhere. Truck guys go where the real trucks are built and where the quality is. Now you have more idiots in charge at Ren Cen deciding if Chevy gets to match Ford's interior quality or if they give that to the screwball GMC 'brand'. These guys were destined for failure and government money since day 1. There's no focus on 1 single brand line of cars and trucks. Everything's a 'general' free for all with a hodgepodge mess of brands. They're still stuck in the 1920's.. The fact is we don't need a redesign to outsell anyone.

And I'm not knocking you Chevy guys because I still back you. It's GM and GM'c' that is pathetic.

Lou had an interesting point before. Modern truck design is, in general, is pretty conservative. The function of the vehicle largely dictates the design. Short of changing the front grill, what else can they do that would be truly groundbreaking? Not only that, but groundbreaking and universally accepted?

There ain't a whole hell of a lot anymore, and more than likely, anything they do decide to do, we won't like anyway. I definitely don't envy truck designers.

The scariest part to me, though, is when I look at the direction modern design has taken with cars and CUVs. They almost universally have poor visibility, poor interior room(in relation to their size), and one box ambiguous nd bloated body shapes resembling melted jelly-beans. Do you really want those same design features incorporated into American trucks? I don't. I feel like we would end up with some unholy combination of a Ridgeline and a Prius. Yikes!

@Paul810, you mean like the new Chevy Colorado?

My husband said he hates Chevy pickups and wouldn't buy one ever. email me for proof!

@Bobs Gourmet Chef,

My husband also hated his Chevy van. Coincidence? I think not.

Hopefully all the TROLLING is done and we can get back to the "topic" at hand which was product evaluations/upgrades (specualtion).

If this is fact testing for CNG?LPG, since when is that an improvement in fuel mileage? Yes the fuel is cheaper (for now) but the engines are less powerful and less efficient with CNG/LPG. They are certainly cleaner however. I'll give them that. Propane was tried in the '80s and didn't catch on due to its logistical problems and inefficiency. Think they'll do better now?

@RandyK

I wasn't going to say it, but that did come to mind. The CUV nose on a mid-size truck looks mediocre at best and I doubt it would look any better when scaled up for a full size/HD truck. If that's what trucks are going to look like in the future, than tell me now so I can buy enough current trucks to last me for the rest of my life.

@Dave -

Chevy Silverado vs Frod Superduty - Frame twist test

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uyuo2nBUBus

I'm no engineer, but just to the naked eye that looks like a problem, Dave!

@Paul810 LOL. Dodge had the ideal look in 1994 and RAM is preserving it. Even on the Tundra that's what an HD rig should look like. Sooner or later all the trucks are going to look like cars, have FWD, unibody structure, small engines. Look what happened to the van and SUV.

@Billy
I meant the front end...

@Dave - if Ford makes better trucks then I most likely will stay put. The tundra had better ratings and power than the F150 but I chose the F150 because it had more features, and was 8,000 less. It is more complex than who sells the most, or who has the better looking truck. It is hard to pick based on durability because that is based on past performance. There have been many examples of new trucks being worse than the old ones. Take for example Ford's first IH diesel was better than the ones that came after it.

Actually the Ford f-250 came out in 1997 as a 1998 model,in 1998 the f-350 came out so the Ford is a very,very old,out dated design...The F-150 looked the same since 2004....

Wonder why Ford guys knock GM for out dated trucks,when Ford clearly has the oldest fleet on the market !! 1997 !! LOL !!!

Now i am not for aero looking trucks,but c'mon Ford guys its laughable when you knock GM for old looking trucks,when yours date back to the last century !!

@ FordTrucks1,

You are watching the wrong truck !! The Ram is the number 1 selling H.D Diesel truck in Canada,and the Dodge Ram sales are gaining on the F-150 Canada's first and second overall best sellers including cars are the Ford trucks and Dodge RAM !

The States seems to be following Canada as we started to buy Chrysler's like crazy then 1 year later Americans started to buy Chrysler's like crazy..

Chrysler was the best Candian selling brand in Jan,over 2 years of sales increases in Canada and in the States Chrysler has about 1 year of sales gains,and in Canada the Ram sales are going like crazy and the States is following as seen in 46% sales increases,so Ram will over take Ford in sales its just a matter of time !! You know when you can have a HEMI V-8 that out performes the Eco-Boost 6 shooter in performance and mpg,RAM wins !!!! And the reliability of a Cummins ..Ram wins again !!!

Bob, when is the last time chevy updated their interior? 5 years ago along with the body.

If the previous HD Chevy was so heavy duty why did they have to re-engineer the frame to compete with Ford? Probably wasn't very HD

If we were talking about sales you would be saying chevy's not beating Ford because it is in older design.

The SuperDuty looks like it has the 6.2L BOSS gas engine. Wonder if they are upgrading the 6.2L with 3 valves or maybe 4 valves per cylinder???

Plus...it could also be an eco-boost gas engine???

Right?

I dont know why everyone keeps talking about the exterior see that ford is the best looking truck closely followed by Ram and then the tundra... because the chevy looks like a bloated whale. I mean whats the point of having those bulbous fenders or that wide front end almost like the old c10's oohhh I see what GM is doing and they call the ford old looking.

@ Canadian Dodge RAM Owner ...
Actually the Ford f-250 came out in 1997 as a 1998 model,in 1998 the f-350 came out so the Ford is a very,very old,out dated design...The F-150 looked the same since 2004....
-------------

Actually the SuperDuty Name re-appeared in 1997 with the HD trucks. But...that was with the older previous design.

The current SuperDuty platform...was introduced in 1999.

Glad I could help you out.

The Super Duty is in dire need of a major update. Who cares about the ugly grille and restamped fenders? Sure, the drivetrain is now very current, but we are basically talking a 1999 platform. And, the Super Duty needs a state-of-the-art IFS, no question!

BTW, the 'Super Duty' name first came out in 1958, on Ford's then-new large commercial gasoline V-8's. The first time 'Super Duty' was used on a truck was in 1987 in the F-450.

i goin to go buy 2012 super duty and drive it down the road then they take my picture and put it on here:)

Another big ugly!
Brick styling doesn't get it.

Who cares if the SD is basically the same body, it looked good then and it looks good now.

@Bob and his marry band of idiots.

First of all...Its not what it looks like...Its whats underneith...Sure Ford has largelly left the Superdutys exterior appearance alone for the past 13 years, only minor changed such as refreashed grills and interiors. I dare you to compare a 1998 Superduty and a 2012 Superduty...Even though they look similer, they might as well be two totally different trucks! Different engines...Different transmissions...Different (anything that really matters).

But I guess I forgot...You're nothing more than a Chevy troll...Apperance's are all you've got.

Does every topic on pickuptrucks.com have to become a flame war, a troll fest or endless brand name touting? And how many times have we heard about chevrolet's non-solid front axle, ford's old design and dodge's problem of everything but the cummins is apparently unreliable?

Is it to much to ask for civil, on topic debate?

@Marcus, yeah I agree it is stupid. Has any of the arguing ever won anybody over? It's futile, but people can keep wasting time if they want. I would rather respect everyone for being a pickup truck enthusiast, even if I don't always agree.