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See How The 2015 Ford Super Duty Leaves The Competition Behind: Video

As Ford put it, “Built Ford Tough means never resting on one’s laurels, and the 2015 Ford Super Duty is no exception”. And to demonstrate the improved towing capability of the updated 6.7 liter Power Stroke diesel V8 engine in the refreshed 2015 Super Duty, Ford pit its F-350 against the competition — the Chevy Silverado Heavy Duty 3500 and RAM 3500 — in what it calls the Battle of the Heavyweights.

The Tests

Ford took three trucks, one of its own and two from its direct competitors in the Heavy Duty class, and put them through a grueling series of drives — from high in the Colorado Rockies to the unforgiving desert at Davis Dam. Each vehicle towed identical trailers weighing 20,000 lbs and each was equipped with the best towing packages offered.

The Trucks

2014 Chevy Silverado 3500 vs 2015 Ford Super Duty F-350

Ford's Battle Of The Heavyweights Truck Vitals
METRIC 2015 FORD F-350 SUPER DUTY 2013 RAM 3500 2014 CHEVY SILVERADO 3500
ENGINE 6.7L POWER STROKE V8 (REVISED) 6.7L CUMMINS I6 6.6L DURAMAX V8
AXLE RATIO 4.3 4.10 3.73

2013 Ram 3500 vs 2015 Ford Super Duty F-350

Davis Dam, Arizona

The first battle takes place at the Davis Dam in Arizona:

  • The altitude: 500 – 3,000 feet
  • The temperature: 91 degrees F
  • The task: to travel 7 miles at a 6% grade as quickly as possible while carrying a 20,000lb trailer
Davis Dam Results
METRIC 2015 FORD F-350 SUPER DUTY 2013 RAM 3500 2014 CHEVY SILVERADO 3500
0-45 MPH N/A 7 SECONDS SLOWER THAN FORD 9.4 SECONDS SLOWER THAN FORD
7-MILE RUN 7:29:40 7:50:70 8:27:70

So, Ford beat both Ram and Chevy going up the hill in the Arizona heat. So Ford decide to raise the stakes by 10,000 feet. Enter Loveland Pass, Colorado.

Loveland Pass, Colorado

The second battle takes place at the world-renowned Loveland pass in Colorado:

  • The altitude: 9,500 – 11,990 feet; to produce power at this altitude, the engines have to work harder
  • The temperature: 51 degrees F
  • The task: to travel 4 miles at a 6% grade as quickly as possible while carrying a 20,000lb trailer
Loveland Pass Results
METRIC 2015 FORD F-350 SUPER DUTY 2013 RAM 3500 2014 CHEVY SILVERADO 3500
0-45 MPH N/A 8.9 SECONDS SLOWER THAN FORD 12.3 SECONDS SLOWER THAN FORD
7-MILE RUN 05:06:70 5:16:60 5:21:10

Once again, the F-350 took care of business — beating the competition with room to spare.

The Results

From the looks of it, the revised F-350 Super Duty totally dominates the 2013 RAM 3500 and 2014 Chevy Silverado 3500 in each test. The only time that the Ford didn’t walk all over the competition is when the Ram pulled away from the Ford off the during the test at Loveland Pass. Fear not, the F-350 quickly closed the gap and beat the Ram to 45 MPH.

There are, however, many variables in these tests. For starters, we know that the trailers and their mass was a constant, but wonder about how the trucks were driven during the tests themselves. Surely, the drivers couldn’t keep the pedal to the metal the entire time during the 7- and 4-mile stretches of blacktop. Outside of that, it’s important to note the following:

  1. There are many factors outside of acceleration and speed that go into making a truck “great”, such as fuel economy, braking, handling confidence, durability, and more. In that regard, this test only considers acceleration and speed.
  2. General Motors just unveiled updated 2015 Silverado Heavy Duty and 2015 GMC Sierra Heavy Duty trucks at the same Texas State Fair where Ford unveiled the updated 2015 Super Duty lineup. As such, it will be interesting to see if the Chevy 3500 would stack up any better against the 2015 F-350. Notably, Ford has not yet released official specifications for the updated 2015 Super Duty or the revised 6.7 liter Power Stroke.

Nevertheless, it’s obvious that the F-350 is one capable truck that is more than capable of outperforming the competition and works hard, no matter what the road or the conditions. Best of all, Ford says that it will “never stop improving, because that’s what makes it Built Ford Tough”.

Now, sit back and watch the shootout video:

Motrolix Founder with a passion for global automotive business strategy.

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