A week after Chrysler revealed its 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty pickups at the Chicago Auto Show, Brenda Priddy's spy photographers caught the first covered and camouflaged test trucks of its biggest competitor, the Ford F-250 Super Duty, scheduled to arrive in 2011.
The 2011 Super Duty is expected to receive a major styling revamp, similar to the extent of the 2008 model year update. Current Ford heavy-dutys take their exterior design cues from Ford's F-350 Tonka concept shown at the 2002 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. This time around, it appears that the bold F-250 Super Chief concept shown at the 2006 Detroit show has provided the design inspiration.
The current Super Duty's hallmark side nostrils appear to have vanished, replaced by distinctive trim pieces on the sides of the grille that (at least for now) end abruptly at the top intake. Taillights are also another likely upgrade, similar to those on the new 2009 F-150, Priddy says.
Mechanically, we expect the 2011 Super Duty will carry over the 6.7L "Scorpion" V8 diesel expected to debut in the 2010 model year trucks. The gasoline engine should be the new 6.2L premium V8, which should replace the current 6.8L V10 next year.
Another major powertrain change is the likely end of manual transmissions, though the engineering mules in these pictures show Ford continuing its unique tradition of manual locking front hubs for 4WD Super Dutys.
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