Caravan camera first for Ford F-Series

Ford has unveiled first details of its 2017 F-Series Super Duty, which is expected to go on sale in the US in late-2016 and shortly after in Australia from right-hand drive conversion specialists such as Harrison F-Trucks and Performax International in Queensland.

And it’s good news for those looking for a super heavy-duty tow tug, with Ford claiming the new models will give buyers "more towing and hauling capability than ever before".

As a guide, the current F-450 has a maximum towing capacity of 14,152kg for goose-neck trailers and 8618kg for conventional trailers.

Spanning the F-250, F-350 and F-450 models in XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum trim grades and Regular Cab, SuperCab and Crew Cab body styles, the 2017 Super Duty range has taken a leaf out of the recently updated F-150 in that for the first time it adopts aluminium-alloy body panels.

Ford says this has helped the new Super Duty achieve weight savings of up to 350lb (159kg). That's half of the weight saving bestowed on the latest F-150, but it still helps boost the Super Duty's payload and towing capacities, while the aluminium alloy is said to fare better than steel when it comes to smaller dents and corrosion.

Ford says the new Super Duty chassis is comprised of 95 per cent high-strength steel, making it up to 24 times stiffer. The new chassis also features an open-C-section design behind the cab to aid bodybuilders seeking to convert the truck to handle any of a wide variety of applications.

A multitude of Super Duty driveline components have been strengthened too, while the 2017 Super Duty's technology has received a significant boost.

The driver can call on up to seven cameras to help when towing either gooseneck or conventional trailers, including a 360-degree camera for a bird's-eye view and a high-mounted brake light camera to ease trailer hook-up.

There's even a camera that can be fitted to the caravan or trailer – a factory first, says Ford – making hook-up even easier.

Other amenities including a tyre pressure monitoring system, LED lighting, adaptive cruise control, load adaptive steering, and Ford's SYNC 3 multimedia unit with 8-inch touch screen, advanced graphic interface and a wide array of voice commands.

A Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) is optimised to take the length of the pick-up and trailer into account, and uses radar sensors in the taillights to monitor areas not easily viewed by the driver.

Other safety aids include lane departure warning and collision prevention systems, the latter tripping visual and audible alerts to flag a potential frontal collision while also pre-charging the brake system.

All up, Ford says the 2017 Super Duty brings with it no fewer than 16 first-in-class features.

Three engine options will be available, with the existing 6.7-litre V8 diesel engine and 6.2-litre V8 petrol engine now backed up by a range-topping 6.8-litre V10 petrol engine. Ford is yet to release performance data for the new Super Duty line-up.

Ford says all three cabs are now longer and feature new interiors, while the tailgate can now be locked/unlocked and opened remotely via the pick-up's key fob.