2023 Ford Super Duty With HO 6.7L Diesel Hits 60 MPH in 5.5 Seconds

Conventional wisdom says that if you want power and performance, you go for gasoline. The real truth is that you can go plenty fast on diesel, too. The 2023 Ford Super Duty demonstrates this in spades, thanks to Ford's new high-output 6.7-liter Power Stroke engine delivering 500 horsepower and 1,200 pound-feet of torque.

That engine is capable of amazing things, as demonstrated by instrumented testing by Car and Driver. The heavy-duty pickup was able to post a zero-to-60 mph time of just 5.5 seconds, making it the quickest diesel truck ever tested by the outlet. The exact model tested was an F-250 Lariat fitted with the Tremor package. That comes with special suspension, a limited-slip diff up front, an electric locking diff at the rear, and 35-inch BF Goodrich all-terrain tires.

It's devastatingly quick for a vehicle that weighs over 8,000 pounds. The new model snatched the crown from the 2020 F-250, itself capable of an impressive 6.1 second time. There's also potential for the F-250 to record a quicker time if a lighter configuration was duly equipped with street tires instead.

The extra pace is thanks to the high-output Power Stroke's extra torque—a full 150 pound-feet more than the normal 6.7-liter that was also in the old truck. It pays dividends, with the new pickup also 0.5 seconds quicker in the quarter-mile with a 14.1-second pass. It's also 1.2 seconds quicker to 90 mph, hitting the mark in 11.9 seconds. If you regularly find yourself accelerating flat-out to beyond freeway speeds, the F-250 would be a good truck to have. Just be sure to spec the high-output.

Of course, this time doesn't make the F-250 the quickest truck on the block. It will readily get dusted by a Hummer EV, capable of hitting 60 mph in three seconds flat. The Rivian R1T will match that, while the Ford F-150 Lightning can lay it down in 4.4 seconds. Really, though, that's comparing diesel apples with electric oranges. The F-250 is more of a realistic work-a-day truck, and it clearly dominates the acceleration charts in the world of diesel heavy-duty pickups.

Car and Driver's staff also helpfully lays out the conditions under which they achieved the best times. The transfer case was put in 4HI, naturally, with testing director Dave VanderWerp finding the truck was quickest when launched with second gear selected manually, before quickly shifting back into automatic mode. There's a little tip if you own one of these and plan on taking it to the strip.

Whether the acceleration times matter in the real world is up for debate. Regardless, bragging rights help sell trucks, and few at Ford would complain that the F-250 is the best in class in this regard. Expect to see a few 2023 models laying down rubber as owners eagerly attempt to repeat the feat. Just use your head and don't do it around town, yeah?

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