Test Drive: 2011 F-350 Super Duty

Design

I'll admit, I'm not a big fan of pick-ups. To me, they all look the same. However, the F-350 does hold some appeal (for me anyways). Besides being absolutely ginormous, the F-350 Super Duty has real presence on the road. With Ford's signature 3-tier chromed grille and such a large nose, the F-350 looks like it means business at all times. On the road, the F-350 commands respect -- and I haven't decided it that's because of its size or its looks.

Inside, the F-350 is as massive as you'd think it would be. With a full back seat (king cab) and overly roomy cockpit, the F-350 is practical in every sense.

My only hold up is the hard-to-move shifter that's attached to the steering wheel in an old-fashioned kind of way. It's tricky to get the right gear sometimes and takes a bit too long to fiddle with.

Drive

When you're driving in the F-350 Super Duty, you feel as if you're miles above everyone else on the road -- as well you should. Now, we had this pick-up in the heart of an urban center, and you'd think that would be a bit impractical and hard to pull off. But in actual fact the Triton V8-powered pick-up handled its city excursion quite well. The handling is very precise and thanks to the oversize mirrors, my visibility was fantastic. I had no trouble maneuvering the monster through tight city streets, and its command of "respect" ensured no one got in my way.

The F-350 is a working truck. Able to pull up to 16,000lbs and powered by a turbo diesel engine, this truck is hardcore. Built for construction sites, mining projects and the likes, the F-350 really is built Ford tough, from nose to tail, and once again proves why Ford is the No. 1 pick-up manufacturer in North America.