500 horsepower is still a big number in the auto industry, one that suggests serious performance, and yet, it pales against 1,200. This is the level of torque Ford has brought to bear with the High Output variant of its 6.7L PowerStroke, a turbodiesel V8 that currently owns the torque crown among the heavy-duty pickup truck set. It’ll set you back a cool $13,495 when fitted to the 2026 F-350 King Ranch, but I have to tell you, after many days behind the wheel, it’s a worthwhile investment.
Massive Towing Capacity
Of course, a powertrain such as this in a truck of this dimension - the dually - is not about lurid dirt road slides and locomotive-like highway punch. It is about towing stuff that is measured in tons, not pounds. There is a bewildering array of configurations in the Super Duty lineup, but with the right cab, axle ratio, drivetrain, bed length, and wheel count, the F-350 is rated for 19 TONS of towing.
In the interest of automotive journalism excellence, plans were drawn up to pull a 1969 Triumph TR6 with the King Ranch. It didn’t come together, and really, like a gnat on a rhino’s rump, it would have barely bothered this beast. But that’s where the F-350 shines. Which takes nothing away from how it amazes when cut loose on dirt roads with the traction control switched off. Or when loafing at 50 on the highway, putting your foot in it, watching the boost gauge rip past 30 psi, and questioning your life choices.
Likes Wide Open Spaces
Such is the struggle with this kind of power on tap, and one I would happily wrestle with on the daily. If I didn’t live in the oldest permanent settlement in New Hampshire, that is. One with roads not intended for 8-foot x 22-foot vehicles. The F-350 dually is made for wide open spaces like, say, Wyoming. Or the ranch in Texas where this King Ranch variant gets its name. That’s a real place, as it turns out. One with 825,000 acres of space to roam. It’s easy to imagine this truck at home there, lugging trailers full of cattle, while wearing a cowboy hat and listening to Alan Jackson croon.
Mr. Jackson would surely sound incredible coming through the 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. Really, piloting the F-350 King Ranch is an incredible experience no matter how you slice it. An absolute bonanza of capability, amenities, technology, and frippery. To wit:
Integrated Exhaust Brake
Otherwise known as a jake brake, you can switch this on and off with a dashboard toggle, along with selecting an automatic mode. Unlike typical exhaust brakes that lean on a valve in the manifold, Ford gets deep in the engineering weeds by modifying the vane geometry of the turbocharger. It’s a trick setup and one that helps immensely as the brake pedal is on the smushy side.
Zone Lighting
Struggling to see what you’re doing while loading and unloading the F-350 at night? Switch on Zone Lighting via the central touchscreen, and suddenly you’re mistaken for the spaceship from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Daylight-bright LEDs illuminate everywhere - in the front grille, the side mirrors, across the back of the cab, and so on. It’s an impressive and highly functional light show.
Max Recline Seats
You might think you have a truck with seats that fold flat, but they are not Max Recline seats. Along with folding back a full 180°, these thrones have a small section in the bottom seat cushion that automatically rises 3 ½” to support your lower back. Up high on the seatback, there is an adjustable section - with little wings - to cradle your neck and shoulders. Heating, cooling, and massaging are also on hand, of course.
Onboard Scales
Even with payload ratings that measure many thousands of pounds, it’s possible to overload the F-350 dually. Fortunately, a slick scale integration helps prevent this. Open up the Onboard Scales feature with the infotainment system, and as you start adding weight to the cargo bed, the system shows you how much it weighs, along with the max rating.
A Cabin To Write Home About
The cabin of this Super Duty is spectacular. Exclusive Kingsville Antique Affect leather in two tones of brown is oh-so supple, contrast stitching looks sharp, and touches of real wood and engraved metal dial up the ranch-chic vibe. And there’s so much space! The model I drove had the twin-panel moonroof. It’s a $1,500 option, but adds a tremendous amount of daylight and even deeper sense of airiness. Though it remains a mystery where the huge power-operated sunblind goes when opened.
Power-adjustable pedals and a power-adjustable steering column make getting the perfect driving position a breeze. This is important when piloting such a land barge and is not for the faint of heart. The steering wheel seems to have just a vague connection to the front wheels, and the brakes are alarmingly soft. Best to putter around town with the PowerStroke rumbling quietly.
Scary Fast
Because if you put your foot in it, those 1,200 torques will kick all 4 rear wheels loose without a second thought. It’s awesome and terrifying, but mostly awesome. Car and Driver clocked the single rear-wheel F-250 with this engine at 5.5 seconds in the 60 sprint. Now, the fully decked-out 350 with extra wheels weighs EIGHT THOUSAND POUNDS, so it might be a touch slower. But seat of the pants says not by much, and holy moly, it’s shocking that this much metal can get moving with that kind of alacrity.
You might want to avoid too much of this kind of driving, as I saw just 13 mpg. With a 48-gallon gas tank, that still translates to more than 600 miles of range. But diesel fuel is currently running around $5.20 a gallon, reinforcing the fact that an F-350 like this is best reserved as a work truck.
Not For Everyone, But Perfect For Some
And really, it’s hard to imagine why you’d buy this truck unless it was going to be used to haul big, heavy things. Don’t get me wrong, Ford’s F-350 King Ranch dually is a phenomenal vehicle and one that I want just for the sake of its enormity. At $111,000 and change, that’s a hard sell for a suburbanite such as myself. But for the well-to-do rancher? This Super Duty is a home run.
About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender