By Tim Plouff

The Ford Motor Co. sold 939,511 F-series pickup trucks in America last year.

Let’s put that number into perspective.

That is 2,574 F-series trucks sold every single day of the year, or 107 new trucks sold every hour of every day of every week in 2004.

Think of how many assembly plants are needed to make all of the needed tires, wheels, brake discs, seat frames, heater controls, windshield wiper motors, chrome bumpers, shift knobs, spark plugs, door handles, gas tanks, taillights, radiators and other widgets that make up a new vehicle.

If Ford F-series sales suffer a hiccup, America’s manufacturing industry gets a quick case of heartburn.

As the calendar year ended, the F-series lineup outsold GM’s Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra duo by 45,000 units. Ford had more full-size pickup truck sales than Dodge, GMC, Toyota and Nissan combined. The total is more trucks sold than the entire lineup of Nissan, Chrysler, GMC, Pontiac, Jeep, Mercedes, BMW and almost every other maker here last year. It is more than twice as many trucks sold than last year’s best selling car: the Toyota Camry. The F-series accounted for 5.6 percent of all U.S. sales last year; more than one out of 20 new vehicles sold were full-size Ford pickups.

Of those 939,511 pickups sold, 40 percent were Super Duty trucks to lead the heavy-duty pickup segment by a wide margin. According to Ford, 75 percent of Super Duty buyers chose the PowerStroke diesel engine option.

The F-series proved to be one of the few bright spots for Ford last year as the company struggled to stay ahead of Chevrolet (only 19,000 units behind at year’s end) as the company lost 4 percent of market share in an up-market. When combined with arch-rival Chevrolet, these two brands accounted for 5.5 million in sales last year, representing 33 percent of the new vehicle market.

This is high stakes poker without second chances. As Ford’s perennial cash cow, any changes to the F-series can make or break the company’s fortunes for several years.

So when it came time to make changes to the new Super Duty series, Ford knew it should rely on the same formula that helped increase sales of the F-150 series trucks during 2003’s makeover.

The frame was strengthened for greater torsional rigidity. A new mono-beam solid axle up front now carries coil springs for greater ride compliance. The steering gear was completely re-worked for increased on-road feel and track stability, while a side benefit was a smaller low-speed turning radius.

Disc brake sizes were increased front and rear, plus next-generation ABS programming was added. Payload capacities are up as are towing limits. And, the tow package includes the industry’s first integrated electric trailer brake controller with upfitter switches and a larger 2.5-inch receiver hitch.

All of this new brawn needed more muscle under the hood and the engineers complied. The base 5.4-liter Triton V-8 gains 40 hp, now up to 300 hp, with better breathing three-valve heads and electronic throttle control. The 6.8-liter V-10 shares the new head design, too, and boasts 355 hp. The PowerStroke diesel now features 325 hp and a hefty 570-pound/feet of peak torque. A stronger TorqueShift five-speed automatic with tow/haul mode enhances power delivery and fuel economy and now backs the turbodiesel.

On top of all of these mechanical upgrades sits the bold look from the “Mighty Tonka” Ford concept truck. Large machined-look horizontal bars in the front grille and a bold, strong stance give the Super Duty a tough, macho image that heavy-duty truck buyers crave.

Yet, one of the biggest new features borrowed from the F-150 is the refined, comfortable interior. Ford has learned that even hard-working ranchers and contractors like to be coddled. And women are a larger percentage of Super Duty drivers and owners than previously thought.

Tall and wide, the F-250 Super Duty Crew Cab offers man-size room front and rear. Big grab handles reside over each portal to aid graceful entry and exit while cab steps are essential for all but the tallest of drivers. The Castano leather seats in my King Ranch sample were as comfortable as any Lazy-Boy you ever sampled.

Big stereo sound, a strong climate system, huge front and rear consoles, and a panoramic view highlight the rest of the cabin. A power sunroof and a power sliding rear window help to flow fresh air if that is your wish. The King Ranch adds a rear-parking assist system to improve your backing-up confidence. The leather clad cabin is tastefully appointed. Ford includes power pedals and power seats, but the big steering wheel only tilts for comfort. You also can get a six-disc CD changer with nifty steering wheel controls, but satellite radio is missing.

Under way, the PowerStroke diesel packs a big wallop. On cold starts, there is a hint of diesel smell that accompanies the engine’s fast idle, but once you reach operating temperatures, the turbodiesel V-8 happily propels you to impressive velocities in short order. At cruising speeds, the cabin is actually quite hushed and relaxed conversation is the norm.

One of the virtues of a diesel engine is increased power and increased fuel efficiency. Driving the King Ranch Super Duty around town produced an average of 14 mpg while suburban commuting raised that number to 16 mpg; approximately the same number as sustained 75-mph freeway driving. Steady state driving at around 60 mph proved to be the Super Duty’s optimum speed as the trip computer consistently reported 19-plus miles per gallon.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the Super Duty’s new handling acumen. Owners know that the Super Duty’s ride won’t be confused with a Town Car, and you won’t mistake this rig’s handling with a Mustang. But the new suspension delivers much-improved steering feel and greater path accuracy. Eighteen-inch Continentals helped smooth the ride, but with the optional FX4 off-road chassis, the truck lets you know of every road imperfection. On some broken sections of frost-ravaged pavement, this can make for a “busy” ride yet bumps are absorbed with more aplomb than before. In many regards, the smaller turning radius is quite welcome and compensates nicely.

For those buyers who do a lot of snowplowing with their Super Duty, you’ll be pleased to discover that Ford reduced the scrub radius, meaning that steering resistance is reduced with that heavy plow gear hanging off the front and turning speeds are quicker.

The Super Duty still offers manual locking hubs for those owners who prefer this setup. Set in “auto” mode, you can turn the electric switch on the dash for on-the-fly four-wheel drive and never need to exit the cab for instant four-wheel traction.

There are a few negatives. The painted pickup bed is a downright treacherous walking surface when wet or covered with snow; some type of bedliner seems mandatory. And those beefy “B” and “C” pillars block a sizeable amount of your passenger-side visibility. Otherwise, the cab offers a commanding view over Jeeps, CRVs and Rangers. Where’s the air horn?

Even as fuel prices escalate to new heights, there are many drivers who want or need a strong, versatile, family-sized pickup truck such as the Super Duty Crew Cab; our American lifestyle just loves trucks. Powerful rigs such as the PowerStroke King Ranch are big hits.

There are trailers to pull, loads to lug, places to go, people to see. Work, play, work, play: The Super Duty doesn’t much care what you want to do; it’s comfortably ready.