How many pounds can it tow? This is perhaps the first question that comes to the mind of any prospective buyer when it comes to picking a vehicle in the competitive heavy-duty pickup truck segment. Unlike other automotive segments – design aesthetics, comfort and other swanky features come second in this segment. Market leaders Ford, Chevrolet and Ram Trucks have been engaged in neck-breaking competition to outdo others in the race for being America’s favourite heavy-duty pickup truck.

Ford recently announced the specs of its 2012 Super Duty and they are impressive. Its 37,000 pounds towing capacity makes it the best heavy-duty pickup truck in the segment and is likely to give sleepless nights to the teams at Chevrolet and Ram Trucks. So is this the ultimate Towing Vehicle? Before delivering a verdict we must mention the fact that 37,000-pound capacity is for F-450 variant that comes with a gooseneck hitch. The rated towing for this vehicle is much lower at 24,200 pounds which is also impressive. The rating for fifth-wheel towing with a trailer attached is 32,500 pounds.

The 37,000 pounds towing capacity is at least 5% more than what its rivals are offering at the moment and in terms of payload capacity of 7,850 pounds it is the best-in-class. The 2020 Ford Super Duty would come in three engine variants - a 6.2-liter V8 doling out 385 horsepower and 583 Nm of torque, a 7.3-liter V8 430 horsepower and 645 Nm of torque and the flagship 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbo-diesel V8 offering 475 horsepower and 1425 Nm of torque.

Going by the specifications 2020 Ford Super Duty surely looks the best-in-class heavy-duty pickup truck. It would be too early to rate it as the ‘Ultimate’ towing vehicle as Chevrolet and Ram Trucks are likely to counter it like the three automakers have done for many years increasing the level of competition.