The 2023 Ford F-250, the most powerful diesel-powered full-size truck money can buy, broke its predecessor’s all-time quickest acceleration record in the Car & Driver tests, completing the 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) sprint in an impressive 5.5 seconds. Predictably, the quickest sprint was joined by the fastest quarter-mile ever recorded by a diesel truck.
Despite its sheer size and brick-shaped body, the diesel 2023 Ford F-250 completed the quarter-mile in 14.1 seconds with an exit speed of 97 mph (156 km/h). This is half a second faster than the quarter-mile of the 2020 equivalent which was tested in 2021. The Car & Driver measurements for both trucks can be seen in the table below.
Our colleagues suggest that the new truck was between 0.3 and 0.9 seconds quicker compared to its predecessor in all of their acceleration metrics. In order to hit those numbers, testing director Dave VanderWerp played around with the settings and the 10-speed gearbox. For the record sprint, he started from the second gear before switching back to automatic as the manual operation wasn’t responsive enough, while selecting the 4Hi setting for the transfer case.
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Interestingly, the tested model was a 2023 Ford F-250 SuperCrew 4×4 fitted with the optional Tremor off-road package which adds a limited-slip differential at the front, an electronic locking differential at the rear, heavy-duty suspension, and a set of 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac A/T tires. This means that a different trim with a lighter regular-cab body and a more suitable set of tires could be even quicker, setting another benchmark for diesel trucks.
The high-output variant of Ford’s 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 diesel produces a class-leading 500 hp (373 kW / 507 PS) and a monumental 1,200 lb-ft (1,625 Nm) of torque. The 25 hp (19 kW / 25 PS) and 150 lb-ft (203 Nm) increase compared to the standard V8 diesel was made possible thanks to a new turbocharger with a liquid-cooled compressor housing and upgraded exhaust manifolds made of stainless steel. Power is still transmitted to all four wheels through the 10-speed TorqShift automatic. Furthermore, the MY 2023 truck weighs 8,100 lbs (3,674 kg), which is 20 lbs (9 kg) lighter compared to the MY 2020, although this incremental difference is not enough for a notable effect in performance.
