We have been waiting for this for a long time. We finally have the official 7.3-liter gas V8 power numbers for the 2020 Ford Super Duty truck lineup. The specs are class-leading in the heavy duty pickup truck segment, but the output is less than we originally expected. Here is how the new big block V8 stacks up.

2020 Ford Super Duty

Ford’s heavy duty trucks get an update for the 2020 model year. The new 7.3-liter gas V8 and the 10-speed HD automatic transmission are a big part of it.

Ford says the engine is a new design that is built for durability and heavy duty use. The official power and torque numbers are:

430 hp @ 5,500 rpm
475 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm

2020 ford f250 f350 7.3L v8 power torque curve — 7.3-liter gas V8 power curve (credit: Ford)

These are class-leading numbers across the latest HD trucks from GM and Ram. The new 6.6-liter gas V8 engine from General Motors is rated at 401 hp and 464 lb-ft of torque. The current 6.4-liter gas V8 from Ram is rated at 410 hp and 429 lb-ft of torque.

Ford’s new big V8 also produces more torque than the outgoing 6.8-liter gas V10 engine. The V10 had 460 lb-ft of torque.

While Ford’s numbers are very strong, we expected more. We did a power per liter of displacement calculation a while ago, and ended up with approximately 453 hp and 506 lb-ft of torque. While outright horsepower is not critical for a heavy duty truck, more torque is always welcomed.

Here is a table that shows heavy duty engine and transmission availability across Ford’s Super Duty truck, chassis cab, van, and RV chassis lineup.

It’s interesting to note that while the 7.3-liter gas V8 is available across the board in both chassis and engine dyno certifications – it’s mated to different transmissions depending on the vehicle type and classification.

Speaking of commercial dyno power specification – the commercial rating for the new 7.3-liter V8 is

350 hp @ 3,900 rpm
468 lb-ft of torque @ 3,900 rpm.

For comparison, Ram HD 4500 and 5500 commercial trucks are available with a 6.4-liter gas V8 with 370 hp and 429 lb-ft of torque. Chevrolet or GM currently do not offer a commercially rated gas V8 in their heavier 4500, 5500, and 6500 trucks.