The Super Duty, which goes on sale that same month, offers Ford's all-new, 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 turbocharged diesel engine. It will have 735 lb-ft of torque, 390 hp and “class-leading” fuel economy, Ford said. That's 85 lb-ft and 40 hp more than the 2010 pickup.

Ford also will offer a 6.2-liter V8 gasoline engine with 385 hp and 405 lb-ft--85 hp and 40 lb-ft more than the current 5.4-liter V8 gas engine.

The base price on the 2011 Super Duty will be $28,995, including shipping, said Brian Rathsburg, Super Duty marketing manager. That's a $600 increase over a similarly equipped 2010 Super Duty, he said.

The increase includes improved capability and fuel economy, a new automatic transmission, new seats and new safety equipment. The diesel engine sells for an additional $7,835, Rathsburg said.

Capability and fuel efficiency

Ford says its data show that nearly 97 percent of Super Duty buyers tow. The 2011 version can tow up to 24,400 pounds and has a payload capacity of 6,520 pounds.

“Torque is essentially the force generated by the engine to do work, so the higher the torque level, the more that work can be accomplished in terms of towing capacity,” Adam Gryglak, chief diesel engineering manager, said in a statement. “The new Power Stroke diesel enables class-leading towing capability at faster speeds, all with best-in-class fuel economy.”

Ford is not releasing fuel economy estimates for either engine, other than to say the 2011 Super Duty will average of 18 percent better fuel economy on the pickups and up to 25 percent better on the chassis cabs compared with the outgoing model.

The EPA does not require fuel economy estimates to be given on the window sticker because heavy-duty pickups are in a different weight class and do not have to conform to passenger-car standards.

Diesel durability

Ford engineers put the equivalent of more than 10.3 million test miles on the new diesel, including extreme road and weather conditions.

General Motors revealed its heavy-duty Chevrolet Silverado at the Chicago auto show this month. It's not releasing horsepower or torque numbers yet but says the re-engineered 2011 pickup will have fifth-wheel towing capability of 20,000 pounds, conventional towing (ball hitch) capability of 16,000 pounds and a payload capacity of 6,335 pounds.

Chevrolet did say its Duramax turbocharged, 6.6-liter diesel V8 has been re-engineered for the 2011 model year. The Chevy diesel will provide more power and torque and about an 11 percent increase in fuel economy over the previous generation.

The heavy-duty Silverado starts production this summer. GM has not released a price for it.