The New Super Duty

Ford expects better mpg on new Super Duty

DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. has designed a new transmission for its 2011 Super Duty

pickup that will achieve “significant” performance and fuel economy improvements

over the current five-speed automatic, a top Ford engineer said today.

The truck goes on sale next spring. It will have a new body, Ford's first in-house

designed diesel V-8 truck engine and a new six-speed automatic transmission.

“It's a clean sheet; it is not an evolution of the current product,” said Dick

Boerema, Ford engineering manager, during a Web conference. “We're going to be

significantly improved over what's available today.”

Boerema declined to give fuel economy estimates for the truck other than to say it ]

will be “very competitive.”