The 2013 Ford F-450 Super Duty is a beast—note the term “Super Duty”—so it’s not surprising that it's one of the most powerful commercially available pickup trucks. Numerous changes have been made to Ford’s top-of-the-line heavy-duty pickup, most notably the introduction of a fifth trim level, known as Platinum, which is the upscale version of the pickup line, featuring touches like a navigation system, power-adjustable pedals and power-telescoping mirrors, among other amenities. Ford makes the 2013 F-450 Super Duty available in 5 dual-rear wheel, 4-wheel drive, 8-foot-bed trim levels—XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum—all of which have Crew cabs. All trim levels come from the factory with a 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 diesel engine with a class-exclusive single-sequential turbocharger, mated to a heavy-duty 6-speed SelectShift automatic transmission. The powerful diesel engine, which runs on regular diesel gasoline or 20 percent blended biodiesel, is rated at 400 hp and 800 lb-ft of torque. EPA mileage estimates were not available at the time of writing. Able to seat 6 passengers comfortably, the 2013 Ford F-450 Super Duty also has best-in-class conventional and fifth-wheel towing capacity, as well as being able to deliver the heaviest maximum payload. The F-450 is able to haul 18,500 pounds conventionally and can trailer up to 24,700 pounds. The F-450’s payload limit is 7,260 pounds. Ford makes this possible by making trailer sway control, an integrated trailer brake controller and a tow/haul mode with engine exhaust braking available for all trims. Standard for XL trims are air conditioning with manual temperature control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, vinyl-wrapped steering wheel, vinyl seating surfaces, 40/20/40 front bench seat, dual-speaker sound system with AM/FM radio, dual-beam halogen headlights, fixed rear window and 17-inch forged polished aluminum alloy wheels with all-season tires. Optional equipment available for the XL trim—and most of the other trims—includes a rapid-heat heater, cruise control, power locks, power windows, remote start, exterior backup alarm, an AM/FM stereo with in-dash single-CD player, SYNC Basic, cloth seating surfaces, spray-in or drop-in bedliner and an engine-block heater. Standard features on the XLT trim include cruise control, power windows, power locks, power adjustable pedals and an AM/FM stereo with in-dash single-CD player. Standard equipment for the more expensive trim levels of the 2013 Ford F-450 Super Duty includes automatic dual-zone air conditioning, a rear-view camera, remote start, leather seating surfaces, front bucket seats, 10-way power driver's and front passenger seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, 8-speaker premium audio system with AM/FM radio, CD player, MP3 capability and a subwoofer, navigation system with a 4.2-inch LCD screen, SYNC with MyFord Touch, power heated, telescoping and folding exterior mirrors, and power rear sliding window. Available options for the higher trim levels include a power moonroof and 20-inch chrome-clad aluminum alloy wheels with all-season tires. Safety features found on all 2013 Ford F-450 Super Duty trim levels include front-seat airbags with a passenger-side deactivation switch, front seat side airbags, a safety canopy system with roll-fold side-curtain airbags, 4-wheel power disc brakes with antilock brakes, electronic stability control system with roll stability control and a tire pressure monitoring system. Optional safety features include a backup camera and rear parking sensors. Security features on all trims include remote keyless entry with a perimeter alarm and a SecuriLock antitheft ignition. The heavy-duty pickup market is a small yet competitive one, and the Ford F-450 dominates. Competing against the Chevrolet Silverado HD, Ram Heavy Duty and GMC Sierra HD, the F-450 ranks well, thanks to its best-in-class marks for towing and hauling. A mobile office feature, known as the Work Solutions system, also puts the F-450 ahead of the class with its ability to allow users to print documents and manage other fleet vehicles from an in-dash computer. Innovations like these and attention to detail on things like comfort, power and drivability are what put the F-450 at the top of the heavy-duty pickup list.