Ford regains performance truck throne with SVT Tsunami

By George P. Burdell / The Detroit News

DEARBORN -- Bigger is definitely better.

Dodge's reign over the performance truck market will be short-lived, as Ford plans to topple the SRT-10 this fall with a bigger, badder contender from SVT that is certainly worthy of the crown. With 512 horsepower and 640 lb.-ft. of pavement-ripping torque, the SVT Tsunami is likely to show the industry who's king after all.

"We paid attention to criticisms of past SVT products, but realize we can't take a one-size-fits-all approach" said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford's director of advanced product creation. "So now we've got the top-of-the-line Tsunami, rounding out the SVT lineup with usable cabin space and race-inspired performance while maintaining the versatility of a work truck."

Based on the Super Duty F-350 platform, the Tsunami is SVT's latest and most outrageous offering yet. But don't dismiss this pretty contractor vehicle as an overweight marketing toy. This truck means serious business and benefits from all of SVT's usual enhancements. Motivated by the familiar 6.8L Triton® SOHC SEFI 30-valve V10 engine, SVT promotes additional thrust with the help of an intercooled supercharger and tuned exhaust. This powerplant, also slated for use in the next generation Lightning, is more than adequate for propelling Ford's largest and heaviest weapon.

An SVT-tuned suspension and larger brakes round out the Tsunami's performance package, and aggressive styling including sculpted sills and a deeper fascia with SVT's trademark round fog lights differentiate the Tsunami from regular F350's. Unique 6-spoke wheels on wide rubber complete the look, giving the Tsunami a menacing stance. Interior appointments include the requisite white-faced gauges and special Alcantara sport seats in front and back, with bright metal trim and carbon-fiber accents to help express the sporting nature of this special Super Duty.

When the Tsunami hits the streets this fall, it will be the most powerful factory-built truck ever and just the kind of flagship vehicle SVT needs to reclaim its position at the top of the performance truck industry. Ford is expected to sell the Tsunami for just $54,795 -- significantly more than the starting price of a base-level F350 Super Duty.

Following next year's arrival of the Shelby Cobra GT500, SVT will launch the Sport Trac Adrenalin -- a sport utility truck based on the next-generation Explorer. The company has also committed to building a Lightning, based on the F-150, while Ford designers and engineers are contemplating an SVT version of the Fusion, Ford's new midsize sedan that will debut this fall alongside the Tsunami.

It's good to be the king.

 

Looks to me like just a marketing stunt with numbers. Yes...the Ford has higher numbers on paper, but the SRT10, with its 500 / 500 engine is carrying around a substantially smaller and lighter truck. We'll have to wait for a formal road test......but my guess is that the SRT10 will ace the Tsunami on the skidpad and in the slalom and may or may not ace it 0-60 and quarter-mile....we'll have to wait and see.

One thing I guarantee you that NEITHER of these 2 trucks will ace...........a gas pump.

 

Agreed, this is to oversized to compete with the SRT-10. I don't think this will be as fast.

Dodge Ram SRT-10 for me, thanks.

And, come on Ford, "Tsunami".

 

so... using ford logic, a tsunami would dominate a "splash"?

 

Ewwww....that thing looks horrible. Nothing about this truck is impressive, including the power. 512hp, but in an F-350 Quad Cab, with what appears to be an extended bed as well.

The Big 3 really like trying to outdo eachother in the power ratings in Fullsize trucks. Why?? Its pretty stupid if you ask me.

 

Hahahahahahaha!!!

 

Ha where's David Hasselhoff?......

 

If I had the financial means, I'd be all over one of these. I love the Super Duty trucks; Dad has one.

I think this one is more practical than the Ram. The backseat in the Ford is actually made for someone over the age of 12 to sit in.

My concerns- gas consumption. I wonder if it's almost worth taking the 6.0 and seriously upgrading it to make the same power and assloads more torque. Fuel will be less of a problem then. Also, I don't care for the lower front facia.

 

The biggest turd in the bunch... is still a turd.

 

Yes....I could understand it if the power was put there for it is supposed to be used for in trucks....towing.......but high-performance trucks often have a no-tow or limited-tow rating allowed.
I suspect that part of it may be connected to NASCAR Craftsman Truck rules mandating a certain number of high-performance trucks for street use....although Toyota trucks somehow compete in NASCAR without street versions.

 

$55,000

For a Ford pickup that gets probably 8mpg?

Anyone with the disposable income to use on this truck has MUCH better places to blow his automotive dollar.

And don't give me work truck. You can't take that thing into a construction site. You'd scratch the pretty yellow paint or damage the aero kit. It's clearly not a workhorse.

 

Exactly.

Dodge has the formula right. Ford however, took the body of a heavy duty F-350 crew cab with the long bed (meaning exclusively WORK truck).
WHY would you put a performance engine, low body-kit, and low profile tires on it!?!?

 

I dunno, why would you put a solid wood bed, fake wood side panels and a dutch-door tailgate in a black F-150 and then charge $52,000 for it?

It's Ford, baby.

 

Why not.... GMC did a cyclone.

 

The Cyclone, to put it bluntly, was a joke. Yes, it was fast, like its SUV brother the Typhoon, but big deal......it could do little else. GM wouldn't even let you TOW with it.