The Ford Super Duty Features an Excessive Number of Badges

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      I grew up with posters of Dodge Vipers on my walls, but my first real encounter with car enthusiasts came when I owned a Volkswagen. It became the hub of OEM+, where “clean” usually meant relocating practical components to create the illusion of being able to hire others to fix them when they malfunctioned. It also almost always involved removing badges.

      The echo-chamber claimed that going badgeless was very European. The specifics were a bit more elusive, but the prevailing idea was that it originated from elite continental owners attempting to mask their high-end vehicles as more ordinary models, so as not to reveal their status as "haves" compared to the "have-nots." After a few doses of this mindset, it really struck a chord. Naturally, everyone is envious of your worn-out Mk II. It has sixteen valves!

      Sixteen! Have American engineers ever even seen a valve?

      There was another underlying notion too: that the "haves" were known not just for their wealth but also for their exceptional taste from birth. Anything they do is to be emulated, and anything they reject is to be looked down upon.

      I'll confess, it’s tough to overlook that American trucks and SUVs often embrace a certain, let's say, maximalist look. Americans believe that more is better – quite the hot take, right? However, this trend isn’t universal across domestic vehicles. You won’t find me criticizing the Chevy Equinox here, right? The Silverado? That's a different matter.

      But let’s discuss the F-250 I drove in early May since I have some photos to reference. Officially, it was a 2026 Ford F-250 Super Duty Tremor King Ranch Long Bed Single Rear Wheel 4×4. Yes, a truck can be a Tremor and a King Ranch at the same time. Are you really shocked? It can tow three times its weight and transport a hillbilly hot tub in the bed—probably simultaneously. Do you really think they couldn’t equip it with leather and off-road tires?

      After over a decade of reading window stickers, I now envision every conversation between a new truck owner and their best friend going something like this:

      “Hey, Larry! I heard you got a truck!” “Yeah, Hank. I love it!” “What did you get?” “A Ford.” “Which one?” “The Super Duty.” “Which one?” “The F-250.” “Which one?” “The Tremor.” “Which one?” “The King Ranch.” “Which one?” “The Crew Cab.” “Which one?” “The Long Bed.” “Which one?” “The Single Rear Wheel.” “Which one?” “The 4×4.” *Slow whistle* “That’s a nice truck, Larry. My cousin had a Ford.”

      Trucks certainly aren’t the only ones guilty of this. Remember the 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition? It’s fine if you only recalled about two-thirds of it. But while special-edition Mopars may have names reminiscent of Spanish royalty, those lengthy titles don’t typically come with a corresponding badge count. Meanwhile, trucks appear to be progressing further into rolling advertisements. And to be clear, we’re not criticizing Ford for having Ford badges on a Ford truck. Not at all. This isn’t simply about quantity; it’s about the incredible variety.

      The name alone earns you five distinct badges: “Ford,” “F-250,” “Super Duty,” “King Ranch,” and “Tremor.” Yes, each one has its own logo (more than one in the case of King Ranch). Since this truck featured the 7.3-liter gas V8, there’s no Powerstroke badge to add to the collection, but don’t worry, we’re not finished. Because this Super Duty came with a winch, we receive two extra badges.

      The first is the bold, red “WARN” logo on the winch itself. And because Ford’s marketing team was in a creative mood, the winch came with a “Ford Performance” lanyard attached. That brings the total to seven. And remember, that’s not seven individual pieces of metal or stamps in the sheet metal; those figures are far greater. I'm referring to seven distinct brands—and one of them isn’t even Ford’s.

      This kind of capitalist maximalism is definitely a choice.

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