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TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Ford announced Tuesday that at the end of this month it will kick off an initiative to bring the best performance possible for both current and past buyers of its 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty pickup.

For customers who already purchased this vehicle earlier this year, they will be sent a letter inviting them to their local dealership for a free, 30-minute software upgrade for the truck's powertrain control module. The upgrade is designed to help drivers get the most of the 6.7 Power Stroke V8 turbocharged diesel engine.

The program will begin Aug. 31 and will continue for 12 months. Super Duty diesel pickups still in dealer inventories will get the upgrade as well.

"We want to take care of our loyal, F-Series Super Duty pickup owners who supported us when we debuted our all-new Ford-designed, Ford-engineered and Ford-built Power Stroke earlier this year and reward them by offering them the same best-in-class torque, horsepower and fuel economy our new customers are receiving right now," explained Barb Samardzich, Ford's vice president of powertrain engineering.

As for Marc Cross, co-owner of Jordan Ford in San Antonio, Texas, he can't wait to share the news with his loyal customers. His store falls in the center of largest truck market in the country, according to Ford. About 20 percent of sales nationally come from this area, and his store represents one of the top 100 Super Duty volume dealerships in the country.

"Simply put, I love it," said Cross. "Not just the increased power, which is fantastic, but the fact that I can call my loyal customers who bought the 2011 Super Duty diesel pickups at the outset and let them enjoy this upgrade, too."

Cross has been with the dealership since 1987 and became a co-owner in 2003.

"It's human nature to say, 'Darn, I should have waited.' But with this program, there's no penalty for being an early adopter, so to speak," he added.

According to Cross, this is the first for this type of program as far as he can recall. He's had an affiliation with Ford since 1978.

"I think this is unprecedented; I don't remember anything like this," he stressed. "This shows the tremendous alignment between Ford Motor Co. and its dealers and its customers. I also think in a way people expect this type of action from Ford. Ford is operating differently, at a higher standard."

This latest offering is a companion to Ford's ongoing customer service related to the launch of the new Power Stroke. Super Duty diesel pickup customers can also return to dealers for a one-time, no-charge, diesel exhaust fluid top-off. DEF is used in the after-treatment system to help reduce emissions. It is usually topped off during oil-change service intervals, depending on customer use, Ford noted.

"For customers who haven't yet taken advantage of this free offer for a DEF top-off, the software upgrade might be the perfect time to come in and have both services as once, free of charge," pointed out Dough Scott, truck group marketing manager.