Doing a bit of fooling around with 2011 heavy-duty pickup specs for a story on the new entries in the class to come in the SEP issue, and the most powerful standard gasoline engine in a 250/2500-size pickup is the Ford 6.2-L V8 with 385 hp and 405 lb.-ft. of torque.
The Ram's 5.7-L V8 follows very closely with 383 hp and 400 lb.-ft. But comparing the trucks in crew-cab, long-bed, four-wheel-drive configuration, the F-250 is rated to tow 12,500 pounds on a ball hitch and the Ram will only pull 10,500 pounds. Ram 250 HD payload just edges out Ford F-250 Super Duty's: 2,450 lbs vs Ford's 2,210 lbs.
Chevy/GMC with a 6-L V8 makes 360 hp and 380 lb-ft torque. Totes a whopping 3,375 lbs in the bed (GM made some really impressive frame and undercarriage upgrades to its 2011 heavies). The GM 2500 HDs are rated to tow 13,000 lbs.
I know performance specs are far from the only criteria in pickup truck choices. But I thought this was an interesting way to look at what the Big 3 are offering in the most-populous work-truck category.
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