Let's be honest (and macho...), every man (and woman with a propensity for flannel) dreams of owning a pickup. C'mon, you know this to be true! I know, I would never have believed it myself, but after having spent some considerable time at the wheel of a few of these monster street-legal trucks, I know I want one. Badly! For work or for play (imagine towing your race car on weekends...), pickups can do it all.
If a “standard” big-bad-bully just won't do, you know you need to reach all the way to the top of the food chain and get a Super or Heavy Duty. And, there has never been a better time to saddle-up one of these bad boys. They have never been more powerful, strong, efficient and sporting the “bad-ass-brute” look, all of which are die-hard essentials if you want to live through the night in this limited but insanely competitive segment.
Speaking of competitive, HDs represent 25 to 30% of all pickup sales in the US. I'm assuming that the numbers are similar in Canada. Out of the few million P-Us sold every year in North America, that's a huge number. There is much money to be made here. Within that market, 28% are 1-ton, 45% are ¾-ton and the rest are the ½-tons or the non-HDs. Lucrative only begins to describe what this means to the Detroit 3.
A familiar envelope
Upon first glance, the 2011 HDs look strikingly like the 2010s. And it almost does. In light of GM's recent bankruptcy, they decided to concentrate on what counts and what has quickly become a decisive factor where performance, power and emissions are concerned; what keeps all together and makes it go. In a nutshell, the 2011 HD models get a power dome-style hood with a new louvered design, revised grille with extra chrome and a new crop of wheels including 17” (for the Duallies), 18” and 20” alloys.
It’s no secret that styling-wise, the GMs have been outclassed by the Ram and the Ford over the last few years. This also applies to the cabin dashboard designs, as they date what is essentially a completely new truck. These are perhaps the big GMs' only true faults, which says a ton about the new truck. Think of it this way: in 2007, new body, old underpinnings and powertrains. For 2011, old tin and cabs but all-new mechanicals.
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| Upon first glance, the 2011 HDs look strikingly like the 2010s. And it almost does. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre/Auto123.com) |
If a “standard” big-bad-bully just won't do, you know you need to reach all the way to the top of the food chain and get a Super or Heavy Duty. And, there has never been a better time to saddle-up one of these bad boys. They have never been more powerful, strong, efficient and sporting the “bad-ass-brute” look, all of which are die-hard essentials if you want to live through the night in this limited but insanely competitive segment.
Speaking of competitive, HDs represent 25 to 30% of all pickup sales in the US. I'm assuming that the numbers are similar in Canada. Out of the few million P-Us sold every year in North America, that's a huge number. There is much money to be made here. Within that market, 28% are 1-ton, 45% are ¾-ton and the rest are the ½-tons or the non-HDs. Lucrative only begins to describe what this means to the Detroit 3.
A familiar envelope
Upon first glance, the 2011 HDs look strikingly like the 2010s. And it almost does. In light of GM's recent bankruptcy, they decided to concentrate on what counts and what has quickly become a decisive factor where performance, power and emissions are concerned; what keeps all together and makes it go. In a nutshell, the 2011 HD models get a power dome-style hood with a new louvered design, revised grille with extra chrome and a new crop of wheels including 17” (for the Duallies), 18” and 20” alloys.
It’s no secret that styling-wise, the GMs have been outclassed by the Ram and the Ford over the last few years. This also applies to the cabin dashboard designs, as they date what is essentially a completely new truck. These are perhaps the big GMs' only true faults, which says a ton about the new truck. Think of it this way: in 2007, new body, old underpinnings and powertrains. For 2011, old tin and cabs but all-new mechanicals.
| 2011 Silverado HD | 2010 Ram HD | 2011 Ford F-350 | |
| Max. Horsepower | 397 hp. | 350 hp. | 390 hp. |
| Max. Torque | 765 lb-ft | 650 lb-ft | 735 lb-ft |
| Max. Conventional Towing | 17,000 lbs. | 12,000 lbs. | 16,000 lbs. |
| Max. Fifth-wheel Towing | 21,700 lbs. | 18,500 lbs. | 21,600 lbs. |
| Max. GCWR | 29,200 lbs. | 25,400 lbs. | 29,100 lbs. |
| Max. Payload Capacity | 6,635 lbs. | 5,130 lbs. | 6,520 lbs. |