Truck of War! GM to Ford: "Let's Go!"
In what's shaping up to be one heck of a fun and outrageous truck duel, we've received our first formal response to last week's heavy-duty tug-of-war challenge between General Motors and Ford that was issued during the Detroit auto show.
"We're proud of our trucks, and a competition like this sounds like fun. Let's go!" said Rick Spina, GM vehicle line executive for full-size trucks.
We hope the folks at Ford have their ears on because GM sure is bullish about its 2011 heavy duty pickups!
And just so we're all on the same page here: This little exhibition won't determine who has the best heavy duty pickup truck. That, as our faithful readers should know, is the job of what we call the 2010 Heavy Duty Shootout. It's the comparison test where the rubber really hits the road, and all the trucks in the segment compete head-to-head. Check out our 2007 Heavy Duty Shootout if you need a reminder about how rigorous a test it is.
But back to our regularly scheduled programming.
Ford — what say you? Are y'all in for Truck of War?
Comments
it should be fun to watch anyways. I'd say GM really has a lot to lose though. They sound confident, but I hear the new powerstroke is going to be a huge step up. I don't think the guys at GM really know what they're dealing with.
I would definitely like to see this! It will give a decent idea of how much power is getting to the ground.
The new 6.7L PSD is suppose to be a beast, but dont ever sell the 6.6L Duramax short. That engine (6.6L Dmax) has ALWAYS shown amazing power potential. It will probably come down to who has the more powerful tune loaded to there diesels computer.
What about the 6.7L Cummins? That engines made for pulling!
BTW, this is only a diesel shoot-out right? Gasoline (gassers) have NO business in a heavy duty truck!
gm is going to look like an idiot when ford pulls there own challenge all over the place
Fords response to GM should be put a real front axle in your trucks then we can talk .
As any true truck guy would know this is a fight for second and third place because the #1 HD pickup is not even in this competition!
Should Ford be allowed a counter weight mounted to the front plus the ability to modify the suspension accordingly? We could label the wieght, BAILOUT! I mean that seems fair since GM is a company from a socialist country…
...and only stock parts and tune guys.
How about a 3-way with the Cummins?
I am sick and tired of these childish posters who think the sun rises and falls on Ford. Why in the hell does a heavy duty truck have to have a straight axle to be a heavy duty truck. I say this to every little punk who makes disparraging remarks about GM trucks, buy a Ford if you want, buy a Dodge if you think that is the best truck. Buy for God's sake, stop with the GM bashing and let people make up their own minds on what truck they want to buy.
Thank the Lord above that we all don't drive one make of vehicle and that there is competition for your hard earned dollars. Do you think for one moment the people at GM think they can't build a truck that beats Fords Super duty?
So accept the challenge and keep your pie holes shut until you see who wins the competition or the shootout. I love pull offs or any type of racing. May the best truck win.
Actually it will boil down to who has more traction.
Also, it doesn't prove crap about which is the better truck as was stated by Mike L.
It's nothing but a carnival stunt.
For those that say the pull off won't prove anything, I have one thing to say, LOSERS!!!! What are you afraid of GM'S truck may beat your big bad Ford???? Only losers would say it doesn't prove anything. If and when the GM truck wins the pull off or shootout, it proves that GM can out pull and out tow the Ford Super Duty and Dodge heavy duty trucks and the shootout or pull off will show that to be true!
I do like the looks of Fords new 2011 Super Duty. Best looking truck Ford has built in my opinion.
Very mature...instead of competing who can build a truck that gets about 30 mpg they are busy with this bull.....
what kind of people running this company?
its not fair they need an equal match for th chevy bring the RAM with the cummins , the ford should stay on the porch!
Geeezzz calm down Bob. You take this way too seriously.
It's only a truck pull.
I hope FORD laughs in GM's face and says, no thanks!
We all know this pull off is completely useless. I can't wait for the shootout.
Don't even go to the fuel economy argument. GM beats Ford and Dodge in fuel economy. So yes, GM is building trucks with the best fuel economy in the business. Since they don't rate vehicles over 8600 GVWR in fuel economy I will give you this little tid bit of information from www.fueleconomy.gov, Chevy's 2010 5.3 liter V-8 is rated at 15 city and 21 highway and has a combined rating if 17mpg!!!
Ford's 5.4 liter (try to run) is rated at 14 city and 18 highway and Dodges 5.7 liter is rated at 13 city and 18 highway and both the Ford and the Dodge have a combined rating of 15 mpg. don't believe me look it up yourself on the link I provided. 3 miles per gallon advantage on the highway and two miles per gallon better combined mpg is significant.
So don't use the fuel economy argument because GM's trucks get better fuel economy than Ford or Dodge.
To Bob GM GM got spanked by Dodge in this push off video . GM Made for urbanites everywhere .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B44NUuL3dRw&feature=player_embedded
Cummins has the best torque curve for towing , probably why they aren't invited.
A "chained together" truck pull isn't going to prove much. Wait for this sites HD shootout. That will give you a better idea of which truck is more capable. In the final analysis - Ford guys aren't going to buy the GM if it wins, and GM guys aren't going to buy the Ford, same goes for Dodge. Actually - it seems that more Chev and Ford guys are willing to leave their brands for Dodge.
I'm not in the market for a HD, so it matters little to me as to wins.
Even if I was in the market, I'd buy the truck that is closest to my wants and needs regardless of which truck wins. The shootout is just another source of information to plug into the decision making process.
Emotions just get in the way of making a good decision.
It won't even be a fair fight. The Ford will rip the frame clear out of that sh**box Chevy. You all can buy a GM if you want, but then again the repair charges should keep GM out of the red. Another thing. Who want to buy a rice burner diesel anyway? Geesh!
Hay Dan, the Duramax is not a rice burner engine you blank for brains. Isuzu NEVER built this engine. They did help design it with GM engineers in Moraine Ohio where the Duramax is built. But to say this is a foreign made enigne is a out and out lie to try and bring down the GM trucks. For the record Ford never built the power stroke either until the 2011 6.7 liter engine in the new super duty. Both Ford and GM have the inhouse technology to build their own diesels and with their own engineers. The Duramax is built in Moraine Ohio by gm engineers and gm employees.
GM also developed the 4.5 liter Duramax engine that was going to be put in thier half ton. Ford, Dodge and GM have delayed putting a diesel in their half ton pickups for various reasons.
Mike,
Thanks for posting this again. Just curious are we looking at the 2010 HD Shootout in June or hopefully before. I cannot remember if you did this, but something that I would like to see you do is to have all crew cab diesel 4x4 pulling a gooseneck trailer with like a back hoe or small dozer on them. Take a preset route of say 500 miles and determine loaded fuel economy over that distance. Then take the same route with the empty truck and determine the empty fuel economy. With the way fuel prices are now, I think this would be a good test. Also, for that matter get 3/4 crew cab short bed 4x4 with the gas engines and test those as well. Some people are considering gas because of cost of diesel fuel and engines.
As for this test, I think it should be tractor pull style.
@Brian: We're well underway planning for the 2010 HD Shootout. A lengthy drive route with towing will be included in this year's Shootout. Stay tuned for more info! Tell your friends. :-)
@ Bob
The Dodge Hemi with 390Hp and gets 20MPG. The Chevy with a 330Hp is only rated at 21MPG you tell me which one you would rather have???? Good job Chevy LOL
http://www.dodge.com/hostc/vsmc/vehicleSpecModels.do?modelYearCode=CUD201013
@Mike, How about an off road towing section say an old gold mine road or a heavy construction site ?
I would rather see these trucks pull an Airbus A380, and see which truck can pull it faster. Tug of war would only be good if the trucks were similar - same size cab and bed, both had LSD or diff lock, same ratios. both locked in 4x4 Low or High, and both had an experienced professional and unbiased driver that was trying to win for himself. Otherwise, too many variables, it's not really going to be down to the make or even the engine at the end of the day.
Hay D57H, if you want a two wheel drive truck than yea, the Hemi is rated at 20mpg on the highway. But if you take off your Dodge colored glasses you will see that it only gets 18mpg in the 4wdr model. And for the record, Chevy's 5.3 liter is rated at 22mpg in two wheel drive and 21 mpg for the 4 wheel drive. you lose again D57H!
@ Bob
The Dodge Hemi with 390Hp and gets 20MPG. The Chevy with a 330Hp is only rated at 21MPG you tell me which one you would rather have???? Good job Chevy LOL
i think this is dumb on gm's part. a similarly equiped ford is going to weigh 1000# more than the chevy unless the new one is 1000# more than the outgoing model. as long as the new power stroke puts out enough power to not stall out then it should have no problem draging that chevy around unless they cheat by hooking the chain up higher on the chevy or not spec out a lim-slip dif. on the ford or 4wd vs 2wd. the ford should drag a dodge around too. as long as they are on the same surface and have similar tires there is no way that a ford should lose.
Hay nickb, when the lighter Chevy pulls the FAT Ford backwards are you going to accuse them of cheating? And don't give me this bs about hooking the chain up higher on the Chevy. What lame excuses! Accept the challenge and wait until your Ford get's beat before coming up with excuses. Then you can start with your conspiracy theories.
What other excuse are you going to come up with? Air in the tires???? lame!!!
The sad thing about all of this is that people will actually think that this proves something. A pull like this has way too many variables to take it seriously. No matter who wins, it still does not prove anything other than GM has no idea about truck pulls and what they prove. The motor really doesn't have all that much to it, its a game of traction and luck. Should be fun either way
Those fuel economy specs are so retarded. They base it off 4x2 single cabs or something cos I've never got what they say. Between my current Ford 5.4 and the old Chevy 5.3, the Chevy got maybe slightly better fuel economy, but nothing spectacularly different. But take in to consideration the Ford is much much much nicer to drive, the engine hauls a lot more, that 5.4 is so torquey. The truck weighs more, it feels more solid - I may have seen 2mpg better in the Chevy, but I have only had the Ford in the winter, so if I can push 16-17 in the summer with the Ford, then it's going to be about the same. I think if fuel economy is going to be the big thing, that EcoBoost engine is very pleasurable to drive, it would be hard to look past it.
@ Bob
Again this truck might have 4 wheel drive but it also has 3.08 gears vs 3.55 and a 6speed tranny vs 5. How about this I race you for pink slips???? Stock for stock!
Nice try there Alex. You don't own a 2010 Ford or Chevy to compare. Chevy's 5.3 liter Crew Cab 4wdr is rated by the EPA at 15 city and 21 highway. compare that to Fords identical truck with the 5.4 try to run at 14 city and 18 highway. Ford will never see the day they ride as nice as the Chevy, so don't try to imply otherwise because I'm not buying what your trying to sell and that is bs.
The Chevy has active fuel management and the Ford doesn't have this feature. Chevy wins again!
@Bob
Why don't you tone it down a bit and stop acting like GM fanboy?
I find it funny that you posted the FE rating of the RWD 5.3L Chevy silverado yet you posted the FE rating of the 5.4L 4WD, Apples to oranges?
The RWD 5.4L V8 F-150 is rated at 14 city/20 highway, combined 16 mpg
The RWD 4.6L V8 F-150 is rated at 15 city/21 highway, combined 17 mpg.
Compare apple to apples please or at least take off those GM glasses.
Yeah, I'm going to enjoy the spanking that GM will receive. Its what you call a GM suicide mission..
Nice try there truckman, the 5.4 liter aka (try to run) in 4wdr is rated at 14 city and 18 highway. Like Dodges hemi if you go to two wheel drive than it is rated at 20mpg. Those are the facts truckman, go to fueleconomy.gov and look it up yourself. So stop trying to imply that your fat Fords will get equal fuel economy to the Chevy. Chevy's 5.3 liter 4wdr is rated 15 city and 21 highway and 17 mpg combined!!!!
Chevy's 4wdr 5.3 liter is rated better fuel economy than Fords 2wdr 5.4 liter aka (try to run) Those are the facts and I can back up my facts with real numbers from the EPA!
Nice try D57H, but the Chevy with the 3.08 gear ratio is only the XFE model in two wheel drive! I would gladly race your FAT Ford in a drag race with comparable cab configurations and gear ratios. Chevy beats Ford again!
Oh, I see Bob, does your argument stand for yourself? Do you own 2010 of everything so you, and only you, can rightfully compare all the trucks?! LOL. You made an excellent point though, the Chevy as AFM and still doesn't get that much better fuel economy than the Ford. I see why you have to compare the fuel rating of a Chevy with 3.08 gears and 2WD to the fuel economy of a normal F150 with 4x4 and, say, 3.55 gears.
As for ride quality, my Ford is much smoother than the Chevy I had. Love the fact the shocks are outboard too.. they can actually do something if they are on the outer side of the vehicle, rather than close to the center. Not to mention the seating position is so much better - Bob, those brochures you have from the dealership don't mention anything about seating position do they? I just don't think they would have numerical specifications for that that you can recite.
I like the benefits of owning a Ford now, I have a tighter truck, no more play in the steering wheel, better seating position, nicer interior, bigger payload, more torque, it's quieter in 4x4 mode, it doesn't groan like the Chevy did, I have a bigger towing capacity, similar fuel economy, smoother ride, better handling - why am I supposed to like the Chevy again Bob?
Bob, you are quoting the fuel economy specs for the XFE, which has 3.08 gears and 2wd. You talk like nobody else knows this. We know you are talking about the XFE, so don't say you are not. You want to pull all the benefits in to one truck. Try this. Why not give us the 0-60 of a Corvette Z06, the towing capacity of the Silverado 3500 dually, the seating capacity of the Express 15 passenger van, and the fuel economy of the Chevy Aveo. Then you can say the Chevy wins in every way in your own little world!
@Bob - fan is derived from "fanatic" - Excessive, irrational zeal.A person marked or motivated by an extreme, unreasoning enthusiasm, as for a cause. You do your favorite brand a disservice by not toning down the rhetoric.
@ Bob
Do you even know what D57H stands for?
Who here thinks I am an idiot?
Alex, Alex, Alex, way to try and distort the truth. #1, I didn't use a 2wdr Chevy vs a 4wdr Ford. #2, I didn't use a 3.08 gear ratio either. Your bs about being your Ford having a higher tow rating is laughable to. You must have been watching to many Ford commericals and got sucked into the hype about best payload, towing crap they try and sell you.
I am not trying to convince you to buy a Chevy, buy a Ford if that's your brand of choice. But don't try and distort the truth about fuel economy because the Chevrolet will get better fuel economy than your Ford and doesn't have to use a 3.08 gear ratio to do it either.
"the Chevrolet will get better fuel economy than your Ford"
I see you put THE Chevy and YOUR Ford. That's the key difference really. The only thing YOU have are those brochures from the dealer. You can't tow anything with a brochure, have you not worked this out yet?
Just so you know, a Silverado crew cab 1500 4x4 does NOT get 21mpg! The 5.3 also has no torque. We know this from experience, not from looking up specs.
"Who here thinks I am an idiot?" - Bob
We all do!!!!
"The sad thing about all of this is that people will actually think that this proves something. A pull like this has way too many variables to take it seriously. No matter who wins, it still does not prove anything other than GM has no idea about truck pulls and what they prove. The motor really doesn't have all that much to it, its a game of traction and luck. Should be fun either way"
It sure is a sad day over at BOBBY's WORLD!!!!
Most people don't need a truck to pull a 20,000 sled. They need a truck with high mileage with and without a load, low cost maintenance, reliability and comfort. That pulling test proves little. In the end, the variance between all three trucks will be less than 10%. The same truck could have a 10% variance on two consecutive pulls. Who cares.
Many people who drive pick-ups and pull heavy loads for a living have chosen the Dodge because of fuel economy and reliability. Hello.
how about a real challenge... lets see hmmm a tracker pull contest maybe!?!?! call me crazy but i think that would really show which truck is better... tug a war can go both ways its all about which truck gets the first good grab on the street... a tracker pull contest will tell us a lot more think about it. come on GM let seen why your so proud of an engine you didn't even make so we can really see what its made of.
Norm,
Really, the sales charts don't seem to agree. But, since when do we compare sales with reliability, right?
Ford doesn't have to prove anything to anyone.There is a reason they have been the best selling trucks for the last thousand years.I would rather drive a BROKEN Ford any day than a new piece of junk chevy or dodge.
Mike
What's a tracker pull. Is that when you tow a Geo Tracker? You keep hooking them up until you can't pull any more? That might be a good test.
Ford isn't going to bite. In my opinion, GM is losing credibility by resorting to these types of gimmicks.
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