7 Trucks That Are Just as Fast as Cars
Think cars are the only vehicles that can show off muscle? Think again. While most trucks are meant to haul things, some people just like to haul – let’s say – behind. Trucks are built to do just that. Their tough frames and workhorse engines, which were originally handy for farm and factory work, have become the muscle for enthusiasts and tinkerers alike.
So which trucks can hold their own against the fast cars of today? Check out these seven trucks on steroids.
- Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
The Ford Raptor is a modern-day shredder. It’s built to withstand the toughest outdoor environments and laugh in the face of off-road. As it turns out, it can also whip down streets pretty well too.
Its 0-60 acceleration time has been measured between 6.5-7.1 seconds. Its top speed is 150 mph. It also comes with a hefty 6.2 liter V8 with 411 horsepower and 434 pound-feet of torque. Doubting the American spirit lately? Let this truck remind you what it’s all about.
- 1991 GMC Syclone
The ‘90s are a questionable time for automobiles. Back then, there was a little truck called the GMC Sonoma – a sweet daily driver with an efficient record. You could also get the Sonoma in a more powerful package: a 280 horsepower, 350 pound-foot of torque, turbocharged V6 package. Basically, a lot of sass from GMC at the time.
At the time, the Syclone was a Ferrari Hunter. With a 0-60 time of 5 seconds flat, it could beat a Ferrari 458 in a comparison test. What else would you expect from the guys that brought us the 20th anniversary Trans Am Turbo?
- Toyota Tacoma X-Runner
From the car company that brings you fuel-efficient, reliable squeakers on the fly, this one kind of came out of nowhere. The Tacoma is a popular truck, but the X-Runner offers the quickest, sleekest trim of all.
It’s estimated that this truck’s 0-60 time is 6 seconds flat. You can thank the 4.0-liter V6 engine that generates 236 horsepower. If you supercharge it, you can get it up to 305. All of that comes in a time-tested package.
- Ford F-150 Tremor
The ground sure shook when this truck hit the streets. It hits 0-60 in 5.8 seconds and it powered by a 3.5 liter twin-turbo V6. It can make 365 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. It’s quicker than the Raptor, but still just a bit slower than Ford’s fastest effort to date. Plus it can be fully customized with special parts to go even faster.
- Ford F-150 SVT Lightning
You can say it lives up to its name, with a blink-of-an-eye 0-60 time of 5.2 seconds. Top speed: 147 mph. A 360 horsepower supercharged 5.4L V8, coupled with some pretty edgy styling for the time, made this one of the fastest trucks for a few years.
It’s also probably worth mentioning that this shared mostly the same engine as a Ford GT. That’s rad.
- Dodge Ram SRT10
In the early 2000s, this guy was the king of trucks. It had the engine of a Dodge Viper: a V10 with 500 horsepower, making up to 525 pound-feet of torque. Wow!
When Ford put out the F-150 Lightning, this was Dodge’s response: a truck that could jump from 0-60 in 4.9 seconds. No one ever thought that would be beat … until recently.
- Toyota Tundra TRD Supercharged
Now the world’s fastest pickup, this Tundra can accelerate from 0-60 in a shocking 4.4 seconds, as reported by MotorTrend. This claim has come under fire in recent years, but no one can fully refute it.
Imagine a truck keeping up with Aston Martins and Ferraris. This is the real deal: a 5.7-liter V8 with 504 horsepower and 550 pound-feet of torque. Is your head spinning yet?
Trucks like these prove that cars aren’t the only ones that rule the road. Don’t believe it? Why don’t you go test-drive one yourself, and then tell us what you think.
Scott Huntington is a writer and car fanatic from Harrisburg, PA.