If you're in the market for a new truck, there are a few things you'll consider before pulling the trigger on one. You might look at the maximum towing capacity, the maximum payload capacity, the way it looks like, the available drivetrains, and of course, the price. But there's one thing that few people might consider.
Which company makes the quickest towing truck? Or better said, which one of the trucks on the market is the fastest in terms of acceleration from a standstill to 60 mph (96.56 km/h) while having to tow 8,000 lbs (3,628 kg)? The guys over at The Fast Lane Truck have accustomed us to truck tests where they simply go out drag racing in whatever they can get their hands on, but this new twist to things feels very interesting.
Before we have a look at the three trucks they've brought out for this test, let's see what it is that they're towing in the first place. We're looking at an 18-foot (5.48-meter) trailer with a 1998 Chevrolet K1500 on it, and the team estimates that the whole thing weighs, as mentioned earlier, about 8,000 lbs (3,628 kg). Looking at the Toyota Tundra, it comes with the traditional 5.7-liter V8, which churns out 381 horsepower and 401 lb-ft (543 Nm) of torque, and a 6-speed automatic transmission.
The Ford F-150 seems to be faster from the get-go, as this is the PowerBoost hybrid version, packing a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 and an additional electric motor. This setup is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission and is good for a total output of 430 horsepower and 570 lb-ft (772 Nm) of torque. Sounds like the Tundra stands no chance at winning this challenge.
Photo: The Fast Lane Truck
It's insane that they've brought out the Ram TRX for this challenge, as most people would probably not use this for towing. As you may very well know by now, the Hellcat 6.2-liter supercharged V8 under the hood of this truck is capable of 702 horsepower and 650 lb-ft (881 Nm) of torque. The TRX comes with an 8-speed automatic, and under the given circumstances, it's the most likely contender for the top spot of this challenge.
The Tundra is up first, and the guys make their predictions before starting, estimating it is going to take that big V8 about 19 or 18 seconds to bring the truck up to 60 mph (96.5 kph). Tow Haul mode and 2WD are engaged, and it's off to a slow but steady start. By the end of it, it takes the Tundra a full 18 seconds and 946 feet (288 meters) to reach 60 mph from a standstill.
I expected the Ford F-150 to be faster, and it seems the team over at TFL feels the same way, as they estimate it's going to take the Ford about 13 or 14 seconds to finish the challenge. Things are moving at a much faster rate this time, and after just 628 feet (191 meters) and 12.3 seconds, the F-150 has proven itself to be a quicker towing truck.
Predictions for the Ram TRX are even more optimistic, and one of the reviewers thinks it will only need 9 seconds to achieve the desired result. They're cutting it rather close, as the maximum towing capacity of the Ram TRX is 8,100 lbs (3,674 kg). The reviewer's off to somewhat of a brutal start, and he reaches 60 mph after just 10.22 seconds and a total of 524 feet (159 meters). So once again, the Ram TRX seems to be the ultimate truck that is currently on sale.
The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S. Full profile
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