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autoevolution's Truck Month

We like to call them, simply, trucks. Europeans and others add the “pickup” prefix in there, in the vast expanses of the Australian continent they are at times referred to as “utes,” while in Africa, “bakkie” is what hits the right spot. But no matter where you are, you all know what these incredible machines are all about.

Last year, the American market swallowed 14.5 million new vehicles. The top three best-selling nameplates accounted for 13 percent of that, and they were all trucks: the Ford F-150, the Chevrolet Silverado, and Ram’s machines. Together with the GMC Sierra and Toyota Tacoma, they occupied five of the top ten spots for best selling vehicles in the U.S. in 2020.

Pickups have been around since forever. Gottlieb Daimler’s No. 42 is believed to have been the first one ever built in 1896, but it was quickly followed by a flood of similar contraptions, coming from companies like Autocar or Reo.

It wasn’t until 1917 that America first got its taste of a pickup truck for the masses. It came in the form of the Ford Model TT, a workhorse built on the skeleton of the Model T and inspired by the military trucks that served in the First World War.

More car companies joined in, and by the 1950s there were so many trucks out there that people started buying them to use not only as farm or business equipment, but as personal rides as well.

It was from that point onward that these machines moved from being simple means of cargo-hauling to rides meant to be enjoyed on the road, taken for a night out, or off the beaten path. They are now used for pretty much everything, from taking the kids to school to going on dates, and they’ve even gotten involved in drag racing. And don’t even get us started on what trucks, old and new, mean for the custom industry today.

The pickup truck segment is presently so large that it’s impossible to get a comprehensive look at it without a directed effort. This is why February 2021 is Truck Month here at autoevolution, a time for our army of writers to go head-on into this segment as we try and capture the essence of the almighty truck.

Editor's note: This special feature by autoevolution was not sponsored or supported by a third-party.
Ford F-150 Raptor Loses "Tank Tracks" in Little Sahara Desert
Ford F-150 Raptor Loses "Tank Tracks" in Little Sahara Desert

28 Feb 2021, 21:19 UTC · By: Mihnea Radu / This is the kind of stunt Ken Block would pull if he wasn't famous. And it proves what everybody knows, that tires are better than tracks

 
1980 Chevrolet C10 Square Body Flaunts 489 Stroker V8 With 593 HP
1980 Chevrolet C10 Square Body Flaunts 489 Stroker V8 With 593 HP

28 Feb 2021, 17:39 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Instead of a good ol' small-block V8 tuned for work, this tasteful C10 is rocking a performance-oriented 489 and Nitto NT555 G2 tires at all four corners

 
Yes, Nikola and Trevor Milton Lied Through Their Teeth
Yes, Nikola and Trevor Milton Lied Through Their Teeth

28 Feb 2021, 07:35 UTC · By: Elena Gorgan / The claims made about the Nikola One prototype were either completely false or exaggerated, the findings of an independent internal review show

 
A Chevy Silverado, a Most Unusual Crash and a Face Full of Airbag
A Chevy Silverado, a Most Unusual Crash and a Face Full of Airbag

28 Feb 2021, 06:27 UTC · By: Elena Gorgan / Viral video shows truck mounted onto a parking bollard and stop sign, with the driver freeing it by reversing before the side airbag deploys

 
Modified 1951 Ford F-1 Pickup Truck Flexes 239 Flathead V8 Muscle
Modified 1951 Ford F-1 Pickup Truck Flexes 239 Flathead V8 Muscle

27 Feb 2021, 18:22 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Contrary to the wheel-tire combo, this 1951 Ford F-1 is rocking old-school muscle in the guise of a smooth-running flathead motor with Edelbrock heads

 
Project M Truck Camper Is Suitable for All Beds Including the Jeep Gladiator
Project M Truck Camper Is Suitable for All Beds Including the Jeep Gladiator

27 Feb 2021, 16:05 UTC · By: Cristian Curmei / This camper is composed of lightweight welded aluminum and comes in in several variations suitable for mid-size, full-size, and Jeep Gladiator truck beds.

 
2021 Ram 1500 TRX Dyno Run: Stock Truck Lays Down 584 RWHP and 571 RWTQ
2021 Ram 1500 TRX Dyno Run: Stock Truck Lays Down 584 RWHP and 571 RWTQ

27 Feb 2021, 15:53 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / As opposed to 702 HP and 650 TQ at the crankshaft, the Ram TRX makes do with 584 HP and 571 TQ at the rear wheels on Hennessey's dyno

 
650 HP Silverado "Jackal" Drag Races Ram TRX and Raptor, Obliteration Follows
650 HP Silverado "Jackal" Drag Races Ram TRX and Raptor, Obliteration Follows

27 Feb 2021, 14:27 UTC · By: Mihnea Radu / The Jackal has some serious off-road suspension which is sadly too soft and tall for drag racing. It wins against the Raptor but loses to the TRX

 
Low Mileage, 1968 Ford F-100 Is an Affordable Zombie Special Truck
Low Mileage, 1968 Ford F-100 Is an Affordable Zombie Special Truck

27 Feb 2021, 10:43 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / Have you ever considered what kind of vehicle you would want to drive in case we would be facing a full-on zombie apocalypse?

 
GMC Denali 3500 "Dope Dually" Is a Super-Slammed Truck on 26-Inch Wheels
GMC Denali 3500 "Dope Dually" Is a Super-Slammed Truck on 26-Inch Wheels

26 Feb 2021, 19:22 UTC · By: Mihnea Radu / We've seen modern trucks lowered like that, but never two HD duallies at the same time. This requires a custom chassis and wheel tubs to fit the tires higher up

 
LeBron James Is Taller Than a 2022 GMC Hummer EV Pickup Truck
LeBron James Is Taller Than a 2022 GMC Hummer EV Pickup Truck

26 Feb 2021, 15:07 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / Instead of Kia and the K900, King James now serves as a brand ambassador for GMC and the all-new Hummer EV pickup truck for the 2022 model year

 
Dodge Ram D100 "Scat Pack" Is a Nasty Sleeper Truck
Dodge Ram D100 "Scat Pack" Is a Nasty Sleeper Truck

26 Feb 2021, 14:17 UTC · By: Andrei Tutu / Aftermarket specialist Holley Performance turned this 1984 Dodge Ram D100 into a sleeper, though the team kept the build in the Mopar family

 
Dodge Dakota Sport "HEMI Hauler" Is a Muscle Truck in Sheep's Clothing
Dodge Dakota Sport "HEMI Hauler" Is a Muscle Truck in Sheep's Clothing

26 Feb 2021, 14:17 UTC · By: Andrei Tutu / The 1989 Dodge Dakota Sport before your eyes has been gifted with a 392 HEMI swap, though its factory looks remained intact

 
Blast From the Past: Bryce Menzies’ Record-Breaking Pickup Truck Ramp Jump
Blast From the Past: Bryce Menzies’ Record-Breaking Pickup Truck Ramp Jump

26 Feb 2021, 11:23 UTC · By: Elena Gorgan / Red Bull racer was able to set a new record during rehearsals for a TV show, launching his truck 397.4 feet off a ramp; the record still stands

 
12-Inch Lift 1985 Chevrolet K10 Silverado Is the Opposite of Most Custom C/Ks
12-Inch Lift 1985 Chevrolet K10 Silverado Is the Opposite of Most Custom C/Ks

26 Feb 2021, 09:49 UTC · By: Daniel Patrascu / 1985 Chevrolet K10 Silverado was restored with all-new parts, is the recipient of a 12-inch lift and a 383ci (6.3-liter) engine

 
1949 Dodge Power Wagon Gets an Extra Set of Doors, Looks Like a Mammoth
1949 Dodge Power Wagon Gets an Extra Set of Doors, Looks Like a Mammoth

26 Feb 2021, 09:04 UTC · By: Daniel Patrascu / 1949 Dodge Power Wagon gets an extended cabin with an extra set of doors and an extra bench, power comes from a 5.9-liter Cummins diesel

 
1967 Chevrolet K20 in Hugger Orange Flexes Huge V8, Priced Short of Six Figures
1967 Chevrolet K20 in Hugger Orange Flexes Huge V8, Priced Short of Six Figures

25 Feb 2021, 19:10 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / It must have taken someone a lot of time, effort and money to create this 1967 Chevrolet K20 Restomod, so it's not surprising the asking price is so high

 
2004 Ford F-150 Gets Compared to 2021 Model, 17 Years of Changes Revealed
2004 Ford F-150 Gets Compared to 2021 Model, 17 Years of Changes Revealed

25 Feb 2021, 16:27 UTC · By: Dragos Chitulescu / The Fast Lane Truck compares the 2004 and 2021 Ford F-150 in XL versions, and we get to see how much technology has progressed over two decades

 
Hellcat-Swapped Jeep Gladiator Looks Great With 40” Tires, Hydro Blue Paint
Hellcat-Swapped Jeep Gladiator Looks Great With 40” Tires, Hydro Blue Paint

25 Feb 2021, 15:25 UTC · By: Mircea Panait / If you think $73,500 is too much money for a 6.4-liter HEMI in the Wrangler, then you don't want to hear how much the aftermarket charges for a Hellcat swap

 
650 HP Chevy Silverado "Jackal" Is Way Cooler Than Stock 2020 Ford F-150 Raptor
650 HP Chevy Silverado "Jackal" Is Way Cooler Than Stock 2020 Ford F-150 Raptor

25 Feb 2021, 15:01 UTC · By: Mihnea Radu / Including the base truck, this Jackal will cost you about $90,000, which is a lot of money. But some people are just die-hard Chevy fans