8 Pickup Trucks For On-Road Use Only

For decades, manufacturers avoided performance pickup trucks like Volkswagen avoids calls from the Environmental Protection Agency. But there have been a few trucks built for paved corners instead of rocky trails
8 Pickup Trucks For On-Road Use Only

Pickup trucks have been around in one form or another for almost 100 years, and they were never, ever meant to be high-performance vehicles. I suppose that’s because the qualities that make a good pickup - large cargo capacities, heavy-duty components and prolific ground clearance - are pretty much the exact opposite of what makes a good performance car. And that’s why even now, the idea of a high-performance on-road pickup truck is still a very polarising topic amongst both car and pickup enthusiasts.

Personally I love them, but I need to make something clear. When I say performance on-road pickup trucks, I don’t just mean a massive chunk of truck with an equally massive engine. I’m also talking machines with enough handling ability to push through a canyon byway without making everyone seasick. Nor am I considering Australian utes as part of the pickup world. No doubt they’re cool, but utes are far more car than pickup.

Trucks are still vastly the domain of those who think hauling ass requires a horse trailer. But in a world of towering suspension lifts and weekend mud bog meets, these trucks only go off-road when the driver misses an apex.

1. 1978-1979 Dodge Lil Red Express Truck

8 Pickup Trucks For On-Road Use Only

Some might say the emissions-choked 1970s gave birth to this whole performance truck genre. That’s because pickups weren’t subject to all the same emission regulations as cars, so Dodge took their lightest 2WD pickup, dressed it up, installed fat on-road tyres and gave it a 5.9-litre V8 that made 225bhp. Yes, everything was slow back then, but trucks were supposed to be really slow. So when the Lil’ Red Express Truck did 0-60 mph in 7.5 seconds, it wasn’t just impressive for a pickup, it was the fastest American production vehicle in 1978.

2. 1990-1993 Chevrolet 454SS

8 Pickup Trucks For On-Road Use Only

Using the old muscle car formula of stuffing the biggest engine into the lightest body, Chevrolet squeezed a 7.4-litre (454 cubic-inch) V8 into a single cab, short box, 2WD half-ton pickup. Suspension, steering and brakes were also tweaked, and to make sure people knew it wasn’t just another Chevy pickup, it was given a monochromatic black paint job. The massive engine only made 230bhp (increased to 255bhp in the later years) but it was a torque monster that could destroy tyres, or when throttled just right, shove the 454SS to 60mph in about 7 seconds.

3. 1991 GMC Syclone

8 Pickup Trucks For On-Road Use Only

For just one year, General Motors went a bit mad and turned its compact GMC Sonoma pickup truck into a supercar killer. Using a turbocharged 4.3-litre V6, the Syclone sent 280bhp to all four wheels in an automotive-type full time all-wheel drive system. With suspension modifications, a low center of gravity and a curb weight about the same as a Toyota Supra, it was also fairly spry in the corners. It was automatic only but buyers didn’t care, because it could rip to 60mph in around 5 seconds and turn a high 13-second quarter-mile, which in 1991 was quick enough to beat just about everything.

4. 1993-1995 / 1999-2004 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning

8 Pickup Trucks For On-Road Use Only

When Ford’s Special Vehicle Team dropped a 240bhp 5.8-litre V8 into the lightest 2WD F-150 in 1993 (pictured at the top of the page), it was pretty clear they were going after Chevy’s 454SS. Straight-line performance was equal, but engineers spent more time developing the Lightning’s suspension to actually make it handle pretty well. Then they took it to a whole new level in 1999 with the supercharged Lightning that could dance in the corners, then hit 140mph on the straightaways. Ford ultimately got 380bhp from the second-generation’s boosted 5.4-litre engine, which was enough to unseat the Syclone as the quickest production pickup until the Viper-powered Ram entered the scene.

5. 1998-2003 Dodge Dakota R/T

8 Pickup Trucks For On-Road Use Only

Before the insanity that would become the Ram SRT-10, Dodge saw fit to equip its midsize Dakota pickup with a 250bhp 5.9-litre V8 and call it R/T. As with other performance trucks of the period, the Dakota R/T received a lowered sport suspension with quicker steering and sticky on-road rubber. Yet despite its midsize classification, the Dakota’s performance was similar to that of the full-size pickups. That shouldn’t suggest it was a disappointment; the R/T could hit 60mph in about 7 seconds and handle corners nearly as well as the second-generation Lightning.

6. 2003-2006 Chevrolet Silverado SS

8 Pickup Trucks For On-Road Use Only

Chevy’s 454SS follow-up could hit 60mph in a shade over 6 seconds - certainly fast for a truck but not as fast as the Lightning or the SRT Ram. Nor was it as aggressive in the corners as its competition, but it did offer a road-based full time all-wheel drive system with a lowered suspension that compromised well between grip, poise and comfort. Its 345bhp 6.0-litre V8 was the same mill used in other Chevy trucks so it was reliable, and for those who had a tyre-smoking habit, a two-wheel drive version was offered in 2006.

7. 2004-2006 Dodge Ram SRT-10

8 Pickup Trucks For On-Road Use Only

Not only did Dodge somehow manage to defy the laws of physics with this 2.5-tonne monster, they also finally gave enthusiasts a performance pickup with a manual gearbox. That’s because the gearbox - as well as the 8.3-litre, 500bhp V10 - came directly from the Dodge Viper. That explains why the Ram SRT-10 clocked 60mph in under 5 seconds and reached 153mph, despite having the aerodynamic prowess of a speed brake. And though its center of gravity was actually higher than the roof of a Ford GT, it still managed to corner nearly as hard as an E39 BMW M5. Sure, fuel mileage was laughable and maintenance usually required a second mortgage, but there’s never been a more bonkers performance truck.

8. 2005-2013 Toyota Tacoma X-Runner

8 Pickup Trucks For On-Road Use Only

I love throwing the X-Runner into the performance truck mix, if for no other reason than to watch the SRT and Lightning guys lose their minds over a Japanese pickup challenging their turf. I’m certainly a fan of muscle, and while the other trucks handle really well compared to trucks, the X-Runner handles well compared to cars. Having a good six-speed manual gearbox adds to the pleasure, and when the road begins to wind through the countryside, it’s easy to forget there’s a big stinking cargo bed behind you. Its 236bhp delivers only average thrust by modern standards, but the whole package is every bit as enjoyable to drive as it is practical to use.

Comments

Robert Spicer

What about this Chevrolet SSR?? It’s so confused about that it is but I for some reason really like it 😂😂

01/08/2016 - 15:49 |
58 | 2

Likely for the same reason they excluded Australian Utes. Because it’s basically a car with a cargo box.

01/08/2016 - 19:59 |
66 | 0

Do you really like that truck? 😂

01/10/2016 - 05:54 |
6 | 0

Beat me to it. 😡

01/10/2016 - 06:08 |
0 | 0

I’m glad I’m not the only one who actually liked that kooky thing.

01/10/2016 - 06:17 |
14 | 0
Dat muscle guy (Sam Stone)(Camaro Squad)(Die augen leader)(E

In reply to by Robert Spicer

Wow someone actually liked that ugly duckling

01/10/2016 - 06:48 |
0 | 0
Formula_Azurewolf

Thanks for reminding me how much I liked that generation of Tacoma, and would want one as a personal truck if I was forced to chose a truck.

01/09/2016 - 02:04 |
0 | 0

I was literally forced to buy a truck (I hated them) and I chose the X-Runner for it’s handling. No regrets

01/11/2016 - 03:44 |
2 | 0
Mark Mason

I laughed because I see so many trucks here and with the weather like its been lately, that is being proven in both the rwd and 4wd models of any truck. It takes a driver! :)

01/10/2016 - 05:46 |
0 | 0
V-Tech and EcoBoost kicked in yo

Sure they function the same, but different classification is all I’m saying

01/10/2016 - 08:13 |
6 | 2
TurboManual

With pick-up trucks the bed is seperated from the cab. With utes, the bed is one piece with the cab. They’re entirely different things, and lets not forget the utes are smaller and more agile because they are based off cars.

01/10/2016 - 09:43 |
2 | 0
01/10/2016 - 09:46 |
0 | 0
[ Insert Name Here ]

Why so many down votes? Dafuq?

01/10/2016 - 09:47 |
0 | 0
Jordan Nielsen

Syclone represent!!!

01/10/2016 - 05:49 |
16 | 0

shame there is nothing else like it :(

01/10/2016 - 21:05 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

How about the VW Amarok

01/10/2016 - 06:00 |
0 | 8
Kilgore Trout

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

The author is American. They don’t sell the Amarok here and most of us have never heard of it. Plus, the article is about performance-based, on-road-only pickups — I’m aware of the Amarok, but, having so rarely seen them because I don’t get to leave the country often, I’m not all that familiar with them. Is there a slick, performance version?

01/10/2016 - 06:20 |
4 | 2
🎺🎺thank mr skeltal

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

“8 pickups for on-road use only

01/10/2016 - 12:26 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

230 horsepower from a 454! What xD

01/10/2016 - 06:28 |
22 | 2
Jordan Nielsen

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

It was a rough time for American engines hahaha

01/10/2016 - 06:34 |
2 | 0
V-Tech and EcoBoost kicked in yo

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

American engines of that time were like diesels: very low HP/L, very high torque, and very reliable.

01/10/2016 - 07:07 |
20 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Ikr my Nissan Titan vk56 331 has 317hp 385tq

01/10/2016 - 12:52 |
2 | 8
vettie_ 26

Maloo anyone? Or nah?

01/10/2016 - 06:30 |
220 | 20

Maloo ftw

01/10/2016 - 06:43 |
6 | 4
V-Tech and EcoBoost kicked in yo

In reply to by vettie_ 26

Hey said no Utes. Not that they are bad, just that they are not pick up trucks

01/10/2016 - 07:06 |
132 | 4

Why is this thing about 2 foot shorter than it should be? That’s some weird render thingy..

01/10/2016 - 14:25 |
2 | 4

I want it so bad here in Canada

01/10/2016 - 14:49 |
0 | 0

Maloo or F6 Tornado, either one depends on preference

01/10/2016 - 15:32 |
2 | 0

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