Pickup trucks have greatly improved over their lifetime. Just check out how a current truck looks. Back in the mid ‘80s, you could get one for the current equivalent of $21K. While trucks back then were fine, they were nowhere near the level of technological mastery we're experiencing today.

Now even the rich and famous are getting into pickups. On an individual scale, people like The Rock have it. And at a broader level, luxury-oriented manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz have also decided to get into the pickup game. So now not only will you experience the ruggedness of a truck, but you will also thrive in the posh interior.

Pickups have been dominating the market for quite a while now, and while MB will be able to tap into the market, it’s not like it will magically become one of the top sellers. The reason is that the competition is fierce. Ford already offers so many options and luxuries that MB would have to bring something totally new at reasonable prices (nbcnews.com).

It should be noted that buyers are opting for the fully-loaded beasts, regardless of the fact that more than half of those people don’t use it for work. In this article, we’ll focus on how loaded the engines are.

15 FORD F-150 SALEEN S331 SUPERCHARGED (450 HP)

This is what you do when you have modded Mustangs all your life and designed a supercar. It’s like you get so much experience from doing similar mods again and again that your actions and thoughts are bound to go through the same pattern, and when that pattern fits with what’s already popular, the end result is called success.

Pickups were in fashion in 2007 and so Saleen decided to join hands with Ford to create this powerful vehicle. The pickup has a whopping 450 horses. The price back then was set to be $55K, although it’s definitely gone down now.

14 DODGE RAM SRT-10 (500+ HP)

This here was a boss of a truck. Just take a look at the truck. The front looks scary with that ground-effects kit. And when something has the ground-effects kit, you know it means business, as such effects are there to create more downward force such that the vehicle is grounded when cornering; the ground effects provide traction.

The hood vent isn't just to look cute either. Hiding underneath that hood was an 8.3L V10.

A V10. On. A. Pickup!! No kidding the pickup produced 500-plus horses and 525 lb-ft of torque. It was the fastest US-made truck of the time.

13 RAM 2500 POWER WAGON LARAMIE (410 HP)

If you were looking for a car that had a lot of power and looked as rugged as boulders and rock outside, you might consider the 2500 Power Wagon Laramie. While Jeep had its own magic when this car was around, this one was just one-of-a-kind truck that amazed the public.

It has some serious skills off the road thanks to the heavy-duty prowess, including the 410-HP engine. While the beast had a price tag of $34K in 2014, if you check out the current prices, they are not below the initial price! Indeed, some are as high as $40K from that year.

12 2018 FORD F-250 PLATINUM 4X4 SD CREW CAB LONG BOX (440 HP)

This truck was actually in a deadlock with one of the Ram trucks at 800 lb-ft of torque for the torquiest diesel truck.

Not wanting to settle for anything less than number one, Ford went ahead and revised the software programs, and boom, this bad boy churned out 860 lb-ft of torque.

With that much of torque, the Stroke could tow whatever it had wanted. And the acceleration was not going to keep Ford back either—it had 440 HP. But you have got to realize this is not for everyone, as it’s a heavy-duty pickup truck for specific purposes.

11 FORD SVT RAPTOR FIRST GENERATION (411 HP)

When Motor Trend reviewed this generation of the Raptor, it opened the article in a funny manner, saying: “Warning: May cause hubris.” The 6.2L V8 offered a respectable 411 HP and 434 lb-ft of torque. It was a really unique vehicle that Ford had made, as no other vehicle in the past was as truck-like as the Raptor was, despite the fact that the Ford Lightning had been produced in the distant past.

As solid as it looked, it also had model-exclusive goodies such a suspension with awesome shocks and long-travel springs. The tires were huge and required wide fenders too.

10 TOYOTA TUNDRA SUPERCHARGED (504 HP)

It’s kind of hard to believe that a company which manufactured the earliest well-known hybrid car once, decided to produce a tire-crushing, fuel-burning supercharged pickup one day.

It wasn’t out of the blue; times were changing, and people were looking for more, despite the standard Tundra being equipped with a 381-HP, 5.7L V8.

When the air was compressed with the help of a supercharger, 504 ponies were produced, right with 550 lb-ft of torque. Although it was not as good of an off-roader as the Raptor was, it did beat the Raptor in a drag race by a decent number of feet.

9 FORD F-150 TONKA SPECIAL EDITION SHELBY SUPERCHARGED (700 HP)

When a car’s name has three different companies in it, it probably means business. So first, this was a regular Ford F-150. And then Tonka took it and modded it to no end. Tonka perhaps did a very bad thing and made this thing extremely tantalizing. The color, the fenders, the accents, the wheels and the interior—the whole truck—look irresistible.

But Tonka made it a “show” piece, without adding much to its “go” compartment. And that’s when it was given the Shelby supercharger, which shot the power from 385 HP to a massive 700 HP. The price of these things ranges from $90K-110K.

8 2018 GMC SIERRA 2500HD CREW CAB (445 HP)

Here’s something from GM finally. The car looks exceptionally well done, with the horizontally oriented grille looking sharp and smooth. GMC has been in the pickup game for the longest time and knows the rules and demands of the public.

This one right here is equipped with a 6.6L V8 TurboDiesel, which produces segment-leading 445 horses and 910 lb-ft of torque.

The twisting power is large enough for the truck to tow 23K lbs. While the truck does the job of a truck, it still hasn’t forgotten its car-like manners. The ride is civilized and not painful at all.

7 2018 RAM 2500 CREW CAB (410 HP)

You shouldn’t be surprised to see the Ram 2500 being equipped with a Hemi, a 6.4L V8 Hemi. While most other carmakers have generally shifted past big engines, Ram still likes to go old school. However, as C/D mentioned in its review, the architecture is aging, but considering that it’s in the pickup segment, it manages to recover. There aren't many safety features, and the interior is also outdated, but again the “pickup effect” has a charm of its own. While it’s not an explicit concern, it shouldn’t be a surprise if a few reliability issues pop up.

6 2017 FORD F350 SUPER DUTY CREW CAB (440 HP)

While it adorns an aluminum body, the car is rather durable. This is one of those trucks that has been the top runner in the stable for so long that it has its routine inside out. It knows how to appease its customers, it knows how to handle itself on tough roads, and it knows what customers like in terms of power and torque.

And, with 440 HP and 925 lb-ft of torque, those customers certainly expect a lot from this workhorse.

There are various trim levels available for any subspecialty jobs that you might have. It’s a good truck overall.

5 2018 GMC SIERRA 1500 SLT (420 HP)

Only the top trim is equipped with the engine that can cross the 400-HP line of the GM Sierra 1500. The base has a decently powerful engine at 355 HP coming out of the 5.3-L V8. But it’s only when you get to the SLT trim that you’re allowed access to the 6.2L V8 that produces 420 HP like it’s no biggie.

The base model is available in various configurations and is, overall, a very good truck. The looks are dashing, the work ethics strong and the interior comfy. It can traverse other terrains and also do well on paved roads. It’s an all-rounder, folks.

4 2018 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 LTZ (420 HP)

Here’s a top-shelf truck from Chevy, the famous Silverado. Compared to its little brother Colorado, this one has more power. There are various pros of getting this truck. One, the acceleration is fast, and the towing ability is good thanks to the V8. Second, the cabin is quiet on the highways, and there are various standard customizations to choose from.

The truck does have a little heavier handling compared to how the rivals behave, and the ride quality isn’t the best, although it’s more than satisfactory. When it comes to power, however, it has some cylinders to show off. The truck produces a massive 420 horses thanks to the 6.2L V8.

3 FORD RAPTOR CURRENT GENERATION (450 HP)

After a few years of hiatus, Ford came back. And this time, it came with more power, despite cutting back on the number of cylinders. Now a twin-turbo V6 produces 450 horses. The pickup is meant to be a serious off-roader. You essentially take it on to a dried lake and roam the wilderness until you get tired of playing.

You even have the option of changing gears through the paddle shifters.

It’s a pure, dumb-fun toy; that’s the simplest way to put it. But just because it has an off-road label doesn’t mean it’s not good on the pavement. Even on the roads, this beast can give a comfortable ride.

2 2018 FORD F-250 (400+ HP)

It’s kind of difficult to make a distinction between this and the F-350. Both of them have the same engine and transmission options. There isn’t any difference in the drivetrain. When it comes to other aspects, you’ll note a slight difference.

For instance, the F-350 gets a slightly larger center section when it comes to Single Rear Wheel trucks.

On top, the F-250 has a 2.5” block as opposed to the 4” rear block found in the bigger brother. Plus, the springs are a little less stiff on the F-250. Nonetheless, the 6.2L engine is capable of churning out more than 400 horses.

1 2018 FORD 150 SUPER CAB (450 HP)

Besides the Raptor, this may possibly be the best-selling truck from Ford. It’s a simple F-150, which means it’s a half-ton truck. The truck is equipped with a twin-turbo, 3.5L V6 EcoBoost, meaning despite being just a six-cylinder engine, the truck is able to produce a whopping 450 HP thanks to the EcoBoost and twin-turbos.

On top, the towing capacity is great too, regardless of which trim you get at this level. And while the interior is rugged and attractive, the best part is that it’s easy to use. Other amenities of the cabin are good too. Ford checks off all the boxes.

Sources: autobytel.com, caranddriver.com