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The glory days are now. With the announcement this week that Ford’s new 2023 Super Duty trucks will make an astonishing 1,200 lb-ft of torque, and with Chevy and Ram’s trucks making around 1,000 lb-ft, it begs the question: are we at peak diesel? Ford’s Power Stroke always impressed with massive power, but now it makes enough torque to nearly embarrass a Peterbilt. So do the diesels from Ram and Chevy.

How much power does the new 2023 Power Stroke engine make?

A gray F-250 on a road. The truck makes up to 1,200 lb-ft of torque.
Ford F-350 Limited | Ford

Ford now makes two versions of its Power Stroke diesel, and they both make incredible amounts of power. The regular 6.7-liter Power Stroke makes 475 horsepower and 1,050 lb-ft of torque, while the High Output 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 Diesel now makes the monstrous 500 horsepower and 1,200 lb-ft in the upcoming Super Duty trucks. Those two engines both trump the gas powered engines offered, which come in 6.8-liter and 7.3 versions that make 430 horsepower and 485 lb-ft or 405 horsepower and 445 lb-ft, respectively.

What that means is that the new trucks with the High Output version can now tow up to 40,000 pounds and carry up to 8,500 pounds of payload. That means it can tow about the weight of a garbage truck or a large fire truck. A 2023 Super Duty can also now haul 8,000 pounds in the bed, which is as much as a Chevy Tahoe SUV and a Prius C. Together.  However, according to Kelley Blue Book, those are record-breaking figures.

Which truck diesel is more powerful, Ford Chevy or Ram?

Red Ram 2500 Rebel heavy-duty off-road pickup truck towing a trailer of 4x4s through the woods, a dust cloud visible behind it.
2023 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty Rebel

The new Power Stroke is the most powerful diesel. Detroit’s Big Three have been fighting to make the most powerful trucks since day one. Gas engines are getting more powerful, but the real race is on to make the best diesels. And, for diesels, it’s all about the horsepower and torque numbers.

For several years Ram held the top spot with the diesel it gets from Cummins in the updated 2500 and 3500 trucks . Rams come with three versions of diesels, a standard 6.4-liter that makes 410 horsepower and 429 lb-ft, while for 2023 the 6.7-liter Cummins Standard-Output Turbbo Diesel makes 370 horespower and a 850 lv-ft of torque, and the mighty 6.7-liter Cummins High-Output Turbo Diesel produces 420 horsepower and a 1,075 lb-ft of torque.

The Chevy 6.6-liter Duramax turbo diesel makes the least power – for now. The Duramax makes 445 horsepower and 910 lb-ft. But, it’s paired with a 10-speed automatic that allows it to stay in the powerband more often. IT can tow a maximum of 18,500 pounds.

There will be a new more powerful 2024 Silverado HD coming in 2023

The new 2024 Silverado will debut next year and Chevy is promising that the newest version of the Duramax will make more power. The horsepower and torque numbers will increase, but still not bust through that magic 1,000 lb-ft mark. The 6.6-liter Duramax turbo diesel V8 will get a boost to 470 horsepower and 975 lb-ft of torque. While those numbers don’t sound mind blowing, the new Chevy diesels will get a new 10-speed Allison automatic, and the extra cogs will be able to keep the engines in their sweet spots longer.

They will be able to tow 22,5000 pounds which may not equal the Ford, keep in mind that in most states you need a commercial driver’s license to tow more than 10,000 pounds.

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5 Cool Features of the New 2023 Ford F-250 Super Duty Truck

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.