2011 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD LT Crew Cab DRW With 6.6-Liter Duramax Diesel V-8 ($50,715) towing about 10,000 pounds plus a 2,000-pound payload The next morning, we set off in a Silverado 3500 ...

Nothing says hot rodding like dipping into the stock parts bin at GM, mixing and matching OEM components, and coming out the other side with almost 50 extra rear wheel horsepower and OE reliability.

In the heavy-duty truck world, capability is most important. Folks like to brag about numbers -- horsepower, torque, and payload and towing capacity -- and talk about the monstrous things they can tow ...