Since the dawn of pickup trucks, automakers like Ford, Dodge, and Chevrolet have been competing for dominance. Your grandpa most likely picked a side and refused to drive any other brand for his entire life.To gain dominance, trucks must be the best in certain categories, such as having the best towing capacity or the highest reliability rating. But most importantly, the top dog needs the most muscle. That’s why it was a big deal when the first pickup truck finally hit 700 horsepower.Achieving this much strength didn’t happen overnight. It took decades of research and development to get V8 engines perfectly tuned to crank out more power than ever before. Modern pickup trucks are still fighting to gain more ponies than rivals. When Did Muscle Trucks Enter The Scene? via Bring A Trailer Prior to the 1990s, sport trucks weren't really seen as an important option to build. Most of the emphasis for pickup trucks was focused on work and practicality for towing, hauling, off-roading, and reliability.While the 1978 Dodge Li’l Red Express is often considered to be one of the first real factory-made street trucks available, it wasn’t exactly built for racing. However, the 360 cubic-inch V8 engine could help this truck fly past the Chevy Corvette with 225 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque.An emphasis on muscle trucks really started in the 1990s with the introduction of the Chevrolet 454 SS, which was actually designed for racing. It features a lowered suspension, a quick-ratio steering gear, factory-tuned Bilstein shocks, rear-wheel drive, and bucket seats.It's famous for its 7.4-liter 454 cubic-inch Big-Block V8 engine that originally had 255 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque. It evolved over the years and is available as a crate engine for project builds today.This is when people started to see pickup trucks as toys and for hobbies, not just workhorses. It also inspired automakers to build street racing rivals like the GMC Cyclone and Ford SVT Lightning. No, The First Truck To Reach 700 HP Wasn’t Electric Bring a Trailer I know what you might be thinking: electric trucks are very fast and have tons of power for racing. However, there isn’t an electric truck that’s able to churn out 700 hp yet. Also, truck enthusiasts in America still prefer V8 muscle over electric efficiency.The Tesla Cybertruck can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 2.6 seconds. As it packs 600 horsepower and 525 pound-feet of torque, it has plenty of power to throw your head back. Also, the recently discontinued Ford F-150 Lightning packs a punch with 580 horsepower and 755 pound-feet of torque. It can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 3.8 seconds.But electric pickup trucks just don’t cut it for muscle truck enthusiasts. Gas-powered trucks have faster refueling times and a better ability to maintain top-end speed. Plus, they’re lighter and more reliable in high-stress situations such as off-roading and wet conditions.Most importantly, EVs don’t sound like racing trucks that have a deep throaty engine roar, they don’t vibrate, and there's no smell of fuel to compliment them in the morning. These visceral elements are important for passionate enthusiasts. So if it wasn't electric, which gas-powered truck finally broke the 700 hp barrier? The First Truck To Get 700 HP Was The Ram 1500 TRX StellantisIn 2021, theRam 1500 TRXclapped back at its main competitor, the Ford F-150 Raptor, with 702 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. This monster truck is a full-sized beast that can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 4.5 seconds.The 6.2-liter supercharged V8 HEMI is a legend that Stellantis almost fumbled away. It was discontinued to the dismay of many, but luckily, it has already returned due to popular demand as Ram 1500 sales quickly declined.Part of what makes the HEMI so special is its cast-iron block and aluminum heads. It also features a twin-screw supercharger that provides up to 11 PSI of boost. The deep sump oil pan enhances high-G maneuvering during intense accelerations set up by the special Launch Mode.This engine has a massive air box with the largest air filter in the class that’s paired with a functional hood scoop. So as cool air is continuously provided, dust and other debris are quickly filtered out.The engine is paired with a TorqueElite eight-speed automatic transmission that’s specifically tuned to produce crisp shifting while operating at full throttle. Also, driving mods like Rock and Baja, combined with 31 inches of water fording abilities, help this beast tackle any terrain. Too Bad 700 HP Hardly Cuts The Mustard Now Ford The Ram 1500 TRX enjoyed wearing the crown as the truck with the most ponies for a few months, but Ford wasn’t happy about it. That’s why it didn’t sit on the 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor R with only 700 hp for too long.When the Raptor R was released for 2022, it produced 700 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque. This put the ball back in Ram’s court, which was great for Ford at the time. This was right before the HEMI V8 engine was temporarily dropped.But for 2026, the Ram 1500 TRX made a comeback with 777 horsepower and 680 pound-feet of torque. It can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 3.5 seconds for supercharged fun. The 2026 Raptor R reaches 60 mph in about 3.7 seconds, which is nice for second place.Now that automakers are setting electric vehicle ambitions for large trucks aside, engineers have more time to focus on racing trucks. It’s probably only a matter of time until Ford figures out how to stuff more ponies in the Raptor R. What About Chevrolet And Toyota? Specialty Vehicle Engineering While the Chevy RST serves as a racing-oriented trim, it only churns out up to 420 horsepower. The diesel engine provides 305 horsepower. So, it’s pretty far behind the top two most powerful pickups. The only Chevy trucks that achieve 700 or more horsepower are aftermarket models.Those who abide by the bow tie truck can consider the Chevy Silverado Yenko/SC Silverado Off-Road by Specialty Engineering. It uses a modified 6.2-liter V8 to deliver 1,000 horsepower. However, going for an aftermarket powerhouse can add over $50,000 to the price.Toyota has TRD trucks, which refers to the Toyota Racing Division. But the Toyota Tundra isn’t in the game without a true competitor for the TRX or Raptor R. Although you can go for an available engine upgrade to increase the horsepower from 421 to 469.Sources: Stellantis, Ford, Ram, Tesla