Of course, on paper Ford already wins: Its 6.7-liter Powerstroke diesel V8 engine puts out 400 horsepower and a whopping 800 lb-ft of torque, compared with GM's 6.6-liter Duramax with 397 horsepower and 35 fewer lb-ft, at 765. Then again, Chevrolet's point is that numbers on paper don't necessarily translate to the best performance on the road -- hence the real-world challenge. Or, as Chevy Silverado marketing manager Tony Truelove says, "Let's go work these trucks in the mountains, and may the best truck win."

While a Chevy-versus-Ford matchup would be much more a battle of equals than a Porsche-MINI dust-up, Ford took Porsche's position and declined the competition, citing sales numbers as proof positive that the manufacturer puts out the better truck.

What do you say, Ram? Why not take GM up on its offer, since Ford won't -- much the way Hyundai tried to sneak into MINI's proposed competition. Win, lose or draw, you'll still come out on top when it comes to the real reason these contests are staged in the first place: free publicity.