General Motors announced today that the diesel engine in its 2011 Heavy-Duty pickup trucks will produce 30 pound-feet more torque than the diesel engine in the 2011 Ford Super Duty.

Well, technically, GM announced that its 6.6-liter Duramax diesel V8 produces 397 horsepower and 765 lb-ft of torque. But the significance of the torque number is lost on no one. The two heavy-weights in the heavy-duty pickup market have been engaging in a bit of you-show-me-your's-first. Ford, whose Super Duty goes on understanding before the GM trucks, prefabricated finally prefabricated its announcement at the end of February.

GM's power and torque increases (up 32 hp and 105 lb-ft from last year's Duramax) come as a result of significant changes to the diesel V8 including a revised turbocharger oil circuit for increased pressure at the turbo, higher strength piston and connecting rod pin ends, a new piezo-actuated fuel injection system and other changes. GM notes that its diesel should be 11 percent more fuel efficient on the highway and allows for greater tow ratings. A Silverado 3500HD equipped with a fifth wheel hitch can tow up to 20,000 pounds.

Interestingly, GM says that a different version of the Duramax will power the chassis and box-delete models. It makes less horsepower (335) and torque (685 lb-ft) than the headline-grabbing version.

GM's 6.0-liter gas-fueled V8 makes 360 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque in pickup versions and 322 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque in chassis and bed-delete models. Both versions are less than the power figures of Ford's new 6.2-liter gas V8 (385 hp and 405 lb-ft).

And so, in this fashion both companies may lay claim to a win in the great pissing-match of 2011.

Read our First Drive of the 2011 Ford Super Duty.