In 2005 Workhorse did have the more powerful engine. The 8.1 liter V8 put out 340 horsepower at 4,200 rpm. It also had the Allison 5 speed transmission and a 4.77:1 differential ratio
The same year the Ford 6.8 liter V10 put out 310 horsepower at 4750 rpm. Ford used the 4R100 4 speed transmission and a 5.38:1 differential.
However in the 2006 model year Ford surpassed Workhorse with the new 3 valve per cylinder V10. This model puts out 362 horsepower and 457 ft. lbs. of torque. It's mated to the 5 speed tow/haul transmission and uses differential ratios from 4.30:1 to 6.17:1 depending on the size of chassis.
When we purchased our 2001 motorhome we had the choice of either a Ford or Workhorse chassis. We did extensive test drives in both chassis. Personally I couldn't tell much difference in the way of performance between them. We ended up with the Ford chassis, not because of the performance, but rather because of the dash layout. Neither my wife or I could see the directional lights on the Workhorse dash because of the seat arrangement in relationship to the steering wheel.
We put over 100,000 miles on that motorhome before trading it in on an almost identical 2013 model. This one has the Ford 362 hp engine and 5 speed transmission with a 5.38:1 differential. It also has other standard chassis improvements over the 2001 chassis. The 2013 motorhome is considerably quicker up the hills and does not fade on long hard uphill climbs. It handles better all around, and has a quieter more comfortable ride.
