I guess it depends on your perception of pep. I thought the same thing when I got my 11 last fall as I came from a Hemi Megacab 2500 4x4 and it would jump when you gave it a shot on the loud pedal. However most of my use for these trucks is pulling trailers and while I have not pulled our 34 1/2 ft travel trailer yet I do haul my flat deck with about 8k of water on it every month and the Ford flat out pulls that trailer like it is not even back there. You really do not feel the engine lug or feel the need for the tranny to find another gear. So IMO the sluggish feeling without any load is a non issue given my use. Of course others buy these things to rip and tear in so for them it probably does feel abit sluggish but at the end of the day they are 7300+ lb work trucks not hot rods.