Engine Engineering

While Ford's burly F-150 pickup truck may not look any different for 2011, the industry's topselling vehicle boasts no fewer than four new engines, including a radically new fuel-efficient - but no less powerful - alternative to a big V8.

An all-aluminum. 3.7-liter V6 is now standard, and generates a stalwart 302 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque, making it more powerful than last year's base 4.6-liter V8. Most hardcore truck buyers will likely choose the new dual-overhead cam. 5.0-liter V8 that's shared with the Ford Mustang GT. Here it nets 360 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, and is rated to tow a max of 9.800 pounds.

The big news is the availability of Ford's EcoBoost V6 engine, which utilizes two turbochargers and high-pressure direct fuel-injection to deliver V8-like performance: 365 horsepower and 420 poundfeet of low-end torque with an amazing 11.300-pound tow rating. Best of all. its fuel economy is on par with a standard V6 engine; while it's not yet EPA-rated, expect about 17-city/25-highway mpg.

Meanwhile, the muscular F-150 HarleyDavidson and off-road racy SVT Raptor editions continue to come powered by a rip-roaring 411-horsepower version of the 6.2-liter V8 that's included with the F-Series Super Duty models. A smoothshifting six-speed automatic transmission is now standard across the line.

As before, the F-150 comes in three cab configurations and offers a full array of features including the SYNC voice-operated control system, a rearview camera, surround-sound audio system, Bluetooth cell-phone interface, and a navigation system that provides local weather and traffic information, gas prices and even movie times. -JIM GORZELANY

[Sidebar]

* FORD F-150

$22,415

ford.com

302 horsepower

from a 3.7-liter,

six-cylinder

engine

[Sidebar]

Web Tunes

Alpine's iDA-X305S in-dash digital media receiver can play and control custom music mixes streaming live from Pandora Internet Radio via an Apple iPhone. Users can even replicate Pandora's iconic thumbs-up/down rating feature and bookmark songs directly from the unit's faceplate. It can also play music stored on the iPhone or other USB device. $400; alpine-usa.com