What were Ford engineers thinking when they designed the F-150? Yes, it's a full-sized pickup capable of hauling just about anything you'd need, including a family of five. Sure, it has a powerful engine with four-wheel drive. And, of course, it has that big-truck presence. But that's not it.

Ford has spent millions of dollars telling everyone about these trucks. The best-selling truck in America for just as long as anyone can remember and the best-selling vehicle for almost as long doesn't need much to keep it at the top of the heap. Even so, Ford introduced four new engines for 2011.

Among those new engines were two V8s and two V6s. As a surprise to just about everyone, sales of the EcoBoost V6 took off. One of every three F-150 pickups is now powered by the smallest engine ever offered in the truck's history. To lure buyers in for this new engine, the small V6 produces a V8-like 365 horsepower and 420 ft.-lbs. of torque. On EPA tests, this enormous