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This thing is a total workhorse. I must have put 500 miles on this truck during my time behind the wheel and put it through all kinds of scenarios. One weekend I hauled my race car, trailer, and equipment to the track; the next weekend I crammed the cab full of people and the bed with their camping gear for a weekend trip to Michigan International Speedway for the NASCAR race. Both weekends the truck proved to be right in its element and received numerous compliments from other Ford truck owners, and a few snarls from Chevy and Dodge guys.

The vehicle that established the sporty-SUV subsegment bolsters its position for 2011 with a minor update that sends more power to the engine room.

We've reported recently that Mercedes-AMG was working on a smaller, cheaper SLS spin-off called the SLV, which would share the Gullwing's front-engine layout. That plan is now on the back burner. Mercedes is still interested in a derivative of its new halo model, but that prospect is currently being referred to internally as SLM. The M stands for mid-engine, as captured in the proportions of our spy illustration.

Months in Fleet: Six
Mileage to Date: 14,295 miles