The new V6 teams with either a heavy-duty five-speed manual gearbox or a five-speed automatic transmission with adaptive shift logic through electronic controls. In effect, the automatic adds another gear between first and second gears in a four-speed automatic. This produces closer gear ratios for better throttle response when accelerating, towing a trailer or driving off road. A high-gear lockout switch on the tip of the shift lever enables a driver to kick up or down a gear with the tap of a finger.

We drove a Ranger SuperCab 4x4 with the 4.0-liter V6 and optional five-speed automatic through Nevada deserts on pavement and dirt. Offering the best power in its class, the Ranger delivered no-fear passing, even in Nevada's thin-air altitude. It could scamper up mountain grades or effortlessly pass a line of freight haulers.

The Ranger handled road bumps and curve sets with confident dexterity. Its rigid ladder-like chassis, with full box bracing of the front section to stiffen it further, combines with an independent front wishbone suspension system to produce smooth ride sensations.

At the same time, it offers aggressive performance off the pavement, as we proved on a primitive track laced with lumps and rocks and tire-sucking mud pits. A high ground clearance enables the Ranger to clear ruts and bumps easily. And when it doesn't, skid plates shield the transfer case and fuel tank from damage. A pulse vacuum hub-lock device sets front hubs quickly for push-button shifting into four-wheel-drive mode, and it engages while moving at speeds as high as 80 mph. Ford's part-time four-wheel-drive system also adds a rotary dial on the dashboard for seamless switching from rear two-wheel to four-wheel high gear or further down to four-wheel low for serious off-road maneuvers.