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Four Wheeler, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious four-wheel drive publication, has announced that the 2011 Ford SVT F-150 6.2L Raptor has been named the winner of its coveted Pickup Truck of the Year award for 2011. This in-depth street and trail test has been held annually since 1989. This win marks Ford’s third overall in the competition.

This year’s competitors included three new pickup trucks: The Raptor 6.2L, the Ford Super Duty Power Stroke Lariat FX4, and the Chevrolet 2500 Silverado Z/71 Duramax. To qualify for the competition, a vehicle must be entirely new or sport substantial mechanical revisions from a previous model year.

“The SVT Raptor is every four-wheel-drive enthusiast’s dream of what a factory pickup truck should be,” said Four Wheeler Editor Douglas McColloch. “Straight off the showroom floor, the Raptor comes already equipped with all manner of premium performance parts that are designed for extreme off-pavement forays—be it rock crawling, mud bogging or desert racing. The Raptor undertakes these tasks without compromising the F-150 platform’s class-leading ride and handling characteristic on pavement. It inspires confidence in the dirt and delivers serenity on the street. All told, the Raptor 6.2 is a joy to drive, and a very deserving winner of our Pickup Truck of the Year competition."

For our full report, with scores, specs and date, check out the March 2011 issue of Four Wheeler, on sale January21, 2011.