PICKUP trucks were pretty simple way back when they were designed for work, and

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nobody gave a hoot about the comfort of the workers. Forget the rough ride, never mind the roll-up windows — anything was better than having to lug a dozen hay bales to the barn by hand.

But by the 1980s automakers noticed that a growing number of customers were embracing the trucky Marlboro Man image. They wanted to use their pickups for day-to-day transportation, with the cargo bed occasionally put to use for some weekend-wienie chore. Thus began a race to see which truck maker could offer the most pampering and creature comforts. By now the ultimate pickups have features remarkably similar to a luxury car’s, from heated leather seats to DVD players that let little pardners watch Hannah Montana in the back seat. The catch, of course, is that a lot of people still use pickups for work. They care about matters like towing and how much weight can be carried in the bed.

Many of those who bought pickups as a fashion statement, or for occasional hauling, reconsidered early last summer when gasoline prices spiked. Sales of full-size pickups plunged. But after gas fell to the $2-a-gallon range, sales picked up — only to fall again in the first three months of 2009, according to J D Power & Associates.

Ford and Dodge recently introduced redesigned light-duty trucks into this gloomy and uncertain market. The 2009 Dodge Ram and Ford F-150, which together accounted for almost 4,62,000 sales in 2008, are crucial to the finances — indeed, the very survival — of their parent companies. In reworking their trucks, efforts that began long before the industry fell into turmoil, the two companies took different approaches.

F-150: A Solid Effort

State Route 142 wiggles for about six miles between Franconia and Bethlehem in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. There are blind corners, somewhat neglected and often rough pavement and occasional surprises like a black bear crossing the road with her cubs. Driving the new F-150 up that road also brings surprises.

The first is how incredibly solid the truck feels, partly because Ford used more high-strength steel in it. There is none of the shimmy-shaking that troubles some pickups, including the last-generation F-150.

Another is that the steering is so good. Tight, precise and nicely weighted, it inspires confidence that the driver will be able to guide the big truck through the most tricky turn. Heading through those curves there’s none of that keeling-over body lean that you often feel with tall trucks.

The downside is a ride that can be slightly stiff. But Ford reworked the springs in the rear suspension and the ride falls just short of rough. The final surprise is that the F-150 is so quiet.

While those are all good things, Ford makes it clear that it wants the F-150 to be a respected member of the working class. “The reputation of the truck rests on the work truck,” said Matt O’Leary, the F-150’s chief engineer. “People buy a truck based on either capability they are going to use or capability they might use.”

Ram: Smoother Sailing

When Dodge began working on the new Ram, officials decided they didn’t care about winning the maximum-towing war. Ram owners said they were happy with their trucks’ towing capacity, said Scott Kunselman, vice president for Jeep and truck product development at Chrysler.

“On average, the people are towing between a 2,000- and 5,000-pound trailer,” he said. “When we asked them if they need to tow 10,000 pounds they said, ‘No, that is what a heavy-duty truck is for.’”

So the maximum towing capability on the new Ram is unchanged at 9,100 pounds.

What Dodge decided was important was making the new Ram more comfortable, refined and luxurious.

“It was clearly a place we

could make a lot of headway,” Kunselman said in a tacit acknowledgement that the Ram had fallen behind the competition on interior appointments.

In search of a more comfortable ride and better handling, Dodge made a big change in the rear suspension. Instead of using time-tested leaf springs, commonly found on pickups, engineers decided to use coil springs, which are more commonly found on cars.

“A leaf spring, while it is reasonably cost-efficient, has a lot of compromises in terms of a chassis system,” Kunselman said.

He said Chrysler executives had been concerned about how buyers would react to coil springs. But would-be buyers calmed down after learning that the Ram would still have a solid rear axle, which they saw as a sign of durability. “The defining parameter for them was the solid axle,” Kunselman said. The advantages of that coil-spring rear suspension are clear at every bump, break, bobble and turn in the road. The Dodge’s ride remained comfortable and composed at all times. Under hard cornering there was a moderate amount of body lean, and the steering felt a bit light. But the handling of the Ram was quite good over all.

On the rough stuff, however, the Ram’s body didn’t feel nearly as solid as the F-150’s.

The Ram’s suspension, combined with my test model’s 390-horsepower 5.7-litre Hemi V-8, makes for great driving entertainment, a phrase not normally associated with pickup trucks.

The acceleration is impressive; the fuel economy, not so much. The federal estimate is 13 mpg in the city and 18 on the highway.

The Hemi is paired with a 5-speed automatic transmission. Two other engines are offered: a 210-horsepower 3.7-litre V-6, which comes with a 4-speed automatic, and a 310-horse 4.7-litre V-8 with a 5-speed automatic.

Prices on the Ram start at $22,420 (Rs 11,25,845) for a regular-cab ST with rear drive and the V-6. Adding 4-wheel drive raises the price to $26,875 (Rs 13,49,558).

—International Hereald Tribune