Ford Super Duty F-250 King Ranch Edition

Profession: Real Estate Developer

When you visit the job site, you want to make a good impression on construction foremen who know a real truck when they see one. But when you need to take investors to lunch — or to the job site — you want to make sure they are transported in style. This Ford F-250 Super Duty is an imposing, serious truck, capable of towing 14,000 pounds when properly equipped or hauling 4,290 pounds in the bed. Choose between the 6.2-liter 385-horsepower gasoline V8 engine or a superstout 6.7-liter 400-horsepower V8 turbodiesel, and 2- or 4-wheel drive.

Offered only in the 4-door crew cab body, the King Ranch Edition ($46,955) sports 2-tone paint and a chrome grille. The cabin features sumptuous saddle-colored Chaparral leather seating, with matching inserts on the doors and dash. Front seats are heated and ventilated. A premium stereo with Ford Sync is standard, as is a rear-view camera and remote starting. The big center console can hold a laptop or even hanging files, and has both 12-volt and 110-volt power points. This luxurious truck can be equipped with a wide range of options to adapt to just about any work or play situation.

Bing: Ford Truck Accessories

GMC Sierra 1500 Denali

Profession: Advertising Executive

A rule of the advertising business is to never drive a car that's nicer than your client's — they already think you're stealing their money. So if you want to drive a truck, keep it low-key but classy. The Sierra Denali ($45,430) is a very comfortable, well-appointed truck with just enough flash to make you look successful. A chrome grille and 20-inch chromed alloy wheel dress up the exterior. The cabin is finished in premium leather, with wood and brushed-metal trim and matte plastic surfaces. The 12-way power front seats are heated and flank a full-size console. The 4-door crew-cab body accommodates lunching clients.

A 6.2-liter 403-horsepower V8 engine is standard and exclusive to Denali in the GMC line, and it can be paired with an all-wheel-drive system that is also not offered on other GMC trucks. It also comes equipped to tow 9,600 pounds. In this upper trim level, the suspension of a GMC truck is tuned to be smoother and quieter than a comparable Chevrolet pickup, and with the power of the 6.2-liter V8 on tap, it's also fun to drive. But only you need to know that.

Compare: GMC Sierra 1500 vs. Chevrolet Silverado 1500 vs. Ford F-150

Dodge Ram 1500 Sport R/T

Profession: Physician

Maybe you'd like to park a BMW M5 in the hospital lot, but you can't pull a boat with it, can you? Instead, opt for the sportiest pickup around, the Ram 1500 in Sport R/T trim ($31,115). This model is offered only with a standard cab and short bed, but that maximizes the power-to-weight potential of the 5.7-liter 390-horsepower Hemi V8 engine, which delivers 407 ft-lb of torque through a tire-smoking 4.10 rear-axle ratio. Don't worry, it will pull your bass boat to the lake if it weighs less than 5,000 pounds. The Sport R/T also comes equipped with exclusive 22-inch wheels and a dual exhaust tuned to a pleasing rumble. A color-matched grille and sport hood finish off the aggressive exterior. The cabin features cloth-covered bucket seats and a console with floor shifter. The standard touch-screen media center holds a 30-gigabyte hard drive and powers premium speakers. Go ahead, burn a donut after office hours.

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Veteran moto-journalist and Wisconsin-native Charles Plueddeman has been driving, riding and testing automobiles, motorcycles, boats, ATVs and snowmobiles for more than 20 years. He is a regular contributor to Boating Magazine and Outdoor Life, and his product evaluation articles have appeared in Popular Mechanics, Men's Journal, AutoWorld, Playboy, Boats.com and many other national publications and Web sites.

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