| Zastava_101 |
7/27/12 11:14 AM |
Next-Gen Ford F-150 May Use Aluminum Body
http://wot.motortrend.com/we-hear-ne...el-239157.html
Enter The Wall Street Journal, which reports that the next Ford F-150 will bow in 2014 with a body largely made from aluminum. The WSJ says that the move will help Ford hit government-mandated fuel economy guideline, and save as much as 700 pounds from the F-150′s curb weight.
There are a couple of issues with this, of course. Truck buyers are notoriously leery of changes to their vehicles that could sacrifice towing/hauling or overall strength. But the success of the downsized EcoBoost engine — coincidentally made out of aluminum — would suggest that fuel economy might win over more buyers than perceived strength. Ford is also keen to remind everyone that the lower control arms of the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor – Ford’s toughest truck in terms of off-road capability — are also made of aluminum, as are all F-150 hoods made since 2004.
The other issue is cost: adding huge amounts of aluminum to the traditionally steel-based Ford F-150 could jack up the price by some $1500, a price hike not everyone will welcome. The 2012 Ford F-150 with the 3.7-liter V-6, in rear-drive form, is EPA-rated for 17/23 mpg city/highway while the four-wheel-drive 2012Ford Raptor with a 6.2-liter V-8 is good for 11/16 mpg.
Ford wouldn’t confirm the authenticity of the rumor, calling it “premature,” but added that “we’re already a leader in using aluminum in full-size pickups, and we’re constantly looking to use technology to improve fuel economy.”
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