DETROIT MOTOR SHOW: Ford alloy F-150 – Weight for it

Performance luxury brands such as Audi, Jaguar, Porsche have a healthy obsession with using aluminium, mainly because less weight is directly proportional to better overall performance. It’s simple reasoning that lighter and faster is definitely better.

Ford, on the other hand, uses aluminium sparingly on the new Mustang. Instead, as of model year 2015, Ford will introduce lightweight aluminium extensively in its blue-collar work pick-up. In a country obsessed with weight and pick-up trucks, an aluminium F-150 that’s 320kg lighter around the bumperline is one helluva result.

Ford claims the lighter aluminium F-150 achieves improved fuel efficiency, improved driving dynamics, better braking ability and increased payload and towing capability.

The story on F-150 is best told by the fact that in the United States someone buys a Ford F-Series every 41 seconds. Last year, Ford moved more than 1.9 million F-Series pick-ups. Approximately 25 percent of Ford’s total sales were F-Series.

Using lightweight aluminium alloy is ground-braking technology in pick-up manufacturing, claims Pete Reyes, F-Series Chief Engineer. “The new F-150 top-hat is formed in high-strength aluminium and sits atop a full-boxed frame constructed of high-strength steel. Reducing weight allowed us to keep the F-Series a full-size pick-up, which our customers wanted, plus we get multiple benefits by using aluminium to reduce weight and thereby increase F-Series' overall capabilities.”

Ford is claiming that the lighter aluminium F-Series is more fuel efficient, although Ford has not yet published fuel economy figures. “This is the first time in F-Series history that we’re CAFE positive,” says Reyes. Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards are set by the US federal government, and vehicle manufacturers are required to meet those standards or pay a penalty.

The rear tray is aluminium as well, and according to Reyes aluminium resists dents and dings better than steel. Aluminium also improves corrosion resistance.

Beyond the alloy body and strengthened steel frame, the 2015 F-150 gains LED headlamps and tail lamps, a key-fob controlled tailgate, auto park assist and an all-new small capacity 2.7-litre EcoBoost V6 engine joins F-150’s 5.0-litre V8 and 3.7-litre V6 petrol engine range.

The new F-150 certainly offers technological improvements deeper than its new aluminium skin.

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