Aluminum body on the next F-150?!?!?

[LSURaptor]

Ford Plans New F-150 Pickup Truck With Aluminum Body - WSJ.com

BY MIKE RAMSEY
ALLEN PARK, Mich.—In this suburb just west of Detroit, Ford Motor Co. is working on one of the biggest gambles in its 108-year history: a pickup truck with a largely aluminum body.

The radical redesign will help meet tougher federal fuel-economy targets now starting to have wide-ranging effects on Detroit's auto makers. But Ford will have to overcome a host of manufacturing obstacles, plus convince die-hard pickup buyers that aluminum is as tough as steel.

Ford is hoping the switch to the lighter metal will cut the weight of its F-150 truck by about 700 pounds, according to Ford executives ...

 

[KaiserM715]

I would expect a price increase to go along with it...

 

[Blind1]

^^NO Doubt!

 

[imdubious]

No more bent frames. Just cracked and broken.


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[The Car Stereo Company]

better buy your raptors now. or else the first jump in an aluminium frame will end up as a taco

 

[6.2]

I didn't read the article, but isn't it about an aluminum BODY, no frame?

Or does it talk about an aluminum frame In the article...

 

[The Car Stereo Company]

I didn't read the article, but isn't it about an aluminum BODY, no frame?

Or does it talk about an aluminum frame In the article...

my bad. your right it is about the body

 

[Cerberos]

Having an aluminum bodied car already in the garage, I can attest that one of the biggest issues is going to be the repair costs associated with aluminum. As it stands right now, most body shops appear reluctant to do much work with aluminum bodies and even the insurance industry is hesitant. Many insurance companies are overly quick to just write off aluminum bodied cars in lieu of trying to fix them.

With time, the body shops and the insurance industry will adapt to the change, but in the short run, I would be very concerned over what will happen to insurance premiums on a aluminum bodied F150.

It's one thing to manufacture a luxury or sports car out of aluminum and quite another to build a work horse truck. It has to happen, but I fear the transition is going to be painful.

 

[Maxx2893]

honestly I don't think it'll be bad. the F150 is the greatest selling vehicle of all-time. Body shops won't have a choice except to learn to do it.

 

[6.2]

So, lightweight aluminum body.... Perfect time for a new lightning....