The Ford Lightweight Concept, which makes liberal use of aluminum alloy
Ever since Ford announced that the 2015 F-150 would feature body panels made from military-grade aluminum-alloy, folks have been wondering how it would impact future production of other vehicles. While there was a good deal of early skepticism about whether an all-aluminum body was practical or even palatable, it has largely given way to excitement about the application of aluminum in other vehicles.
Just think about it: a super lightweight Ford Fiesta ST. Oh god, can’t you just feel that right down in your toes?
So what do ya say about that, Joe Hinrichs?
“I don’t think we’ll see a dramatic increase in all-aluminum cars.”
Oh. Well.
Hinrichs, Ford Motor Company’s President of the Americas, was speaking at the Automotive News World Congress during the Detroit Auto Show, where he said that most of the inherent benefits of lightweighting serve truck buyers.
Also, given the baked-in costs of mass producing aluminum for vehicles—from material-gathering to manufacturing—it’s likely that aluminum will largely only be used for vehicles that traditionally carry higher price tags until it becomes more cost-effective.
Hinrichs also indicated that aluminum could also be used in other instances, as it is in the hood of the Shelby GT350. Maybe there’s hope for a relatively affordable all-aluminum performance car in the near future after all!
News Source: The Detroit News
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