"Radical."
That's how Ford's new F-150 truck is being described after the redesigned 2015 model was unveiled at the Detroit auto show on Monday. And besides calling it "radical," the Associated Press is also saying it's the talk of the show.
So what's so radical? The auto-maker shaved 700 pounds off the truck by making it the first to be made mostly out of aluminum:
Ford Motor Co. unveiled the 2015 F-150, whose body is 97-percent aluminum, on Monday. The lighter material shaves as much as 700 pounds off the 5,000-pound truck, a revolutionary change for a vehicle known for its heft and an industry still reliant on steel. No other vehicle on the market contains this much aluminum.The change is Ford's response to small-business owners' desire for a more fuel-efficient and nimble truck - and stricter government requirements on fuel economy. It sprang from a challenge by Ford's CEO to move beyond the traditional design for a full-size pickup.
See it for yourself:
"It's a landmark moment for the full-size pickup truck," Jack Nerad, editorial director for Kelley Blue Book, told the AP.
Still, there is some skepticism.
"Trucks are put to such hard use. They take bangs and dings and a lot of hard use," Nerad added. "We'll see how the use of lightweight aluminum plays out in the field."
Judging by first impressions, however, the truck will at least get a shot at proving itself.
