Aluminum-Bodied Mustang Next

If Ford is considering aluminum body panels for it's work-a-day F-
series pickups, doesn't seem like a stretch to think aluminum will be
showing up on our beloved Mustang in the near future. Read on...


Ford may turn to aluminum body panels on the company's F-Series pickup
trucks in an effort to reduce weight. According to Ward's Auto, the
next-generation F-Series is set to debut in 2014 and will likely
feature aluminum fenders and door skins. The news comes courtesy of
two unnamed sources close to the vehicle's development.

Right now, the next-gen F-Series is rolling through Ford halls under
the name P552, and while the automaker is reticent to go on the record
about aluminizing its best-selling model, executives have made it
clear that weight-savings is a major priority.

Derrick Kuzak, Ford's Group Vice President of Global Product
Development, has previously said the company intends to cut up to 700
pounds per model by 2019. Ditching stamped steel body panels for
aluminum would be a good start. Ford has already dabbled in aluminum
hoods on both the F-Series and Explorer, and the material is expected
to find greater use across automakers in the near future as companies
brace for stiffer Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards.

Patrick

On 2012-01-12, > wrote:
> If Ford is considering aluminum body panels for it's work-a-day F-
> series pickups, doesn't seem like a stretch to think aluminum will be
> showing up on our beloved Mustang in the near future. Read on...
>
>
> Ford may turn to aluminum body panels on the company's F-Series pickup
> trucks in an effort to reduce weight. According to Ward's Auto, the
> next-generation F-Series is set to debut in 2014 and will likely
> feature aluminum fenders and door skins. The news comes courtesy of
> two unnamed sources close to the vehicle's development.
>
> Right now, the next-gen F-Series is rolling through Ford halls under
> the name P552, and while the automaker is reticent to go on the record
> about aluminizing its best-selling model, executives have made it
> clear that weight-savings is a major priority.
>
> Derrick Kuzak, Ford's Group Vice President of Global Product
> Development, has previously said the company intends to cut up to 700
> pounds per model by 2019. Ditching stamped steel body panels for
> aluminum would be a good start. Ford has already dabbled in aluminum
> hoods on both the F-Series and Explorer, and the material is expected
> to find greater use across automakers in the near future as companies
> brace for stiffer Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards.

New vehicles are going to get very very expensive.