John Shiels

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...text|FRONTPAGE


wheels & grills that have shutters, & movable air dam for aero and talk of 700 lb reduction in weight

Interesting.

Scooter70

Plus it looks incredible. The new GMs look terrible.

http://www.at.ford.com/news/multimed...spx?t=v&n=1057

VatorMan

If they compromise structure to save weight-won't be so good. Just look at Toyota and their flimsy tailgate issue a couple of years ago.

John Shiels

if they can dump 700 lb they should have a 2500 lb vette

Han Solo

I'm a Ford guy but I don't like the height of the sides on the beds since the 04 model came out. You can't reach over them easily.

Supercharged111

New Vette already has aluminum frame and decent usage of carbon fiber. Ford's goal is to use carbon fiber on their mass produced shjt boxes to cut weight across the board. I really hope it works out for them, because it'll be a huge slap in the face to everyone else to follow suit. They were fantasizing about similar weight reduction to the Mustang too. If they do that and add IRS, it'd be mighty tempting. . .

Screamin Z

They need to do something. My F250 weighs in at just around 9k lbs from the factory. But with a tune it gets over 20mpg

fatbillybob

Great! as weight falls and trucks go to unibodies watch the towing capacity fall with it. Unfortunately, few will ever know what it means to have a good tow vehicle.

Supercharged111

I don't see that happening. Maybe to the half tons, but AFAIK the 8 lug trucks don't count against the MPG ratings, so the heavy haulers should be left alone. Don't confuse light weight body panels with structural integrity. Sure you can punch a dent in the fender of a newer car and not hurt yourself, but the frames are at least an order of magnitude stronger now which is what gives you the NVH qualities that were probably thought to be impossible 30 years ago. They're what enable to new trucks to take so much weight and not snap in half and enable the occupants to survive more horrendous wrecks than before. Sure the fender benders are a little more expensive because the outsides give way, but it's the actual structure of the vehicle that keeps you from dying. IIRC Ford has already been using plastic bed sides in their newer trucks, so I don't know how much weight there is to save now when that only leaves fenders and a hood.

John Shiels

what truck model is that?