Hitting a 2015 Aluminum Body Ford F-150 with a Sledgehammer
It’s taken a moment for F-150 Raptor fans to get off the pain of knowing that Ford isn’t doing a 2016 line-up. So, all eyes are getting turned back to the classic F-150 design and seeing what Ford has in store.
For Edmund’s car and truck reviewers, however, they’d like to show off some of the unusual features about the 2015 F-150 design. Starting off, it’s got an all aluminum body which promises to be more durable and lighter than its previous steel counterparts.
From a Ford engineering perspective, it means a better fuel economy – which is a big priority for pick-up drivers who have to regularly fill up their tanks. It’s also a breath of fresh air in terms of pick-up design. (more…)
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A lighter frame but more durable chassis, engine and transmission are really what counts for a truck. And it’s nothing new in terms of what other foreign car manufacturers have
A lighter frame but more durable chassis, engine and transmission are really what counts for a truck. And it’s nothing new in terms of what other foreign car manufacturers have been doing for a long time.
Aluminum is a relatively cheap metal to manufacture in thinner sizes. But Edmund’s asks, “how does it stand up to a sledgehammer?” It’s become a thing – really. Whether it’s a disgruntled German business man anxiously beating apart his brand new (rented) BMW or this guy who takes a version of Thor’s hammer to his old ride – there always seems someone eager to test the mettle (and metal) of their vehicle with a hammer.
When it comes to durability, there’s ways of testing suspension, brakes, crash rating, etc. And then there’s just simply beating apart a well engineered machine for the sake of it. But according to the Edmunds vehicle review crew, there’s a method to their madness. They picked a particularly troublesome spot in the Ford F-150 to test out their sledgehammer madness. But surprisingly, this 2015 Ford F-150 with all aluminum siding actually showed a great deal of resilience. Is it damage proof? No. But one thing this sledgehammer experiment did show is that it’s not prone to simply crumpling up at the first sign of danger – a valuable thing to know for future owners.
Can Ford F-150 Be More Than Just the Raptor?
When the Ford F-150 Raptor hit the markets in 2006, it was more than just a big deal for light pick-up truck fanatics. Capable of being upgraded for some extreme off-roading as well as just being a resilient all around road warrior, the Raptor quickly began to define the entire image of the F-150 line. With the discontinuation of the Raptor series for the 2016 models, Ford had a big gap to fill in terms of convincing future drivers that the 2015 and 2016 Ford F-150 models would do everything that the Raptor does but better. Did it work?
Well, looking at the new 2016 Ford F-150, we see that they definitely made some design modifications to the exterior angling it towards a more rugged and steady look. But looks aren’t everything. Opening up the hood and checking the transmission, we see Ford has kept a variety of options in terms of engine strength. The best option is their 5.0 liter Ti-VCT V8. It actually has more power than a 5.7 liter Dodge Ram Hemi unleaded engine – packing in close to 385 hp at 5,750 rpm. And it still leaves plenty of room for fuel economy. That’s Ford tough.
