2015 Ford F150

^^ man, that thing is loaded.

 

Fullsize truck buyers are more willing to pay $$$ for extra features and equipment. There's also the economy of scale of producing 600,000 trucks per year.
______________________

Looks like the NASCAR trucks have been updated with new body shells:

F150


Tundra

 

More photos from Truck Trend on the aluminum cab structure. Note the extensive use of rivets and adhesively in lieu of spot welding.

Roof rail:


B-pillar:


Various pieces. The piece on the right, in the foreground, is a section of the roof at the windshield header, near the middle.

 

Makes me wonder how'll it'll do in crash testing?

When I think of aluminum, I think of a can of soda being crushed.

 

^^ This.

Too bad they don't make trucks like this anymore. I'll be the first to admit, navigation, heated seats, back-up cameras, heated mirrors, all good stuff in other people's trucks, but I don't think I'd want it all in my truck. Just more stuff that has the possibility of going wrong.

To each their own though! I have mixed feelings on the looks, but we'll see when my local stealership gets some in (I have a feeling that will be awhile).

 

The front end looks like its a mix between the 4runner and the silverado

 

Frontal- and rear impacts are handled mostly by the steel frame. Body parts like the hood and fender supports just have to crumple and not intrude into the cab. In this regard aluminum works better than steel.

Side impacts depends on the steel beam hidden in the door, which the F150 kept. For rollovers, note the thick-wall hydroformed aluminum tube in the roof rail.

High-energy impacts are not a problem - the industry has decades of experience with designing/mfg aluminum bodies and structure (think Audi A8, Acura NSX, Hummer H1, Tesla Model S, new Corvette...). It'll be more interesting to see how minor collision repairs are handled.

 

^ What about issues with flexing?

I remember lurry put up a picture of his bedsides that were all fubared. I vaguely remember monkey proof putting up a picture as well......

 

Using aluminum! ...how am I suppose to be lulled to sleep by the sound of my frame rotting?!

 

The frame is still steel, so I don't understand what you mean. Not that frame rust was a big issue on F150s anyway.

 

In the northeast all frames rot...even the thick ones. And it was a joke

 

Bigger, more expensive, more complicated technology to fail. The perfect commuter car.

 

Another picture of the A-pillar / fender support / door frame joint. Looks like repairs will give better quality - all damaged pieces can be de-riveted and replaced. No need to straighten or weld anything. For example, to replace the fender support on a Tacoma is a lot more difficult.



There will be a factory plow prep package, and plows are already being displayed with the truck:

 

This thing is on the road now:





Active grille shutters:

 

I got to see one of these in person at the Philly auto show and I'm not gonna lie it was pretty sweet.. the front looks really badass, i can't wait to see how the new look will carry over to the raptor

 

^Hopefully it will look better than the test mule, new cab mated to old fenders and old bed:

 

I like it. At least their doing something and trying. Toyota keeps dumping out the same stuff. The newest Tundra has the same engine from 2007.

 

Wonder if this is part of Ford's stress testing regimen.

 

The all-electric entry-level F150 with composite body is revealed!