Arguably one of the most important vehicles of the next year, the 2015 Ford F-150 has wholly embraced lightweight aluminum and small turbocharged engines in an effort to boost fuel economy. Headlining the 2015 F-150’s powertrain lineup is a new 2.7 liter EcoBoost V6 that Ford says will make 325 horsepower and 375 ft-lbs of torque. On top of that, the new F-150 loses more than 700 pounds compared with the outgoing model, thanks to that aluminum body.
Though Ford isn’t specifying exact weight numbers yet, if you subtract 700 pounds from most 2014 models, you end up well under the 5,000 pound mark. The current range of 2014 F-150 pickups range in weight from 4,685 to just over 5,900 pounds, so a 700+ pound diet is pretty substantial. In fact, the new F-150 might weigh less than 1,000 pounds more than the new (and slightly heavier) 2015 Ford Mustang, and it could even slip under the curb weight of the Tesla Model S (approx. 4,600 pounds).
Then you’ve got the 2.7 liter EcoBoost V6, an all-new motor designed to be the fuel-sipper of the F-150 lineup. The 325 horsepower and 375 ft-lbs of torque gives it V8-like power, with a payload capacity of 2,250 pounds and towing capacity of 8,500 pounds, more than capable of handling most jobs the average home or business owner will have to endure. Alas, Ford still isn’t talking MPG numbers, the the 2.7 liter V6 does come with Auto Stop/Start and other fuel-saving features designed to put it on top of the pack.
All this technology will come at a cost though, and there have been concerns that the 2015 F-150 will cost more both to buy and repair. Will truck buyers embrace aluminum bodies on their pickup trucks? The future of America’s best-selling vehicle hinges on the answer.
Source: Gas 2.
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