This was quite a bold move for the automaker and involved its most popular vehicle in the segment.
Ford received ridicule as the jokes started pouring in. People apparently temporarily forgot that GM (government motors) as just indicated, needed a bailout. GM was outsmarted by Japanese manufactures for decades and allowed themselves to be ran into the ground by their union work force. GM should have filed for bankruptcy and dealt with their problems like everyone else rather than beg the US tax payer for money, something a small business would not have been able to do.
Corporate welfare was in full effect and this is another hit President Obama has on his resume. America is now over $19 trillion in debt and Ford and its incredible F150 have nothing to do with that.
Moreover, while trying to get rid of excess weight and improving fuel efficiency, Ford has given the world a huge aluminum pickup in the 2016 F-150.
Ford has hit a Grand Slam
To call the F-150 successful is quite an understatement. It is the top-selling pickup of all time and is still on the top of sales charts today. In fact, it is the hottest selling vehicle in the world with as many as three trucks being sold every minute.
Using an aluminum body for the truck's core certainly was a risk. Even though Ford may not have wanted to mess with the sales figures, they are committed to design eco-friendly vehicles and are constantly developing new technology for this purpose. Ford is known for using recycled materials for manufacturing different parts in their facilities. This is the philosophy which led to the aluminum wrapped steel F-150.
But does this new aluminum body improve the well-received handling of the truck in any way? Does the benchmark truck get improved fuel efficiency because of this change? Is the vehicle going to be able to maintain its sales? Let us take a look:
Handling
There is no major pickup truck which drives anywhere near as comfortably or smoothly as this one. For a vehicle of this size, it is quite easy to maneuver in restricted spaces and at speed. It is just like driving any small vehicle. There is no additional effort involved for the driver.
Engine
The engine provides 282-385 hp. The hp rises with the price tag. Lower end buyers get a turbocharged EcoBoost V6 while buyers who can afford more can get the V8 with its additional torque that really helps when towing something heavy. The Ford F-150 is available for a starting price tag of $26,430 and goes all the way up to $58,770.
Fuel Efficiency
The average miles per gallon, with the aluminum body, are between 19 and 26 on the streets and on the highway, respectively. Those are huge improvements over past years. It looks like Ford really hit the nail on the head with the lighter aluminum body. It has made the vehicle not only lighter improving its average, but also improving its pickup speed.
Interior
The interior of the truck is just as comfortable as the ride. The styling has been perfected by Anthony Prozzi, Ford's master designer, and the aesthetic of the cab has come a long way since the barebones and simple trucks which were sold during the last few decades.
Features
The overall features you get will depend on the trim level but even the base trim has infotainment, power everything, digital readouts on the steering, etc. It is these essential hi-tech flares which help keep the F-150 truck on top of the pickup mountain.
When it comes to the reaction of the truck buying buyer segment to this aluminum master creation, it looks like the F-150 is going to stay on the top of its class with this new generation of F-150 as well.
