2015 Ford F-150 to Debut at 2013 Detroit Auto Show – Lighter, More MPG
Tim Esterdahl | Dec 18, 2012 | Comments 9
Several sources are a buzz this week with rumors that Ford is planning to upstage GM by bringing a prototype of the 2015 Ford F-150 to the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. The battle for pickup sales just got ratcheted up.
In an effort to upstage GM, Ford is said to be bringing its 2015 Ford F-150 to the 2013 Detroit Auto Show.
A Ford source has told the news agency Reuters that Ford is planning on bringing the 2015 Ford F-150 to the auto show in hopes of stealing GM’s spotlight from its new trucks.
According to a story in Automotive News, Ford is “pursuing a different strategy” than GM. The feeling is that GM is pushing the power and torque, quieter cab and additional safety features. While Ford is all about increased fuel economy. It is planning on the 2015 Ford F-150 to gain up to 3 miles per gallon more. This would put its EPA estimates at 23-26 mpg depending on model and engine.
Ford plans to dump 700-800 pounds of weight off the truck. This will probably be accomplished much the same way GM did with more aluminum and lighter brakes and axles.
There is also a rumor that Ford is developing a new engine code named “Nano.” This engine will be a 2.9-liter v-6 most likely with EcoBoost. The plan is for the engine to appear in 2016 or later. A lighter weight, fuel efficient engine with turboboosters could be quite the competitive edge for Ford.
Along with the new engine coming out, the plan is for all F-series trucks to offer an eight-speed transmission in 2014 or 2015. Again, this move is aimed at creating a more fuel efficient truck.
Seemingly lost in all of this news is Toyota. The new Tundra is set to debut in Chicago and most everyone is in the dark about what it will be like. While many forums and comments on this site have indicated not much will change, that remains to be seen. Remember that Ford is working with Toyota to develop a new family of hybrid gasoline-electric engines. And there has been some recent chatter about Toyota moving toward building a 3/4 to 1-ton HD version with diesel. Again rumors a plenty.
Where do you stand? Is it all about the fuel economy or about torque/power, quietness and quality of the ride?
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Filed Under: Auto News
If I lived in Detroit I would make a big sign and present it to Ford. On it would be where is your “J Standards for Towing”? Govt mandated but the big 3 doesn’t have to follow it. Why is that?
LOL.
-Tim
Maybe, just maybe the f150 ecoboost will be able to beat the Tundra in a drag race:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zERBbv_VHhs
😀
When will there be a towing drag race up Davis Dam between the Tundra and Ecoboost?
LJC,
Good video, I’m going to post it ASAP.
A towing drag race eh? Now that would be interesting.
-Tim
FIrst, i’ll believe it when I see it. The Range Rover has shed some 700 lbs of curb weight but that was accomplished by eliminating the body-on-frame design and going to an all aluminum unitized structure. Without losing its frame, how will a pickup truck lose “700-800” lbs of weight? The frame holds a predominant amount of mass. At the ’03 Detroit auto show, GM built the Cheyenne show truck on an aluminum frame. It was a good idea that unfortunately died with other good ideas on that truck. Maybe Ford will make an aluminum frame and I hope they do because competition is good and assuming some risk by being an innovator can work for you.
No mention or article about the bad boy Atlas yet? Concept or not, that’s a nice truck.
http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2.....ncept.html
http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2.....atlas.html
Justin,
Good point, I guess in the excitement of the Tundra, I forgot to write about it. Duly noted and I’ll write up something soon.
-Tim
No worries Tim, it’s all good. Since this thread was on the F150, simply thought I’d point out Fords new concept, even though it’s been mentioned by a few users within a few other posts. And with the updated Tundram, Silverado/Sierra and Ram winning the MT TOTY award, there’s plenty to talk about. So no rush, just thought it’d be interesting to see what other users (yourself included) have to say about it.
Justin,
Sorry just getting to this. I will say from my personal experiences, I thought the Atlas was a great looking truck. I don’t see it being a very feasible truck. I mean, the advanced technologies and such haven’t proven long-term durability and one does wonder what happens to those Active Wheel Shutters when you go off-roading in the mud. When you get back up to AWS speed, what happens to them, do they try to close?
Recently the head guy behind the Atlas was quoted as referring to the Atlas as “an exercise in fuel economy.” I think that sums it up quite well. I’ll be interested to hear from true Ford “work truck” fans how well they like the Atlas. My assumption is not so much, just more stuff to break and fix.
I also found the GM Twins boring. Yes, they improved the dash, but there really isn’t enough features to get excited about. I was talking with some GM sales guys the other day who seemed really bored with GM’s lineups. Will they sell trucks? Yep, there are Chevy guys who are always Chevy guys. GM needs to really work on their trim levels and luxury packages.
Ram wins Truck of the Year because they are really introducing a lot of new features. Yet, the questions with them remain, durability, reliability and safety. I have been out shopping trucks and while the Dodge Ram pickups sure do look good, I am so concerned about resale value, durability and safety with them.
The other thing with Ram is that with all these new “fancy gadgets” will they hold up. I have spoken to many than one competitor who really questions that. Look, everybody has looked at Active Grille Shutters and Air Suspension. Most of the other automakers have skipped it due to increased cost and durability concerns. Dodge NEEDS to sell trucks, so they will do everything they can to make this happen even if it means a bunch of new gizmos. I’m not sold.
Hope that answers your questions.
-Tim