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A fire at a supplier's plant last week is causing some headaches for Ford. The company has halted production of the F-150 at Kansas City Assembly Plant, and F-Series Super Duty at Kentucky Truck and Ohio Assembly due to a parts shortage. F-150 production at Ford's Dearborn plant is expected to be idled either today or tomorrow. The supplier, Meridian Lightweight Technologies makes instrument panel components for the F-Series trucks. Last Wednesday, the company's factory in Eaton Rapids, Michigan caught fire. The cause is still being investigated, but the Lansing State Journal reports the fire started in an area known as the "tunnel," a place where workers put magnesium scraps on a conveyor belt to be melted down. The fire caused a number of explosions to take place in the factory. Two people were injured and 150 workers were evacuated. The situation at the moment is ok according to Ford and analysts if the shutdown only lasts a week. There is an 84-day supply of trucks and Ford is working with Meridan to figure out the “next steps.” But as AutoPacific analyst Dave Sullivan points out, this could cause some serious problems for Ford if it lasts more than a week. "They should be able to weather a short-term shutdown. But if this goes longer than a week, it could really hurt second-quarter performance," Sullivan tells the Free Press. Ford isn't the only automaker that is being affected by this. General Motors has halted production of the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana at their Wentizville assembly plant in Missouri. FCA told Automotive News that the fire has affected the output of the Chrysler Pacifica, built at their Windsor, Ontario plant. They are "adjusting production schedules as needed to minimize plant downtime (and) will make up any lost production." Mercedes-Benz in a statement said, "we have cancelled production shifts in certain areas and adjusted production hours for our team members this week," at their Vance, Alabama plant - home to C-Class, GLE-Class, GLE-Coupe, and GLS-Class production. BMW told Automotive News that production of the X5 at their South Carolina plant will be affected somewhat, but their current supply of parts should keep them running for the time being. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Detroit Free Press, Lansing State Journal -
A fire at a supplier's plant last week is causing some headaches for Ford. The company has halted production of the F-150 at Kansas City Assembly Plant, and F-Series Super Duty at Kentucky Truck and Ohio Assembly due to a parts shortage. F-150 production at Ford's Dearborn plant is expected to be idled either today or tomorrow. The supplier, Meridian Lightweight Technologies makes instrument panel components for the F-Series trucks. Last Wednesday, the company's factory in Eaton Rapids, Michigan caught fire. The cause is still being investigated, but the Lansing State Journal reports the fire started in an area known as the "tunnel," a place where workers put magnesium scraps on a conveyor belt to be melted down. The fire caused a number of explosions to take place in the factory. Two people were injured and 150 workers were evacuated. The situation at the moment is ok according to Ford and analysts if the shutdown only lasts a week. There is an 84-day supply of trucks and Ford is working with Meridan to figure out the “next steps.” But as AutoPacific analyst Dave Sullivan points out, this could cause some serious problems for Ford if it lasts more than a week. "They should be able to weather a short-term shutdown. But if this goes longer than a week, it could really hurt second-quarter performance," Sullivan tells the Free Press. Ford isn't the only automaker that is being affected by this. General Motors has halted production of the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana at their Wentizville assembly plant in Missouri. FCA told Automotive News that the fire has affected the output of the Chrysler Pacifica, built at their Windsor, Ontario plant. They are "adjusting production schedules as needed to minimize plant downtime (and) will make up any lost production." Mercedes-Benz in a statement said, "we have cancelled production shifts in certain areas and adjusted production hours for our team members this week," at their Vance, Alabama plant - home to C-Class, GLE-Class, GLE-Coupe, and GLS-Class production. BMW told Automotive News that production of the X5 at their South Carolina plant will be affected somewhat, but their current supply of parts should keep them running for the time being. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Detroit Free Press, Lansing State Journal View full article
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Ford will be idling the Kansas City assembly plant for a week next month to cut down on truck and van inventory. Automotive News reports the downtime will take place from January 2nd to 9th. A spokeswoman said the downtime would be used to performance plant maintenance. At the moment, Ford has an 85-day inventory of F-Series trucks and 108-day inventory of Transit vans. Ford had recently idled Kansas City back in October for a week. It was one of four plants that saw extended downtime this year. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) -
Ford will be idling the Kansas City assembly plant for a week next month to cut down on truck and van inventory. Automotive News reports the downtime will take place from January 2nd to 9th. A spokeswoman said the downtime would be used to performance plant maintenance. At the moment, Ford has an 85-day inventory of F-Series trucks and 108-day inventory of Transit vans. Ford had recently idled Kansas City back in October for a week. It was one of four plants that saw extended downtime this year. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article
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Revealed! 2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty, Now With More Aluminum
William Maley posted an article in Ford
There's a new Ford F-Series Super Duty coming and it's taking some ideas from the smaller F-150. The big news for the Super Duty is that the body is made out of aluminum, helping drop 350 pounds. The frame is a fully-boxed and consists of more than 95-percent high-strength steel which Ford claims 24 times stiffer than the previous frame. This allows for more towing and hauling capacity. In terms of design, think F-150 that went to the gym every single day. The front end boasts large headlights and grille slats. The cab is similar to the smaller F-150. For the interior, Ford uses the same layout from the current model, but there is a new reconfigurable gauge cluster and revised center stack. The list of options will be long as there will be a camera-based towing system with coaching, 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning system, blind spot monitoring system, and rear inflatable seat belts. Power will come from a 6.2L V8, 6.8L V10, or a 6.7L PowerStroke Diesel V8. Ford is keeping quiet on power figures at this time. “While Super Duty is North America’s best-selling heavy-duty truck, we never take our leadership for granted. Our team is using relentless innovation in materials, Built Ford Tough engineering to deliver customers our best Super Duty yet,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development and chief technical officer. The F-Series Super Duty will go on sale late next year. Source: Ford Press Release is on Page 2 AMERICA'S WORK TRUCK REINVENTED: ALL-NEW FORD SUPER DUTY IS TOUGHEST, SMARTEST, MOST CAPABLE SUPER DUTY EVER Toughest: All-new, high-strength steel frame; segment-first, high-strength, military-grade, aluminum-alloy body; stronger axles, springs and suspension create the only Built Ford Tough heavy-duty truck lineup that works as hard as Super Duty customers Smartest: 16 class-exclusive new features and up to seven cameras make Super Duty the ultimate tow vehicle; adaptive steering technology makes maneuvering easier Most capable: Ford-engineered, Ford-built gasoline and diesel engines and transmissions power all-new Super Duty lineup that tows and hauls more than ever DALLAS, Sept. 24, 2015 – Ford, America’s truck leader, today introduces the all-new 2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty – the toughest, smartest, most capable Super Duty truck lineup ever. “Ford Super Duty is the truck America’s hardest-working men and women trust and depend on,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president, The Americas. “We are helping these customers build a better world by delivering a new generation of pickups that set new benchmarks in capability, performance and efficiency.” Using advanced materials to reduce weight, 2017 F-Series Super Duty pickup truck and chassis cab feature all-new, segment-exclusive smart technology to help increase customer productivity, comfort and convenience. “While Super Duty is America’s best-selling heavy-duty truck, we never take our leadership for granted,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development and chief technical officer. “Our team is using relentless innovation in materials, technology and Built Ford Tough engineering to deliver customers our best Super Duty yet.” Toughest The backbone is an all-new, fully boxed frame comprised of more than 95 percent high-strength steel that offers up to 24 times stiffer than the previous frame – enabling the most towing and hauling capability ever delivered by Super Duty. The new truck line features heavier-duty four-wheel-drive components, driveline, axles and towing hardware. For the first time, the Super Duty body uses high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloy, which is more dent- and ding-resistant than the outgoing steel body and not subject to red rust corrosion. Together, high-strength steel and high-strength aluminum alloy help reduce weight by up to 350 pounds while Ford is reinvesting additional weight savings everywhere it counts, to give customers more towing and hauling capability than ever before. Super Duty chassis cab features an all-new, high-strength steel frame with an open-C-channel design behind the cab to enable easy aftermarket body upfit and modification. Smartest Towing is core to the Super Duty mission. All-new advanced coaching and camera technology makes conventional and gooseneck/fifth-wheel towing easier and more efficient than ever. There are 16 segment-first new features – from LED lighting to adaptive cruise control – that assist Super Duty drivers to make driving and work situations easier and more comfortable. As many as seven cameras help customers see more angles and monitor conditions surrounding the truck, and provide better trailering than ever before. A center high-mounted stop lamp camera provides visibility into the cargo box, especially for easier hook-up of gooseneck/fifth-wheel trailers. A 360-degree camera system uses four digital, high-definition cameras to give the driver a bird’s-eye view surrounding Super Duty. Trailer reverse guidance provides visual cues and tips to help ease backing up a trailer. A first-ever, factory-available trailer camera can be attached to a trailer to improve visibility backing up. Customers will benefit from a segment-first, in-cab trailer tire pressure monitoring system from the comfort of the cab while stopped or on the highway. Adaptive steering provides for increased confidence to help make towing the heaviest of loads easier and brings greater ease to navigating job sites and parking lots – with or without a trailer. The technology reduces the amount of steering input needed to change direction at low speed, while reducing sensitivity to steering input at higher speeds. The all-new F-Series Super Duty is available with numerous driver-assist technologies: SYNC® 3 – Ford’s all-new communications and entertainment system features faster performance, conversational voice recognition and an easier-to-understand graphical interface, along with an intuitive smartphone-like 8-inch touch screen Blind Spot Information System with trailer tow is optimized for Super Duty to include the length of the trailer; BLIS® uses radar sensors in the taillamps to monitor areas that may not be visible to the driver Lane departure warning provides a warning when a driver strays from a lane through a series of steering wheel vibrations that mimic rumble strips Adaptive cruise control and collision warning with brake support use sensors to detect slower vehicles moving in the same direction. If another vehicle is too close, red lights flash on the windshield and a warning sound chimes. If the driver does not hit the brakes, the brake system is pre-charged to stop faster when the brake pedal is pressed Advanced light-emitting diode technology sheds light all around the new Super Duty, including: New LED sideview mirror spotlights enable illumination surrounding the truck to light up a work site or camp site Class-exclusive quad-beam LED headlamps and taillamps New LED cargo box lighting Most capable Light-weighting and improved capability work hand-in-hand in the all-new Ford F-Series Super Duty. “As we remove weight, we’re making Super Duty more productive by giving our customers better towing and payload capability,” said Craig Schmatz, Super Duty chief engineer. “We’re backing up improved capability with a stronger gasoline and diesel Super Duty engine lineup.” The second-generation Ford-designed, Ford-built 6.7-liter Power Stroke® V8 diesel engine is available for pickup trucks and chassis cabs providing the highest combination of horsepower and torque ever. The 6.2-liter V8 gasoline engine comes equipped with the new TorqShift-G transmission for the F-250 pickup – allowing for improved capability. The Super Duty chassis cab lineup offers a choice of 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 diesel, 6.8-liter V10 gasoline or 6.2-liter V8 gasoline engines. “The bottom line is Super Duty customers will be able to tow and haul more than ever before,” said Schmatz. Interior and cargo box All three cabs – Regular Cab, SuperCab and Crew Cab – are longer and feature a new interior design, including dual compartment glove box, overhead console-mounted auxiliary switches to operate aftermarket equipment, and completely flat SuperCab and Crew Cab second-row floors that make loading large items in the cab easy. Vital controls are close at hand, with the integrated trailer brake controller switch located even closer to the driver. Customer accessibility and ease of use extend outside the truck as well, with the cargo box offering customers these class-exclusive features: BoxLink™: Ford-patented combination of metal brackets and custom cleats that can be used to secure a variety of accessories in the cargo box Remote tailgate lock and release: Tailgate can be locked/unlocked and opened with the key fob, eliminating manual locking and increasing convenience and security. The tailgate is damped – dropping gently down, hands-free, to a flat position when opened There are five models in the Super Duty lineup – XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum. The all-new Super Duty will be built at Kentucky Truck Plant, and goes on sale late next year. -
There's a new Ford F-Series Super Duty coming and it's taking some ideas from the smaller F-150. The big news for the Super Duty is that the body is made out of aluminum, helping drop 350 pounds. The frame is a fully-boxed and consists of more than 95-percent high-strength steel which Ford claims 24 times stiffer than the previous frame. This allows for more towing and hauling capacity. In terms of design, think F-150 that went to the gym every single day. The front end boasts large headlights and grille slats. The cab is similar to the smaller F-150. For the interior, Ford uses the same layout from the current model, but there is a new reconfigurable gauge cluster and revised center stack. The list of options will be long as there will be a camera-based towing system with coaching, 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning system, blind spot monitoring system, and rear inflatable seat belts. Power will come from a 6.2L V8, 6.8L V10, or a 6.7L PowerStroke Diesel V8. Ford is keeping quiet on power figures at this time. “While Super Duty is North America’s best-selling heavy-duty truck, we never take our leadership for granted. Our team is using relentless innovation in materials, Built Ford Tough engineering to deliver customers our best Super Duty yet,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development and chief technical officer. The F-Series Super Duty will go on sale late next year. Source: Ford Press Release is on Page 2 AMERICA'S WORK TRUCK REINVENTED: ALL-NEW FORD SUPER DUTY IS TOUGHEST, SMARTEST, MOST CAPABLE SUPER DUTY EVER Toughest: All-new, high-strength steel frame; segment-first, high-strength, military-grade, aluminum-alloy body; stronger axles, springs and suspension create the only Built Ford Tough heavy-duty truck lineup that works as hard as Super Duty customers Smartest: 16 class-exclusive new features and up to seven cameras make Super Duty the ultimate tow vehicle; adaptive steering technology makes maneuvering easier Most capable: Ford-engineered, Ford-built gasoline and diesel engines and transmissions power all-new Super Duty lineup that tows and hauls more than ever DALLAS, Sept. 24, 2015 – Ford, America’s truck leader, today introduces the all-new 2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty – the toughest, smartest, most capable Super Duty truck lineup ever. “Ford Super Duty is the truck America’s hardest-working men and women trust and depend on,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president, The Americas. “We are helping these customers build a better world by delivering a new generation of pickups that set new benchmarks in capability, performance and efficiency.” Using advanced materials to reduce weight, 2017 F-Series Super Duty pickup truck and chassis cab feature all-new, segment-exclusive smart technology to help increase customer productivity, comfort and convenience. “While Super Duty is America’s best-selling heavy-duty truck, we never take our leadership for granted,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development and chief technical officer. “Our team is using relentless innovation in materials, technology and Built Ford Tough engineering to deliver customers our best Super Duty yet.” Toughest The backbone is an all-new, fully boxed frame comprised of more than 95 percent high-strength steel that offers up to 24 times stiffer than the previous frame – enabling the most towing and hauling capability ever delivered by Super Duty. The new truck line features heavier-duty four-wheel-drive components, driveline, axles and towing hardware. For the first time, the Super Duty body uses high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloy, which is more dent- and ding-resistant than the outgoing steel body and not subject to red rust corrosion. Together, high-strength steel and high-strength aluminum alloy help reduce weight by up to 350 pounds while Ford is reinvesting additional weight savings everywhere it counts, to give customers more towing and hauling capability than ever before. Super Duty chassis cab features an all-new, high-strength steel frame with an open-C-channel design behind the cab to enable easy aftermarket body upfit and modification. Smartest Towing is core to the Super Duty mission. All-new advanced coaching and camera technology makes conventional and gooseneck/fifth-wheel towing easier and more efficient than ever. There are 16 segment-first new features – from LED lighting to adaptive cruise control – that assist Super Duty drivers to make driving and work situations easier and more comfortable. As many as seven cameras help customers see more angles and monitor conditions surrounding the truck, and provide better trailering than ever before. A center high-mounted stop lamp camera provides visibility into the cargo box, especially for easier hook-up of gooseneck/fifth-wheel trailers. A 360-degree camera system uses four digital, high-definition cameras to give the driver a bird’s-eye view surrounding Super Duty. Trailer reverse guidance provides visual cues and tips to help ease backing up a trailer. A first-ever, factory-available trailer camera can be attached to a trailer to improve visibility backing up. Customers will benefit from a segment-first, in-cab trailer tire pressure monitoring system from the comfort of the cab while stopped or on the highway. Adaptive steering provides for increased confidence to help make towing the heaviest of loads easier and brings greater ease to navigating job sites and parking lots – with or without a trailer. The technology reduces the amount of steering input needed to change direction at low speed, while reducing sensitivity to steering input at higher speeds. The all-new F-Series Super Duty is available with numerous driver-assist technologies: SYNC® 3 – Ford’s all-new communications and entertainment system features faster performance, conversational voice recognition and an easier-to-understand graphical interface, along with an intuitive smartphone-like 8-inch touch screen Blind Spot Information System with trailer tow is optimized for Super Duty to include the length of the trailer; BLIS® uses radar sensors in the taillamps to monitor areas that may not be visible to the driver Lane departure warning provides a warning when a driver strays from a lane through a series of steering wheel vibrations that mimic rumble strips Adaptive cruise control and collision warning with brake support use sensors to detect slower vehicles moving in the same direction. If another vehicle is too close, red lights flash on the windshield and a warning sound chimes. If the driver does not hit the brakes, the brake system is pre-charged to stop faster when the brake pedal is pressed Advanced light-emitting diode technology sheds light all around the new Super Duty, including: New LED sideview mirror spotlights enable illumination surrounding the truck to light up a work site or camp site Class-exclusive quad-beam LED headlamps and taillamps New LED cargo box lighting Most capable Light-weighting and improved capability work hand-in-hand in the all-new Ford F-Series Super Duty. “As we remove weight, we’re making Super Duty more productive by giving our customers better towing and payload capability,” said Craig Schmatz, Super Duty chief engineer. “We’re backing up improved capability with a stronger gasoline and diesel Super Duty engine lineup.” The second-generation Ford-designed, Ford-built 6.7-liter Power Stroke® V8 diesel engine is available for pickup trucks and chassis cabs providing the highest combination of horsepower and torque ever. The 6.2-liter V8 gasoline engine comes equipped with the new TorqShift-G transmission for the F-250 pickup – allowing for improved capability. The Super Duty chassis cab lineup offers a choice of 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 diesel, 6.8-liter V10 gasoline or 6.2-liter V8 gasoline engines. “The bottom line is Super Duty customers will be able to tow and haul more than ever before,” said Schmatz. Interior and cargo box All three cabs – Regular Cab, SuperCab and Crew Cab – are longer and feature a new interior design, including dual compartment glove box, overhead console-mounted auxiliary switches to operate aftermarket equipment, and completely flat SuperCab and Crew Cab second-row floors that make loading large items in the cab easy. Vital controls are close at hand, with the integrated trailer brake controller switch located even closer to the driver. Customer accessibility and ease of use extend outside the truck as well, with the cargo box offering customers these class-exclusive features: BoxLink™: Ford-patented combination of metal brackets and custom cleats that can be used to secure a variety of accessories in the cargo box Remote tailgate lock and release: Tailgate can be locked/unlocked and opened with the key fob, eliminating manual locking and increasing convenience and security. The tailgate is damped – dropping gently down, hands-free, to a flat position when opened There are five models in the Super Duty lineup – XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum. The all-new Super Duty will be built at Kentucky Truck Plant, and goes on sale late next year. View full article
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The Ford F-150 had an impressive showing in the start of the this year with the F-Series lineup up 17 percent. But as reported in February sales numbers, the F-Series dropped 1.2 percent and the Ford brand itself dropped 1.7 percent year-over-year. So what happened? Blame it on the F-150 supply. The Detroit Free Press reports that the F-150 is currently only being made at the Dearborn Truck Plant. The other plant - Kansas City - which will also build the F-150, has finished up retooling and is now working on pre-production models to help train employees. But the Detroit Free Press notes with the change over at both plants, it has lost Ford 90,000 F-150 models not rolling off the assembly line. However there is some good news for the F-150. The Detroit Free Press says that the F-150 made up 21 percent of total F-Series in February and that the average time of F-150 sitting on dealer lots is about 18 days. Source: Detroit Free Press -
The Ford F-150 had an impressive showing in the start of the this year with the F-Series lineup up 17 percent. But as reported in February sales numbers, the F-Series dropped 1.2 percent and the Ford brand itself dropped 1.7 percent year-over-year. So what happened? Blame it on the F-150 supply. The Detroit Free Press reports that the F-150 is currently only being made at the Dearborn Truck Plant. The other plant - Kansas City - which will also build the F-150, has finished up retooling and is now working on pre-production models to help train employees. But the Detroit Free Press notes with the change over at both plants, it has lost Ford 90,000 F-150 models not rolling off the assembly line. However there is some good news for the F-150. The Detroit Free Press says that the F-150 made up 21 percent of total F-Series in February and that the average time of F-150 sitting on dealer lots is about 18 days. Source: Detroit Free Press View full article
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Ford's decision to use aluminum on the F-150 has paid off in big dividends in terms of weight, fuel economy, and performance. Now you would think that Ford would use aluminum in other vehicles. Not so fast says Ford's president of the Americas Joe Hinrichs. At the Automotive News World Congress, Hinrichs says that aluminum will stick with the trucks. “One of the big benefits you get from light-weighting ... you can tow more and haul more. You don’t get those same benefits to a customer on the car side. Truck buyers will pay for more capability, car buyers will pay for better fuel economy, but there’s other ways to get fuel economy in a car without the need to provide more capability," said Hinrichs. “I don’t think we’ll see a dramatic increase in all-aluminum cars.” That said, Ford is looking at ways to decrease the weight in their vehicles. One of those ways could be carbon fiber. "There’s a lot of costs associated with aluminum. But if the industry can find ways to reduce costs then there’s a point in the future where we’ll see more aluminum in more standard vehicles,” said Akshay Anand, analyst at Kelley Blue Book. Source: The Detroit News -
Ford's decision to use aluminum on the F-150 has paid off in big dividends in terms of weight, fuel economy, and performance. Now you would think that Ford would use aluminum in other vehicles. Not so fast says Ford's president of the Americas Joe Hinrichs. At the Automotive News World Congress, Hinrichs says that aluminum will stick with the trucks. “One of the big benefits you get from light-weighting ... you can tow more and haul more. You don’t get those same benefits to a customer on the car side. Truck buyers will pay for more capability, car buyers will pay for better fuel economy, but there’s other ways to get fuel economy in a car without the need to provide more capability," said Hinrichs. “I don’t think we’ll see a dramatic increase in all-aluminum cars.” That said, Ford is looking at ways to decrease the weight in their vehicles. One of those ways could be carbon fiber. "There’s a lot of costs associated with aluminum. But if the industry can find ways to reduce costs then there’s a point in the future where we’ll see more aluminum in more standard vehicles,” said Akshay Anand, analyst at Kelley Blue Book. Source: The Detroit News View full article
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Even though Ford has just announced the new F-150 back in January, the automaker is already working on improvements that will be coming down the line. The Truth About Cars reports that Ford is working on a 3.0L V6 diesel engine, codenamed “Lion”. The new engine is in response to Ram's diesel engine for the 1500. Ford was reportedly working on a diesel engine for the F-150 in the mid-2000s, but it was canned due to financial meltdown. This new engine is expected to arrive in 2018. TTAC has also found out that the new 2.7L EcoBoost will produce somewhere in the range of 290 to 300 horsepower. Torque numbers are still a mystery. That's not all Ford has up its sleeve. TTAC reports that a new ten-speed automatic will appear in trucks and full-size SUVs in the near future. Ford also is working on aluminum bodied versions of the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator. Source: The Truth About Cars William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. -
Even though Ford has just announced the new F-150 back in January, the automaker is already working on improvements that will be coming down the line. The Truth About Cars reports that Ford is working on a 3.0L V6 diesel engine, codenamed “Lion”. The new engine is in response to Ram's diesel engine for the 1500. Ford was reportedly working on a diesel engine for the F-150 in the mid-2000s, but it was canned due to financial meltdown. This new engine is expected to arrive in 2018. TTAC has also found out that the new 2.7L EcoBoost will produce somewhere in the range of 290 to 300 horsepower. Torque numbers are still a mystery. That's not all Ford has up its sleeve. TTAC reports that a new ten-speed automatic will appear in trucks and full-size SUVs in the near future. Ford also is working on aluminum bodied versions of the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator. Source: The Truth About Cars William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article
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Ford Introduces A Raft Of Changes For 2015 F-Series SuperDuty
William Maley posted an article in Ford
William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 26, 2013 Ford is wanting to keep their dominance in the heavy duty pickup market and has announced a series of changes for its 2015 F-Series SuperDuty Pickups today at the Texas State Fair. First up is a improved 6.7L PowerStroke Diesel V8. Ford added a larger turbochargers to deliver increased airflow. The larger turbos allowed Ford to simplify the engine layout by removing the wastegate system and redesigning the oil and cooling lines. Another bonus of larger turbos is improved exhaust braking performance. Along with the engine changes, the six-speed automatic gets a stronger torque converter. Ford says these changes will make the improved 6.7L PowerStoke V8 "produce power beyond today's" engine. This just appears to be talk since Ford is keeping quiet on horsepower, torque, and fuel economy at this time. Next up is the Ford F-450. The biggest and most capable truck in the SuperDuty lineup gets stronger for the 2015 model year. The F-450 will get a stronger frame, suspension, rear driveline U-joints, rear leaf springs, front and rear antiroll bars, shocks, and new commercial-grade 19.5-inch wheels. The F-450 also gets its own calibration for the 6.7L PowerStroke engine. Wrapping up the 2015 F-Series Super Duty is updates to the King Ranch trim. The Running W" emblem that adorns King Ranch trucks - and the ranch that inspires them has gotten some attention. On the seat backs and center console, Ford has cut out and stitched the 'W' in a way to make it look branded. The interior gets a new "richer, lighter shade of Mesa leather", while the exterior sees a darker shade of Caribou paint for the wheel lips, bumpers and lower body. Source: Ford William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. Press Release is on Page 2 2015 Ford F-Series Super Duty Features Improved Power Stroke Diesel, Stronger F-450, Revamped King Ranch Edition - Engineering improvements boost the performance, capability and durability of the Ford-designed and Ford-built 6.7-liter Power Stroke® V8 turbo diesel engine - Upgraded 2015 Ford F-450 pickup offers more towing capability than ever - 2015 Ford F-Series Super Duty King Ranch restyled, combining authentic Texas heritage with modern luxury DALLAS, Sept. 26, 2013 – Ford, America's truck leader, introduces the 2015 F-Series Super Duty lineup today at State Fair of Texas, featuring a second-generation 6.7-liter Power Stroke® V8 turbo diesel engine; increased towing capabilities; and a refreshed, Texas-inspired King Ranch model. "Truck leadership means never resting, and the Super Duty team has been tireless in finding ways to improve the industry's most popular heavy-duty pickups," said Joe Hinrichs, executive vice president and president of The Americas, Ford Motor Company. "Super Duty diesel customers will benefit from improved performance and features backed by outstanding Built Ford Tough durability." Since the 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 turbo diesel debuted in 2011, Ford engineers have listened to customers and continued to examine each component of the engine to develop improved performance. Ford is the only heavy-duty pickup truck manufacturer that designs and builds its own diesel engine and transmission combination, ensuring the powertrain will work seamlessly with all chassis components and vehicle calibrations – from concept to execution. This approach also enables Ford engineers to optimize the vehicle's performance across the entire lineup. A key Ford innovation on the original 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 turbo diesel was its so-called reverse-flow layout. The advanced design places the exhaust inside the engine's V-shape while the air intake is positioned on the outside of the V. This segment-exclusive design naturally improves a variety of attributes: - Shorter airflow from the exhaust system to the turbocharger sitting between the engine's cylinder banks improves turbo responsiveness – key to providing torque quickly to truck customers when they need it most - Positioning the turbo inside the engine's valley helps isolate the engine's hottest temperatures, improving performance and efficiency, while also reducing noise, vibration and harshness Ford engineers built upon the many benefits of this design as they upgraded the Power Stroke. One improvement is a larger GT37 turbocharger that replaces the previous GT32 model, enabling more airflow to the engine to produce more power beyond today's 400 horsepower and 800 lb.-ft. of torque. Key components of the new GT37 turbocharger The GT37 features a single, larger 88-millimeter compressor wheel that replaces the GT32's dual-sided compressor design. The compressor forces air into the engine's cylinders to improve performance – especially at high altitude where the air is thinner than at sea level. The turbine size is increased to 72.5 millimeters from 64 millimeters, so exhaust gases have a larger surface area to spin the turbo, providing extra power. The wastegate and the wastegate controls are eliminated, because the turbo operates at lower peak pressures than the GT32. "The original designers of the current Power Stroke V8 diesel forecasted needs for higher output. This facilitated the larger turbocharger, increasing airflow and creating more power," said David Ives, Power Stroke technical specialist. "We've dramatically improved performance while reducing overall engine complexity by focusing on the turbo system." A further benefit of the larger turbo is improved engine exhaust braking, manually controlled by a push-button switch on the dashboard. Extra braking power helps reduce wear and tear on wheel brakes and requires less manual brake application from the driver, especially on downhill grades. Fuel system improvements Turbo changes drove improvements to the fuel delivery system, specifically a new high-pressure fuel pump and fuel injectors. The pump's cam stroke is increased to deliver more fuel when desired for increased power. All-new injector tips better atomize the fuel, resulting in improved combustion that enables lower noise, vibration and harshness. Other benefits include cleaner emissions and a reduction in the buildup of fuel deposits on the valves over time. In addition, a new exhaust temperature sensor enables more accurate fuel control, which improves both durability and driveability – especially when towing – and helps the customer drive the Power Stroke diesel to its maximum capability. Even though the fuel system delivers extra fuel as needed to provide more power, other efficiency improvements ensure 2015 Ford F-Series Super Duty pickup customers see similar performance to today's best-in-class fuel economy. Further enhancements to Ford Power Stroke diesel include: - Ford-designed and -engineered 6R140 TorqShift® six-speed transmission uses a new torque converter to manage increased horsepower and torque - New polymer coating on main bearings for improved wear-and-tear durability and lower friction - Improved crankshaft fillet design – the transition point between the crankshaft's journals – to increase crankshaft power carrying capability - Increased crankshaft damper weight to reduce rotating forces on the crankshaft when the engine is performing at peak power levels - New five-layer head gasket to handle wider range of engine firing pressures resulting from more powerful engine performance - Added material to the engine's cylinder heads, exhaust manifold and valvetrain to handle increased power levels - Redesigned turbo oil and cooling lines to improve sealing - Piston assembly upgrades to increase load-bearing capability - New four-layer exhaust manifold gasket for improved durability 2015 Ford F-450 upgrades The 2015 Ford F-450 tops the F-Series Super Duty pickup truck lineup with maximum towing and hauling capability. Changes for 2015 include a strengthened frame, suspension, new commercial-grade 19.5-inch wheels and tires, and core work components shared with F-Series Super Duty chassis cab models. Just as the next-generation Power Stroke engine reflects changes that improve power while maintaining durability, the Super Duty engineering team took specific actions to bolster key F-450 components to improve towing capability, including: - Upgraded rear driveline U-joints - Upgraded suspension components, including new rear leaf springs, front and rear stabilizer bars and shocks - Increased fifth-wheel and gooseneck trailer capacity - Stronger steering gears and steering linkages - Larger brakes shared with Super Duty chassis cab models, including wheel brakes, parking brake and new antilock brake calibration - F-450-specific Power Stroke diesel engine calibration King Ranch expresses authentic, rugged luxury The reinvigorated update to the 2015 Ford F-Series Super Duty King Ranch edition is inspired by the place where American ranching was born. "King Ranch is an American original with a proud heritage of hard work that defines the American ranching lifestyle," said Doug Scott, Ford Truck group marketing manager. "The 2015 Ford Super Duty King Ranch seamlessly combines elements of Texas-inspired luxury and Ford capability." As part of the Ford Truck commitment to continuous improvement, the F-Series design team traveled to King Ranch, founded in 1853, for fresh perspective and inspiration from the 825,000-acre working ranch, which is bigger than the state of Rhode Island. "What really stood out is how prominent the 'Running W' is, and how it defines and unifies the ranch," said Barb Whalen, Ford color and material design manager. "Similarly, we wanted that brand to define the new Super Duty King Ranch." On the new Super Duty King Ranch, the Running W – the brand used on cattle raised at the ranch – provides a focal point for the interior. It is cut out and stitched to make the seat backs and center console appear to have been branded. A lighter, richer shade of Mesa leather trims the seats, center console lid, armrests and steering wheel. Exterior updates include the new, darker Caribou paint for the wheel lip moldings, bumpers and lower body. The bed rail caps, bumper caps and running boards are executed in black. The Running W brings focus to the wheel caps as well. "Through premium materials and thoughtful execution, we strived to make the 2015 Ford Super Duty King Ranch have a look and a feel as authentic as the ranch itself," said Scott. -
William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 26, 2013 Ford is wanting to keep their dominance in the heavy duty pickup market and has announced a series of changes for its 2015 F-Series SuperDuty Pickups today at the Texas State Fair. First up is a improved 6.7L PowerStroke Diesel V8. Ford added a larger turbochargers to deliver increased airflow. The larger turbos allowed Ford to simplify the engine layout by removing the wastegate system and redesigning the oil and cooling lines. Another bonus of larger turbos is improved exhaust braking performance. Along with the engine changes, the six-speed automatic gets a stronger torque converter. Ford says these changes will make the improved 6.7L PowerStoke V8 "produce power beyond today's" engine. This just appears to be talk since Ford is keeping quiet on horsepower, torque, and fuel economy at this time. Next up is the Ford F-450. The biggest and most capable truck in the SuperDuty lineup gets stronger for the 2015 model year. The F-450 will get a stronger frame, suspension, rear driveline U-joints, rear leaf springs, front and rear antiroll bars, shocks, and new commercial-grade 19.5-inch wheels. The F-450 also gets its own calibration for the 6.7L PowerStroke engine. Wrapping up the 2015 F-Series Super Duty is updates to the King Ranch trim. The Running W" emblem that adorns King Ranch trucks - and the ranch that inspires them has gotten some attention. On the seat backs and center console, Ford has cut out and stitched the 'W' in a way to make it look branded. The interior gets a new "richer, lighter shade of Mesa leather", while the exterior sees a darker shade of Caribou paint for the wheel lips, bumpers and lower body. Source: Ford William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. Press Release is on Page 2 2015 Ford F-Series Super Duty Features Improved Power Stroke Diesel, Stronger F-450, Revamped King Ranch Edition - Engineering improvements boost the performance, capability and durability of the Ford-designed and Ford-built 6.7-liter Power Stroke® V8 turbo diesel engine - Upgraded 2015 Ford F-450 pickup offers more towing capability than ever - 2015 Ford F-Series Super Duty King Ranch restyled, combining authentic Texas heritage with modern luxury DALLAS, Sept. 26, 2013 – Ford, America's truck leader, introduces the 2015 F-Series Super Duty lineup today at State Fair of Texas, featuring a second-generation 6.7-liter Power Stroke® V8 turbo diesel engine; increased towing capabilities; and a refreshed, Texas-inspired King Ranch model. "Truck leadership means never resting, and the Super Duty team has been tireless in finding ways to improve the industry's most popular heavy-duty pickups," said Joe Hinrichs, executive vice president and president of The Americas, Ford Motor Company. "Super Duty diesel customers will benefit from improved performance and features backed by outstanding Built Ford Tough durability." Since the 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 turbo diesel debuted in 2011, Ford engineers have listened to customers and continued to examine each component of the engine to develop improved performance. Ford is the only heavy-duty pickup truck manufacturer that designs and builds its own diesel engine and transmission combination, ensuring the powertrain will work seamlessly with all chassis components and vehicle calibrations – from concept to execution. This approach also enables Ford engineers to optimize the vehicle's performance across the entire lineup. A key Ford innovation on the original 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 turbo diesel was its so-called reverse-flow layout. The advanced design places the exhaust inside the engine's V-shape while the air intake is positioned on the outside of the V. This segment-exclusive design naturally improves a variety of attributes: - Shorter airflow from the exhaust system to the turbocharger sitting between the engine's cylinder banks improves turbo responsiveness – key to providing torque quickly to truck customers when they need it most - Positioning the turbo inside the engine's valley helps isolate the engine's hottest temperatures, improving performance and efficiency, while also reducing noise, vibration and harshness Ford engineers built upon the many benefits of this design as they upgraded the Power Stroke. One improvement is a larger GT37 turbocharger that replaces the previous GT32 model, enabling more airflow to the engine to produce more power beyond today's 400 horsepower and 800 lb.-ft. of torque. Key components of the new GT37 turbocharger The GT37 features a single, larger 88-millimeter compressor wheel that replaces the GT32's dual-sided compressor design. The compressor forces air into the engine's cylinders to improve performance – especially at high altitude where the air is thinner than at sea level. The turbine size is increased to 72.5 millimeters from 64 millimeters, so exhaust gases have a larger surface area to spin the turbo, providing extra power. The wastegate and the wastegate controls are eliminated, because the turbo operates at lower peak pressures than the GT32. "The original designers of the current Power Stroke V8 diesel forecasted needs for higher output. This facilitated the larger turbocharger, increasing airflow and creating more power," said David Ives, Power Stroke technical specialist. "We've dramatically improved performance while reducing overall engine complexity by focusing on the turbo system." A further benefit of the larger turbo is improved engine exhaust braking, manually controlled by a push-button switch on the dashboard. Extra braking power helps reduce wear and tear on wheel brakes and requires less manual brake application from the driver, especially on downhill grades. Fuel system improvements Turbo changes drove improvements to the fuel delivery system, specifically a new high-pressure fuel pump and fuel injectors. The pump's cam stroke is increased to deliver more fuel when desired for increased power. All-new injector tips better atomize the fuel, resulting in improved combustion that enables lower noise, vibration and harshness. Other benefits include cleaner emissions and a reduction in the buildup of fuel deposits on the valves over time. In addition, a new exhaust temperature sensor enables more accurate fuel control, which improves both durability and driveability – especially when towing – and helps the customer drive the Power Stroke diesel to its maximum capability. Even though the fuel system delivers extra fuel as needed to provide more power, other efficiency improvements ensure 2015 Ford F-Series Super Duty pickup customers see similar performance to today's best-in-class fuel economy. Further enhancements to Ford Power Stroke diesel include: - Ford-designed and -engineered 6R140 TorqShift® six-speed transmission uses a new torque converter to manage increased horsepower and torque - New polymer coating on main bearings for improved wear-and-tear durability and lower friction - Improved crankshaft fillet design – the transition point between the crankshaft's journals – to increase crankshaft power carrying capability - Increased crankshaft damper weight to reduce rotating forces on the crankshaft when the engine is performing at peak power levels - New five-layer head gasket to handle wider range of engine firing pressures resulting from more powerful engine performance - Added material to the engine's cylinder heads, exhaust manifold and valvetrain to handle increased power levels - Redesigned turbo oil and cooling lines to improve sealing - Piston assembly upgrades to increase load-bearing capability - New four-layer exhaust manifold gasket for improved durability 2015 Ford F-450 upgrades The 2015 Ford F-450 tops the F-Series Super Duty pickup truck lineup with maximum towing and hauling capability. Changes for 2015 include a strengthened frame, suspension, new commercial-grade 19.5-inch wheels and tires, and core work components shared with F-Series Super Duty chassis cab models. Just as the next-generation Power Stroke engine reflects changes that improve power while maintaining durability, the Super Duty engineering team took specific actions to bolster key F-450 components to improve towing capability, including: - Upgraded rear driveline U-joints - Upgraded suspension components, including new rear leaf springs, front and rear stabilizer bars and shocks - Increased fifth-wheel and gooseneck trailer capacity - Stronger steering gears and steering linkages - Larger brakes shared with Super Duty chassis cab models, including wheel brakes, parking brake and new antilock brake calibration - F-450-specific Power Stroke diesel engine calibration King Ranch expresses authentic, rugged luxury The reinvigorated update to the 2015 Ford F-Series Super Duty King Ranch edition is inspired by the place where American ranching was born. "King Ranch is an American original with a proud heritage of hard work that defines the American ranching lifestyle," said Doug Scott, Ford Truck group marketing manager. "The 2015 Ford Super Duty King Ranch seamlessly combines elements of Texas-inspired luxury and Ford capability." As part of the Ford Truck commitment to continuous improvement, the F-Series design team traveled to King Ranch, founded in 1853, for fresh perspective and inspiration from the 825,000-acre working ranch, which is bigger than the state of Rhode Island. "What really stood out is how prominent the 'Running W' is, and how it defines and unifies the ranch," said Barb Whalen, Ford color and material design manager. "Similarly, we wanted that brand to define the new Super Duty King Ranch." On the new Super Duty King Ranch, the Running W – the brand used on cattle raised at the ranch – provides a focal point for the interior. It is cut out and stitched to make the seat backs and center console appear to have been branded. A lighter, richer shade of Mesa leather trims the seats, center console lid, armrests and steering wheel. Exterior updates include the new, darker Caribou paint for the wheel lip moldings, bumpers and lower body. The bed rail caps, bumper caps and running boards are executed in black. The Running W brings focus to the wheel caps as well. "Through premium materials and thoughtful execution, we strived to make the 2015 Ford Super Duty King Ranch have a look and a feel as authentic as the ranch itself," said Scott. View full article
