Ford's aluminum F-150 to cost more for repairs, insurer group says - Los Angeles Times
Ford’s revolutionary aluminum-body F-150 pickup truck does well in most crash tests but is significantly more expensive to repair, according to an analysis by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. That means buyers of the truck, the first to use the lighter-weight metal extensively, probably will pay more in out-of-pocket expenses after a crash and might ultimately have higher insurance premiums, the insurance trade group said. The F-150 crew cab, which Ford calls the “SuperCrew,” posted “good” ratings for occupant protection in all five of the group's crash tests. But while doing well in most of the tests, the smaller and lighter extended cab, or “SuperCab,” earned only a marginal rating for occupant protection in a small overlap front crash. Such crashes account for nearly a quarter of frontal crashes involving serious or fatal injury, according to the institute, and have been a difficult safety hurdle for many automakers. “In a small overlap front crash like this, there’s no question you’d rather be driving the crew cab than the extended cab F-150,” said David Zuby, IIHS chief research officer. It added structural elements to the crew cab’s front frame but didn’t do the same for the extended cab, according to the insurance. Source: www.latimes.com
