Ford F-150 Passes Crash Tests, But Aluminum Body Costs More to Repair - NBCNews.com
DETROIT -- Ford's new aluminum-sided F-150 pickup saw mixed results in new crash tests by the insurance industry, and the damaged trucks cost more to repair than steel-bodied ones. The Insurance Institute also said it took longer for a local Ford dealer to repair the aluminum truck than an older steel one, and the aluminum parts cost more. The institute said the repair costs were 26 percent higher for the aluminum-bodied truck. In a statement, Ford said the new truck is the "safest F-150 ever" and noted that it has the government's highest five-star safety rating. But the company said it will make a design change in the 2016 model year to improve the crash performance of the Super Cab and Regular Cab models. Ford said the Super Crew — which got the top safety award — accounts for 83 percent of all F-150 sales. Ford spokesman Mike Levine also said independent consultants have shown that average repair costs for the new truck are less than for the old truck. The results are a key test for Ford, which switched from steel to aluminum for the body of the truck late last year. Source: www.nbcnews.com
