Ford's lightweight new 2015 F-150 is a heavy hitter - Detroit Free Press
The aluminum body, and a new frame that uses high-strength steel to reduce weight further, reduce the 2015 F-150's weight as much as 700 pounds. Prices for the 2015 F-150 start at $25,420 for a base model with rear-wheel drive with a 283-hp 3. 5L normally aspirated V6. All F-150s come with a six-speed automatic transmission. Four-wheel-drive models start at $30,395. Like all leading full-size pickups, the F-150 comes in a dizzying range of models: long- and short-wheelbase, two-door, a bigger cab with conventional front doors and rear-hinged back doors, and a crew cab... Ford also offers four engines: the base 3. 5L V6, a 325-hp twin-turbocharged 2. 7L V6, a 365-hp 3. 5L twin-turbo V6, and a 385-hp 5. 0L V8. The model line extends from relatively basic work trucks to the luxurious, leather-trimmed 4WD $54,680... I tested a 4WD XLT with the 2. 7L engine, short bed and Supercab passenger compartment, which has rear-hinged back doors and a smaller passenger compartment than the crew cab. So, if the aluminum body is such a big deal, what difference does it make when you drive the 2015 F-150. None, and that's good news: Ford's not asking pickup owners to sacrifice performance or capability for higher efficiency. 7L engine, which Ford expects to power about 28% of F-150s, is far smaller than Ford has ever offered in an F-150, but there's no penalty in performance compared with bigger engines in the 2014 model. Source: www.freep.com
