2002 Red Ford Ranger Edge Extended Cab Pickup 2-door 3.0l Automatic on 2040-cars

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Aluminum lightweighting does, in fact, save fuel

When the best-selling US truck sheds the equivalent weight of three football fullbacks by shifting to aluminum, folks start paying attention. Oak Ridge National Laboratory took a closer look at whether the reduced fuel consumption from a lighter aluminum body makes up for the fact that producing aluminum is far more energy intensive than steel. And the results of the study are pretty encouraging. In a nutshell, the energy needed to produce a vehicle's raw materials accounts for about 10 percent of a typical vehicle's carbon footprint during its total lifecycle, and that number is up from six percent because of advancements in fuel economy (fuel use is down to about 68 percent of total emissions from about 75 percent). Still, even with that higher material-extraction share, the fuel-efficiency gains from aluminum compared to steel will offset the additional vehicle-extraction energy in just 12,000 miles of driving, according to the study. That means that, from an environmental standpoint, aluminum vehicles are playing with the house's money after just one year on the road. Aluminum-sheet construction got topical real quickly earlier this year when Ford said the 2015 F-150 pickup truck would go to a 93-percent aluminum body construction. In addition to aluminum being less corrosive than steel, that change caused the F-150 to shed 700 pounds from its curb weight. And it looks like the Explorer and Expedition SUVs may go on an aluminum diet next. Take a look at SAE International's synopsis of the Oak Ridge Lab's study below. Life Cycle Energy and Environmental Assessment of Aluminum-Intensive Vehicle Design Advanced lightweight materials are increasingly being incorporated into new vehicle designs by automakers to enhance performance and assist in complying with increasing requirements of corporate average fuel economy standards. To assess the primary energy and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) implications of vehicle designs utilizing these materials, this study examines the potential life cycle impacts of two lightweight material alternative vehicle designs, i.e., steel and aluminum of a typical passenger vehicle operated today in North America. LCA for three common alternative lightweight vehicle designs are evaluated: current production ("Baseline"), an advanced high strength steel and aluminum design ("LWSV"), and an aluminum-intensive design (AIV).

Ford F-150 bumps Camry from top of Cars.com American Made Index

With July 4th just around the corner, what better time could there be for Cars.com to announce that the Ford F-150 is the Most American car of 2013? This may be especially true since it was the Toyota Camry, a car produced by a company based in Japan, that had held the top spot from 2009 to 2012.
Cars.com compiles its Most American list by considering the amount of parts each vehicle uses that come from America, where it's final assembly takes place and how many units per year are sold. "While the assembly point and domestic parts content of the F-150 didn't change from 2012-2013, vehicle sales are responsible for bumping the F-150 to the top spot," according to Patrick Olsen, Editor-in-Chief of Cars.com.
As far as automakers go (as opposed to individual models), Toyota retains the top spot it held in 2012, with General Motors, Chrysler, Ford and Honda (in that order) rounding out the list. The motivation behind this list each year, according to Olsen, is "to help car shoppers understand that 'American-Made' extends beyond just the Detroit three" and because "a study we conducted in 2012 indicated that 25 percent of shoppers surveyed preferred to buy American."

Get a taste of Ford GT ownership from Dust Devils

It seems that the automotive world might be right on the cusp of getting some kind of follow-up to the Ford GT. It might not be called the GT or even use the coupe's retro look, but rumors point to such a beast being on the way. If the future halo model can inspire as much adoration among fans as the previous ones, then the Blue Oval is sure to have another winner on its hands. To get idea just how closely GT owners are bonded to their cars, take a ride with the participants in the ninth Ford GT National Rally in this short documentary titled Dust Devils. The owners convened with over 80 of the retro supercars in Las Vegas, NV, to admire the coupes and give them a workout on the desert roads. It's especially nice to see the drivers of these limited production Fords unafraid to take their cars to the track and stretch their legs a little. Related Gallery 2016 Honda Accord Coupe V6: Quick Spin View 25 Photos There's just something about the shape of the GT and the GT40 before it that gets everything right aesthetically. The long, low-slung look is simultaneously menacing and lithe, and the growl from the latest model's supercharged V8 is nothing to complain about either. Get just the slightest taste of what it's like to have one of these halo Fords in this clip, from the people that love them the most. News Source: Lets Make Media via Vimeo Ford Ownership Coupe Performance Supercars Videos