2015 Ford F-150: Reuss Ain’t “Scared”
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Ford unveiled its next entry in the competitive full-size pickup truck segment Monday, the 2015 Ford F-150. Ford reinvented the way pickup trucks are built with the new F-150, leaving General Motors product chief Mark Reuss, the man in charge of developing some of its main rivals, very curious.
“I want to get my hands on it,” Reuss told the Automotive News. “I’m going to be looking at how much aluminum is in it. What are the panels? How are they constructed? I’m going to look at what they advertise as the weight savings from it. Then I’m going to go back and do some math.”
Reuss recognized having “concern” over the new truck, which has shed 700 lbs through use of lightweight aluminum alloys in the structure and body panels.
“But am I scared? That’s a different word,” Reuss added.
GM believes it can combat the lightweight F-150 with its all-new set of mid-size pickup truck offerings, the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. GM believes customers that are in the market for a truck, but are also interested in fuel economy, can still get most of the hauling and towing capacity they need out of the smaller truck.
Reuss acknowledged reviving the mid-size pickup truck segment, which has been in decline in recent years, is “not risk-free.” Ford axed the Ranger in North America in 2011, along with Chrysler who ditched the Dodge Dakota that same year.
Reuss might want to get as up close and personal with the new F-150 as he can, but will Ford Chief Operating Officer, Mark Fields, allow it?
“I think Mark will let me see it,” Reuss said. “I’ll show him the Z06 and the mid-sized Canyon, and he can show me the F-150.”
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I think GM and Ford both know how important the truck segment is; they know because they both rely on each other to support the segment.
Besides, collaboration helps sustain their future. A ritter-like mentality means destroying your competitor and thus your only reason to improve your product.
http://www.f150online.com/articles/2015-f-150-mule-gm-milford-proving-grounds/
^ Proof that the old “Ford vs. Chevy” mantra is as dead and the 1960’s.
Interesting times ahead! I don’t think GM is scared, but with Ford clearly winning the media and marketing war, any competitor would be a little concerned. GM should not lose too much sleep though, as the mid size truck market have the most loyal customers in the industry, and if both company can more or less maintain their respective market share, they all would be happy. What the competition does, is guarantee that customers have great products to choose from, as companies have to step up their game or die.
I’m interested in seeing how competitive Ford’s 5.0L V8 is, compared to GMs 5.3L, as not everybody wants a turbo 6 in a full size truck
The only time I want to see GM and ford do anything together is if it benefits GM!
Well IMO, mark should be worried, as clearly ford isn’t willing to give up, the best selling truck/vehicle line title. Unless obviously people rebel against the aluminum due to the cost of repair, or some major manufacturing issues show up, pissing customers off, in which case I don’t think either are going to happen. GM might have to introduce some crazy aero kits next model year or spend a crap load of money switching to aluminum on the Sierra/silverado.
lol…….you have a point there Hafeez-h
Generally speaking, anytime you hear someone say they aren’t scared about something, you know they are scared!
I was just watching Jeopardy on TV, and it remind me of the risk Ford is taking. You know when the contestant say “let’s make it a true daily double” and risk all their money? They better get it right!
GM could use composites, A few years ago they were trying to make carbon fiber easier and more affordable.
@ grawd
They might collaborate with each other, in something here and there, but they’re still competing with each other, there’s always going to be a “vs” element, until either one is gone or they merge.
“but they’re still competing with each other, there’s always going to be a “vs” element”
I would posit that the competition between the two exists only in the minds of the consumer, spurred onward by the ever aggressive advertising efforts. It would give rise to the “lengthy war” between Ford and GM, and serves to generate sales for both.
If GM were to suddenly lose 10 or 15% of it’s truck segment share, Ford would appear on the face to say “the buyer has spoken”, but they would worry that losing a primary engineering source would mean that any future technology jointly developed between the two would demand investment money from Ford and less from GM.
They can split the market and live happily ever after with guaranteed income, or spend many, many billions of dollars trying to take the whole segment by force. The latter is simply too costly and time consuming to even consider, and the former means sustained income year after year and a split on engineering costs.
I don’t mind GM and ford working on transmissions together, lowering the cost of a main component like that helps GM in the long run!
Transferring anymore data then that I’m against!
lol you have a point there
Ok lets get a some fact in the way.
I looked up a Crew Ford and Crew Chevy V8 4×4 2014 as tested curb weights.
The Chevy was listed as 5218 and the Ford was 5640 that folks places the Chevy 422 pounds lighter than the Ford as it is now. Ford claims the new truck and they are not saying how much the curb weight is and what model will be 700 pounds lighter than the 2014 truck.
Now if you subtract the 700 pounds from the present truck assuming it is a crew that is only a 278 pound weight advantage over the Chevy.
Now that 700 pound difference could just be on a standard cab but Ford is not saying.
It comes down to this GM already enjoys a great weight advantage and while Ford may go the equal to a fat buddy lighter they will not be 700 pounds lighter than a Chevy.
Read the Ford press information carefully as they are not giving full disclosure. Now if they were Apples to Apples in style of cab and engine as saying they would be 700 pounds lighter than the GM truck they would have an advantage to pay attention too but when they are already the fat truck and are only comparing the weight compared to their truck the advantage is not as great.
The real trial will be down the road as Aluminum takes special work to repair and not all shops can do it. Also it is not cheap to repair. Just ask anyone with an Audi that has been in a accident. In an Audi or Range Rover it is not a big deal as they are not a part hauler or often some kind of city or company fleet truck. Now if a city has to pay the added cost of repair or a company will they balk? Part of the F150 greatest features is that it was always cheap to maintain and repair but with Aluminum that could be out the window.
Also how will insurance companies feel on this with higher cost of repair and a vehicle that could be totaled much easier because of added repair cost.
I like what Ford has done but I want to see the true full disclosure on the numbers and I want to see how they are dealing with the added cost of the aluminum not only in the price of the truck but also how they figure not sticking it to the customer.
Trucks have to remain cheap to repair and maintain as people drive them into the ground unlike cars they toss away.
They may be making a lot of noise right now but the tune may change later on in the real world.
They do have the Ranger that is ready to come here in a year or two if needed. I checked and it is built to US standard so they can bring it pretty fast if needed. That may be their way out for cheaper trucks.
When is ford going to compare v8 mpg truck vs truck! Mpg will sell trucks in the future so maybe GM is holding there cards close to their chest and brings them out when they need them most!
4.5 duramax
8 9 10 speed transmissions
Taking weight out of the trucks
on and on
@ grawd
“I would posit that the competition between the two exists only in the minds of the consumer”
I say it doesn’t only exist in the consumers mind. Hypothetically, If GM were to buy-out all of ford, GM would have all the profits, that the ford (now GM) products are generating for “future technology / engineering” use (and other uses), and now GM would have fiat, Nissan, Toyota, etc as the competition, so they really don’t have to depend on each other for future technology costs. I agree that competition between the two (and others) makes them produce better products.
Lets put it another way, another hypothetical
At GM, they’ve just spend the last 8 years and over $2 billion developing a rigid carbon fibre loom manufacturing process. No more vacuum sealing carbon fibre, they can just use the loom and make components that are lighter and stronger than any metal, and cannot ever rust.
Now, should GM roll out their next trucks with these carbon fibre components and hope to recoup their investments within the next 5 years of the truck’s production lifespan, or should they call the guys in Dearborn and let them in on components, but that for each component produced GM would get 5% of the F-150 sales?
I mean, it’s a hypothetical, but it’s a way for both GM and Ford to protect their place in the segment. GM could keep the loom for itself, and never make it profitable because their volume was too small. On the other hand, GM can get a cut from Ford for each F-150 sold and make the use of the loom that much more lucrative, all the while screwing Mopar and Toyota.
@Scott, if your numbers are correct, then clearly mark has already crunched the numbers himself, and truly means it when he says that he isn’t worried, this also leads to my previous assumption that GM is closely watching the market in order to introduce something special for the 2014 trucks and it’s not just the 4.5L diesel
What if GM is thinking instead of using aluminum, maybe composit would be better!
What I think GM is planning is waiting until ford sets the mpg of their full size trucks then GM will role out their new transmissions and fuel Sipping tech to beat ford at it’s own game!
The numbers I gave were from Truck Trends road test. And the lack of facts was from reading the Ford Talking points from anyplace I could find them reported and none say what truck style is 700 less than the 2014 truck and none say the final curb weight.
GM knows damn well what is going on here and is not caught surprised.
Keep in mind even the Ford was seen in camo leaving the GM Warren proving grounds doing testing on the new Joint GM/Ford Transmission. Don’t think the Truck got looked over there as much as possible.
While Ford may have not given away a lot of things GM for sure did not come away with out what is going on.
I would say for testing the transmission they had to know the mass of the vehicle they were testing.
Keep in mind too that while the body is aluminum not all of it is all that thin. The Bed has to be thick to gain strength to prevent damage. It may loose a little weight but it is not going to be beer can light.
Don’t get me wrong this will be a good truck but is the Aluminum the right thing for this market segment. Only time in the real world will prove that this was good. Ford will sell a lot of truck even if they make them out of plastic so while it is a risk it is not as great as some would like to make it. Also the weight loss here is not as great as Ford would like you to think it.
GM has used a lot of Boron steel that is high strength and light. It does the same things as aluminum but it also is cheaper and easier to repair.
They all tried plastic and gave up on it. Ford had plastic hoods on some vehicles and GM looked at plastic beds that all vanished as time went on.
GM will get one of these trucks as soon as they are released and tear it down to just see just what it fully has and move along.
GM really needs to market better to let people know they are not left behind. The styling on the new Chevy is not bad but it just does not signal the advancements as well as the Ford and their media blitz. Ford greater achievement here is that they are doing a better job of marketing the new truck than GM.
When I think about it even if the GM brass we’re worried do you honestly think that they would say so?
I don’t think GM has anything to worry about, I think GM can beat them at the mpgs in the full size and mid size!
Nobody seems to have noticed the new Ford LOOKS a lot better than the competition. It looks modern and edgy, with a dominant grille that is not overdone.
I never understood why Ford had the best seller ten, twenty years ago, as GM and Dodge trucks were arguably better, Today Ford really does build the best truck. The only problem was its weight and ugly exterior. They fixed that.
Well looks are subjective and while some love the Ford many other hate the looks. My father in law gave up on Ford because of the looks and quality issues and that is all he drove for years. He is his second Chevy and happy.
Fords is a good truck and not built any better or worse than GM. Much of it comes down to what styling you like.
Why does for sell more trucks. two reasons. Creative accounting of F models. Also much greater fleet sales. Ford makes cheaper packages and offers them to large fleets and they can move more trucks. Now are they making more money than GM on the extra trucks Probably not.
You can play the we sold more than you game all day but in the end it is the profit per unit sold and resale value that holds up for the MFG and the customer and GM has always had an edge on both.
As for the Ford Looks it is just getting more and more odd to me. I am just not getting the Optimus Prime nose.
While I think Ford went too far GM did not go far enough.
I wouldn’t be worried either! I am confident GM will further decrease the weight and increase the efficiency of their trucks (if need be). They have the 10 speed transmissions (Ford does too >.<), they have more Boron Steel and Aluminum to work with, they also have Intake Variable Valve Timng. Has no one thought about putting a 3.6L T/T VVT, SIDI,AFM and iVVL in the Silverado/Sierra? Ford's Ecob*tch sells very well for what it is. . .