Ford built the first production redesigned 2015 F-150 truck at its Rouge Center on Tuesday.
Interest in the new truck – the top selling single model in the US – has grown steadily since it was revealed in January at the 2014 Detroit show. It will be in showrooms next month.
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The 2015 F-150 is the first mass-produced truck in its class featuring a high-strength, military-grade, aluminium-alloy body and bed and is the product of the latest smart technologies and build processes.
Now in its 66th year, the F-Series has been the best-selling truck in America for 37 consecutive years and best-selling vehicle in America for 32 years.
The manufacturing process includes the latest in materials and forming and joining technology. This makes the 2015 model a dramatic advancement over anything the competition has to offer.
Refurbished Dearborn Diversified, Stamping and Tool & Die facilities provide the latest equipment to give the truck its tough body. This includes new press lines to help stamp four different types of high-strength aluminium alloys that reduce cab and cargo box weight while improving durability. New hydroforming lines use pressurised oil to form metal tubes into strong support rails for structural soundness, a new chemical coating system prepares the aluminium for high-strength adhesives, and a new heat treat area bake hardens the alloys, resulting in more robust, durable materials.
Five hundred new robots in the new body shop conduct joining technology that leads to a tougher truck. Smaller, more compact robots install the roof and doors, transfer the vehicle to final assembly, and scan the body to ensure the highest quality standards are met.
The Dearborn Truck Plant paint shop was updated with dirt detection technology and increased robotic paint automation for more durable paint application resulting in claimed best-in-class exterior appearance. Other new processes support the addition of new truck features, such as installation of a class-exclusive 360-degree camera with split-view display.
Ford added 850 new workers across its Dearborn Truck, Diversified and Stamping facilities. These new workers join the more than 4,000 existing staff.
The latest F-150 is the most efficient ever, due to dramatic improvements in weight savings and advanced engine technology. It can tow up to 1,100 more pounds, haul up to 530 more pounds, and will have better fuel economy ratings than the current lineup. Fuel economy is projected to be at least 5% and up to 20% higher – EPA estimated fuel economy ratings will be announced later this month.
In addition to Dearborn Truck Plant, the new F-150 will be manufactured at Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri, starting in the first quarter of 2015. Combined, the two plants will have capacity to produce more than 700,000 trucks per year for sale in 90 markets.
