Lightweight Fusion

[mcrews]

The 2002 Infiniti Q45 was a weight savings achievement. A lot of alloy and alluminuum in parts and skin.
Weight was 3801 lbs which was 500lbs lighter than the next car in it's class. It also had 50 more hp than the next car in it's class.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

The 1.0L Ecoboost is the base engine for the current European Ford Mondeo, which is basically a rebadged Fusion.

Originally Posted by kir_kenix

Imagine what a Fiesta or Chevy Spark would end up weighing...a very light and inexpensive .5L turbo would be adequate and return amazing MPG.

In other markets the standard engine for the Chevy Spark is a 1.0L, so maybe a turbocharged 0.66L such as the ones used in Japanese Kei cars might be a reasonable option. And there are also naturally-aspirated versions of the Ford 3-cyl 1.0L engine for the European Fiesta.

[mort]

Originally Posted by kir_kenix

I think Ford (or any other company for that matter) needs a platform like the Fusion to work out the kinks in before transitioning into an ultra light Fiesta. .

And this: "Fusion sales of 295,280 vehicles in 2013..."
"Ford Fiesta sales of 71,073 vehicles for the year..."
(december-2013-sales)
Show off the modified popular car in which the average buyer might have some interest, not the niche-market car, which is aimed at who?
For perspective: "Sales of 763,402 F-Series vehicles in 2013..."

-mort

[Xist]

Originally Posted by mort

And this: "Fusion sales of 295,280 vehicles in 2013..."
"Ford Fiesta sales of 71,073 vehicles for the year..."
(december-2013-sales)
Show off the modified popular car in which the average buyer might have some interest, not the niche-market car, which is aimed at who?
For perspective: "Sales of 763,402 F-Series vehicles in 2013..."

-mort

So, how much more weight could they have removed from the F150?

[PaleMelanesian]

They already removed "700 lb" by using mostly aluminum in the 2015 model F150. And they're actually selling them that way, not just as a design exercise. Looks to me like their priorities are right.

[Daox]

The F150 has a lot of cushion for putting more money into it since it sells ridiculous volumes, and it has a higher price. Doing this will smaller and lower quantity sold vehicles will be harder for a company.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Even if Ford would use fiberglass as a cheaper alternative to carbon fiber, at least in an earlier stage until they can figure out a more cost-effective way to manufacture carbon fiber components at a larger scale, they could already reduce considerably the weight replacing the doors, trunk lid, engine hood, front fenders, roof panel, among others. There are also some vegetable fibers as strong as fiberglass but more energy-efficient that can be used not just to cut on weight but also in the usage of mineral resources and the manufacturing footprint.

[freebeard]

Originally Posted by kir_kenix

I know it wouldn't be any good for towing, because the tow vehicle would be so light relative to the pay load.

Well, to start with you could get an aluminum/carbon-fiber trailer.

Ford needs to do something to stay ahead of companies like Inrekor.

What I dream about is Inrekor's flat-pack aluminum composite drop-in replacement VW Beetle floorpan under my 1958 Beetle body. Maybe full fenders and skirts in Coral Rot. 36hp case, Wolfsburg West reproduction Okrasa heads and Nikkies.

EDIT: Here's an example from their [3D scrolling] webpage.

CHALLENGING LIMITATIONS –
Weighing around 400kg without the battery pack, the QBEAK is about half the weight of comparable cars in the same category, due to the amazing lightweight inrekor™ chassis and its impressive technical properties.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Replacing weld spots with contact-adhesives is also a good way to save some weight, and it allows a higher precision on the fittings.

[gone-ot]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Replacing weld spots with contact-adhesives is also a good way to save some weight, and it allows a higher precision on the fittings.

Maybe, but welding does not ADD weight to what already exists; applied adhesives however DO gradually ADD-up, increasing weight...albeit not much.