Ford Motor Co. has unveiled a new lightweight concept sedan, containing technology destined for use across the automaker’s lineup. A lighter Ford Fusion, like any lighter car, is something enthusiasts have been championing for years, and now it is becoming a reality. Ford, with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Program, has built six Lightweight Concepts.
The Ford Lightweight Concept is built on a 2013 Fusion, a car whose curb weight starts at 3,431 pounds and goes progressively to 3,913 pounds for the Energi.
This Fusion lost about 800 pounds from stock. It now weighs in at around 2,600 pounds—as light as the Ford Fiesta of which it shares its lightweight, 1.0-liter, 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine. 30% of the weight savings came from the suspension alone, while 35% came from the interior and the glass.
But the lightweight effort comes at a cost, particularly in the case of Ford’s popular pickup. Ford has spent huge sums of money developing the aluminum replacement parts, and the systems for assembling them, without knowing whether consumers will embrace a lighter truck.
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