Ford F-150 Sheds 700 Pounds in Gamble for Industry Heavyweight

Photographer: Kevin Anderson/Bloomberg

Ford Motor Co. F-150 trucks move along the assembly line as employees work at the... Read More

Ford Motor Co. F-150 trucks move along the assembly line as employees work at the company's Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri. Close

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Ford Motor Co. F-150 trucks move along the assembly line as employees work at the company's Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri.

The buzz entering the Detroit auto show that began today was that Ford Motor Co. (F) would deliver one of the events most important introductions, an F-150 destined to be the first high-production vehicle with an aluminum body.

While Ford didnt disappoint, its official presentation was almost absent any mention of the word aluminum.

In prepared remarks as a series of new F-150s burst through paper walls onto the floor of Detroits Joe Louis Arena, Ford executives used tough to describe their newest pickup at least eight times. Raj Nair, the automakers product chief, underscored that the new vehicles frame is made of steel -- stronger, he said, than the steel the companys competitors use in their heavy-duty models. Only after that was the word aluminum uttered, and those in the stands heard it once.

Its a sensitive subject, said Kevin Tynan, an auto analyst for Bloomberg Industries. With any such change in direction, there will be doubts and incessant questions about whether it was the right move, the right time, and whether the execution is progressing according to plan.

The F-150 represents a big gamble for Ford. The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker is taking risks with its top-selling and most profitable model to shed as much as 700 pounds (318 kilograms) and close in on 30 miles (48 kilometers) per gallon in highway driving, people familiar with the trucks performance have said.

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Ford F-150 Sheds 700 Pounds in Gamble for Industry Heavyweight