--- title: There’s Good News About Ford’s Hardcore New Truck description: Ford’s big gamble moves into price point. Will it work? canonical: https://time.com/3070918/theres-good-news-about-fords-hardcore-new-truck/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-08-02T13:18:29.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:07:57.859Z article:section: World og:title: There’s Good News About Ford’s Hardcore New Truck og:description: Ford’s big gamble moves into price point. Will it work? og:url: https://time.com/3070918/theres-good-news-about-fords-hardcore-new-truck/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltfbe2bf154fb25293/69869e1fe53aba71694d3d7c/ford-aluminum-pickup.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Ford Aluminum Pickup og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: There’s Good News About Ford’s Hardcore New Truck twitter:description: Ford’s big gamble moves into price point. Will it work? twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltfbe2bf154fb25293/69869e1fe53aba71694d3d7c/ford-aluminum-pickup.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # There's Good News About Ford's Hardcore New Truck by [Doron Levin](/author/fortune/) ## Doron Levin Aug 2, 2014 1:18 PM CUT  An attendee looks at the Ford Motor Co. F-150 pickup truck during the Washington Auto Show in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. An attendee looks at the Ford Motor Co. F-150 pickup truck during the Washington Auto Show in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014.Bloomberg via Getty Images by [Doron Levin](/author/fortune/) ## Doron Levin Aug 2, 2014 1:18 PM CUT  This post is in partnership with Fortune, which offers the latest business and finance news. Read the article below originally published at [Fortune.com](http://fortune.com/2014/08/01/ford-aluminum-pickup-price/ "undefined"). One of the most closely watched automotive introductions of recent years is set to unfold as Ford Motor Co. retail dealers begin placing orders for the aluminum-body F Series pickup trucks, scheduled to arrive before year’s end. This week Ford told dealers the retail price of the new truck will increase from $360 for entry-level models up to $3,615 for high-line luxury versions. The base model 2015 XL F-150 starts at $26,615, up $395 or 1.5% while the top-end Platinum version starts at $52,155, up $3,055, or 6.2%. Ford is taking a big [gamble](http://fortune.com/contributors/f-150-fords-epic-gamble/ "undefined") on aluminum. The new trucks will be up to 700 pounds lighter to improve fuel efficiency, relying on customers’ acceptance that the metal will prove every bit as durable as steel. Ford is sailing into uncharted waters with regard to the manufacturing process, since no automaker has ever fabricated aluminum vehicle bodies at high speed. Collision shops and dealerships have had to buy new tools and undergo training to gain expertise in repairing aluminum. Ford so far hasn’t released fuel efficiency figures, which means that the potential savings are unclear. If the numbers are dramatic, they could attract buyers – especially those who use pickups for commercial purposes – providing an advantage for Ford over Fiat Chrysler’s Ram pickups or Chevrolet and GMC models from General Motors. For the rest of the story, go to [Fortune.com](http://fortune.com/2014/08/01/ford-aluminum-pickup-price/ "undefined"). ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3070918/theres-good-news-about-fords-hardcore-new-truck/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3070918/theres-good-news-about-fords-hardcore-new-truck/"},"headline":"There's Good News About Ford's Hardcore New Truck","datePublished":"2014-08-02T13:18:29.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T05:07:57.859Z","description":"Ford’s big gamble moves into price point. 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