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2015 Ford F-150's aluminum body not expected to hurt resale value

A cloud of skepticism has hung over the 2015 Ford F-150 since even before it went on sale. The issue had nothing to do with the truck's capabilities but instead over reservations about the switch to aluminum body panels. The change helped shed about 700 pounds off the scales, but the lighter metal also came with the potential for higher repair costs. Edmunds even recently whacked its pickup with a hammer just to find out how much it would cost. However, this might not be a problem, because the latest calculations indicate resale value for the new F-150 is on the rise. The residual experts at ALG estimate that the 2015 F-150 is going to hold 58 percent of its value over the next three years, versus 52 percent for the 2014 model, according to Bloomberg. That figure also gives the Ford the highest forecasted resale value among American fullsize pickups. The 2015 Toyota Tundra leads the segment by holding 63 percent. Meanwhile, the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra both come in with 51 percent, and the Ram 1500 holds 46 percent. Finally, the 2015 Nissan Titan comes in at 42 percent. The researchers believe that the improvement in fuel economy for the 2015 F-150 at up to 26 miles per gallon highway offsets higher body repair costs. "We are giving credit for the aluminum construction in the fuel efficiency we're seeing," Eric Lyman, ALG vice president of industry insights, said to Bloomberg. "We are not putting in a negative adjustment for concerns around repair costs or durability associated with aluminum." Ford has long-been preparing for the switch to aluminum. The company purposefully designed the body sections to make repairs easier, and it also partially subsidized dealers' investments for new equipment to do the work. Related Video:

Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell revisit bitter F1 rivalry in... Ford Fusion campaign?

Formula One World Champions Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell haven't been on good terms since the 1986 season, when Piquet joined Mansell at the Williams team and Piquet spent the year privately fuming about not being granted the status of number one driver. Things only got worse from there - even though Piquet won the title the following year with Williams, still partnered with Mansell, the fuming was a lot less private.
They're back together after a 25-year silence, in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil to drive the new Ford Fusion. Called "Fusion Grand Prix," both men get the new Ford sedan, prepped to their liking - but still street legal, we assume - for a race to decide... well, who is faster behind the wheel of a Fusion.
There will be four episodes, with the first two having already aired. The third episode comes on January 29 and the race happens February 5. You'll find two video episodes and a press release below, but note - because it's a campaign for Ford Brazil, Piquet's dialogue in the vids isn't translated, so hit the Closed Captioning button to hear his side of the smack talking.

Ford nets $5.7B in 2012, $1.6B in fourth quarter

Ford brought in $5.7 billion in net income during 2012, which is around $307 million less than one year prior. Even so, the automaker closed out 2012 with the highest pre-tax profit for a single quarter in nearly 10 years, earning $1.7 billion in the fourth quarter thanks largely to a higher-than-average truck mix in the US. That's a jump of $577 million over 2011. Likewise, that translated into fourth quarter income of $1.6 billion. All told, Ford set a full-year pre-tax profit record in 2012. But that doesn't necessarily mean everything is rosy in the land of the Blue Oval.
Like every other manufacturer, 2012 saw Ford get hammered in the European Union, where a deep economic recession continues to drive down consumer confidence. The automaker lost more than $700 million in Europe, and saw full revenue of $26.6 billion in 2012. That's a decline of $7.2 billion compared to last yea. Ford says the market for new vehicles in Europe has contracted to 13.5 million units, the lowest number in 17 years. You can read the full press release below for more information.