2003 Ford Excursion Limited 4x4 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Watch a Ford Bronco casually jump a McLaren 720S

Michael Cox can't stop jumping his classic Ford Bronco. He's jumped it on the beach. He's jumped it in the desert. He's jumped it at racetracks. Now he's jumped it in Hoonigan's backyard playground. Upping the ante on this one, he completed the jump while a modded McLaren 720S drifted underneath.  For those who don't know Michael Cox, he's a builder, racer, mad man extraordinaire who's worked with BMW and Porsche and specializes in off-road racing. Possibly more famous than the man is the vehicle he's known for driving, a custom-built Bronco that sports a cat-themed desert camo wrap.  Technically, this is not the first time Cox has visited Hoonigan and jumped his Bronco. But last time, the Bronco soared over nothing but tire crumbs and those tiny pebbles that get stuck in tread. This time, the stakes grew significantly, as a custom 720S drifted under the Bronco while it was in the air.  After a few donuts, Cox first tries a jump over a flatbed trailer. Once he easily clears that obstacle, Hoonigan brings the McLaren into the picture. Watch the video above to see a few crazy men show total disregard for the cost of a supercar.  This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

GM readying aluminum-body fullsize pickups

Ford's extensive use of aluminum in its 2015 F-150 is a big deal. A really big deal. Big enough, in fact, that General Motors is reportedly changing its fullsize pickup strategy. According to The Wall Street Journal, The General has locked in partnerships with Alcoa Inc. and Novelis Inc. - companies that will supply aluminum for the next-generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks.
"Ford's introduction of the 2015 F-150 pickup truck was a game changer, and it's the first, not the last, conversion of this type," Novelis spokesperson Charles Belbin told the Journal. The switch to aluminum has allowed Ford to shave roughly 700 pounds off its fullsize truck's curb weight. And while official mileage ratings have not been announced, the weight loss should go a long way for improving efficiency, especially when combined other efficiency-minded improvements including better aerodynamics and new, turbocharged V6 engines.
Of course, aluminum-bodied cars are nothing new. But extensive use of aluminum in a major, best-selling product like the Ford F-150 is expected to kick off widespread use of this weight-saving material as availability rises and cost decreases. The WSJ reports that GM had originally explored the idea of moving to aluminum pickups back in 2008, but abandoned the idea due to cost concerns amid economic woes.

Ford bringing production F-150 to Detroit with Atlas styling and Alcoa blast shields

According to a report in Bloomberg, the 2015 Ford F-150 will indeed be showing up at the Detroit Auto Show next month. It will bring attitude with it, not only in the form of sheetmetal inspired by the Atlas concept (pictured) that appeared at the 2013 Detroit show but also in the Alcoa military blast shields among the display being used to showcase the ruggedness of aluminum.
There's been a lot of talk about the F-150 switching to aluminum body panels (although maintaining a steel frame), and for good reason. The lightweight body is expected to shed more than 700 pounds and greatly increase its highway mileage, but production-line issues and possible delays have been a major focus of attention concerning the best-selling vehicle in America for 32 years, meaning Ford has to get it right. F-150 is responsible for a massive portion of the company's global profits and it will come in a year when company profits are already predicted to decline because of new car launches.
When it comes to dings, the Bloomberg story says Ford wants Alcoa to supply some of the military-grade aluminum it uses for blast shields on battlefield vehicles to help it talk up the toughness of aluminum. Reading commentary on the many stories about the F-150 reveals there are many more little questions about the aluminum overhaul, like "How much will it cost to repair and insure?" and "How will companies hang their magnetic signs?" Answers should start coming in a couple of weeks.