Ford Atlas Concept

After having just purchased a brand new 2013 F150 Limited, this is somewhat bittersweet. This new model seems incredible, it's just a tough pill to swallow that it will likely be next years model. However, it's super refreshing to see some new approaches to the same problems. It seems a bit more than another incremental change that has been the theme lately. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't fly and it's not electric, not even hybrid but nonetheless it's still pretty impressive compared to anything else I've seen so far from Chevy or Dodge.




DETROIT—Ford Motor Co. showed a concept vehicle that gave hints about its next-generation F-150 pickup, promising the next model would raise the bar on technology and fuel economy as it seeks hold onto its top-selling full-size pickup crown.

The F-150 is the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. and has been for three decades. It is a huge profit maker for Ford, generating as much as a third of the company’s global profits by some estimates. The next generation of the model comes out in 2014 as higher fuel economy standards demand innovations to wring out more miles per gallon.

The oversized “Atlas” concept vehicle gives hints about the changes in styling for the truck, which is expected to get a complete overhaul in 2014. Changes include new rectangular LED headlamps and tail lights, auto stop and start engine, an automatic air dam that cuts down on wind resistance and a channel on the roof as well as bump out fenders.

“It is the centerpiece of” the Ford lineup, Chief Executive Alan Mulally said following the unveiling. “And it’s like the heart and soul of America.” Ford sold more than 645,000 F-series trucks in the U.S. in 2012 and about three-quarters were F-150s.

The actual vehicle is likely to share features with the concept, but there will be changes. The last time Ford showed a concept truck, the Super Chief, it gave strong clues to the next F-150, including changes to the front grille design.

Ford executives would say little about the actual F-150 under development, other than to confirm that it would be much lighter than the current model. The Wall Street Journal has reported that the new truck will be built with a largely aluminum body and will weigh about 700 pounds less than the current version, citing people familiar with the truck development.

Raj Nair, Ford’s global product development chief, said the next truck would be 700 pounds lighter, though a company spokesman clarified that the Ford only has said new platforms—the structures underpinning the body—would weigh up to 750 pounds less than the current generation. The company hasn’t acknowledged that the next-generation truck will use aluminum extensively.

“We will have a significant weight reduction,” Mr. Nair said. “700 pounds, that’s what we’ve been saying.”


Ford Atlas Concept Technical Specifications:

Dimensions
Length: 238 inches
Width: 88 inches, without mirrors
Height: 81 inches
Wheelbase: 150 inches
Track: 78 inches
Engine
Next-generation EcoBoost® with Auto Start-Stop optimized for trucks
Transmission
Six-speed SelectShift® automatic, Auto Start-Stop system
Wheels and Tires

22-inch alloy wheels
All-Terrain LT325/50R22 tires
Cargo Cradle Weight Capacity
500 pounds
Maximum Towing
Not rated
Maximum Payload
Not rated
Frame
55,000-psi high-strength steel ladder frame
Body
High-strength steel including boron