Ford Motor Company Global Auto Shows

“Truckers know, and we know, that the frame is the backbone of a truck,” says Todd Eckert, Marketing Manager for Ford Trucks. That’s why Ford optimized the front hydroform and increased the use of high-strength steel on the 2009 Ford F-150. This steel provides the same integrity with less weight.

Extensive use was also made of laminated steel, or quiet steel. “The F-150 is the office away from the office for many Americans,” Eckert points out. Quiet steel makes that office more comfortable by isolating it from engine and road noise.

The truck also uses an industry-first, ultra high-strength tube to add rigidity to the cab. It comes standard with a side air curtain that deploys in case of side impact. These and other features combine to make this what Eckert calls “the safest F-150 we’ve ever made.”

To learn more about Ford’s new F-150, watch the other videos on design and engineering, or see its dramatic unveiling in Detroit.