Chevy Mocks The F-150’s Aluminum Body

2015 Chevy Silverado (Credit: Chevrolet )

Ford has bet big on the new F-150, making the body out of aluminum and using new joining methods. Many have questioned the sanity of this move, openly wondering if making a pickup truck out of the lightweight material instead of tried-and-true steel is a good idea at all.

Chevrolet has jumped into the ring in a big way, releasing several new videos that criticize Ford’s choice. One portrays a presentation of a new superhero that wears an aluminum suit. The comic book fans who are there to witness the unveiling express dismay at the choice of metal, some even thinking it’s a joke.

Another video puts real people in a “materials testing lab.” There are two cages: one made of steel, the other of aluminum. When a grizzly bear is released into the room, the people get into the steel cage every time, driving home the point that steel is safer.

The final video features Howie Long as he goes over the possible detriments of buying the new F-150. An engineer goes over the potential higher repair costs for the Ford and why they exist. Taking things a step further, Chevy reveals that it used independent testing firm AMCI to explore the differences between the F-150 and Silverado. One of the tests involved smashing into the side of the trucks. AMCI took the trucks to dealerships to have them repaired. It concluded that the F-150 took twice as long to fix and cost more. That’s a damning bit of evidence, considering that many people rely on their pickup truck for their livelihood.

Chevy’s strategy is to portray Ford’s new choice for the F-150 as risky. Considering that the vehicle isn’t some exotic toy that will be part of an affluent person’s collection of many vehicles, it’s a smart move.

Of course, Ford isn’t exactly happy about the new ads from Chevrolet. It contends that repair costs shouldn’t be significantly higher on the new F-150 and that insurance rates are similar as well.