Aluminum Boosts Performance in Lincoln LS
13 April 1999
Aluminum Boosts Performance in Lincoln LS SAN FRANCISCO, April 13 -- Lighter cars are more nimble and
fuel efficient. It's simple physics.
Ford designers and engineers took advantage of this fact when designing
the 2000 Lincoln LS. By substituting aluminum for steel in many components,
they were able to reduce the overall weight of the vehicle. Drivers of the LS
will enjoy improved fuel economy, performance, handling and braking as a
result of the weight savings. The LS uses more aluminum than any other Ford
car or light truck on the road today.
The 2000 Lincoln LS has a curb weight of 3,593 pounds including 262 pounds
of aluminum components. Aluminum is used in the engine, chassis, suspension,
closure panels, and wheels.
"One of our main goals here was to create a vehicle with superb dynamics
and handling capabilities," said Bill Faulk, manager of chassis engineering
for the LS. "Using aluminum in the chassis and suspension helped keep weight
down and played a big part in achieving that goal."
The 2000 Lincoln LS has a wider wheel base and longer length than most
other vehicles in its class. Yet, because of the use of aluminum components,
its weight remains competitive.
Decreased tailpipe emissions is also a benefit of the lightweight design.
LS equipped with a V8 engine will be a low emissions vehicle (LEV) in all 50
states. LS powered by the V6 engine will be LEV in California as well as 13
northeastern states.
Engineers for the LS found several challenges in working with aluminum.
The physical properties of aluminum do not allow for as much flexibility as
steel, so engineers had to be creative when tackling joining issues. They
also used alternative methods for shaping aluminum parts rather than using
traditional forging methods. Packaging the sometimes larger aluminum
components posed a difficulty as well, as engineers attempted to balance
strength with weight savings and cost. Persistence and creativity among Ford
engineers won out and the LS has emerged as the lighter-weight, performance
vehicle they had hoped for.
"Aluminum has one-third the density of steel," explained Ken Forsythe,
weight engineer, Research and Vehicle Technology. "This means a component of
aluminum can be almost one and a half times thicker than steel while remaining
50 percent lighter, when both components are designed to handle an equal
load." According to the Aluminum Association, Inc., an aluminum part of the
same weight as a steel part can absorb twice as much energy.
Aluminum is also highly recyclable. It can be recycled over and over with
no decline in performance or quality. In fact, 60 to 70 percent of all
aluminum used in automobiles already has been recycled at least once. More
than 85 percent of post-consumer automotive aluminum scrap is recycled and
almost all post-manufacturing automotive aluminum scrap is recycled.
Ford has increased its use of lightweight materials in vehicles as a
method for keeping overall vehicle weight down. Today, Ford uses more
aluminum on its vehicles than any other lightweight material. Ford usage of
aluminum has risen from an average of 204 pounds per vehicle in 1991 to an
average of 235 pounds per vehicle in 1999.
