Toronto, Ontario — April 14, 2014 — Ford’s announcement that the 2015 F-150 will feature an aluminum body has generated a lot of buzz in the industry, especially regarding the equipment that will be needed to repair the vehicle after it becomes available.
The Rotunda F-150 Collision Exhibition, a special event organized by Ford Canada, showcased the approved equipment for Ford dealers from across Canada. The event took place at the Toronto Airport Hilton. It was organized specifically to highlight the equipment Ford has approved for body repairs to the 2015 F-150.
Ford has significantly redesigned the F-150 to replace the vehicle’s traditional steel body panels and bed with military-grade aluminum with the purpose of improving fuel economy. Ford has also increased the amount of high-strength steel in the new F-150’s frame from 23 percent to 77 percent. Properly restoring an aluminum collision-damaged vehicle to pre-accident condition requires new repair methods and equipment.
Recognizing this, Ford has added a number of products from Chief, Elektron, Car-O-Liner, Global Finishing Solutions and others to its Rotunda Dealer Equipment program before the 2015 F-150 hits showrooms later this year.