Aluminum Boosts Performance in Lincoln LS
13 April 1999
Aluminum Boosts Performance in Lincoln LSSAN 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.