LIGHT-WEIGHT MAGNESIUM, ALUMINUM IN LINCOLN MKT LIFTGATE CUTS

WEIGHT, BOOSTS FUEL ECONOMY

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FORD TO SHOWCASE HYBRIDS, POWERTRAIN SOLUTIONS AT 2009 SAE WORLD
CONGRESS

2010 Lincoln MKT 2010 Lincoln MKT

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SUMMARY:
2010 Lincoln MKT features the industry’s first combined use of light-weight magnesium and
aluminum in the liftgate of a vehicle produced in North America
The use of advanced light-weight materials such as magnesium and aluminum, and the
light-weighting of heavier high- strength steels offers automakers structural strength that meet
safety requirements while helping to improve fuel economy
A recent study shows auto industry insiders expect vehicle weight reduction to account for up
to 50 percent of future fuel economy improvements

CONTEXT / BACKGROUND:
Over the next decade, Ford Motor Company is planning vehicle weight reductions ranging from 250
to 750 pounds that will help it meet stringent fuel economy targets without compromising vehicle
safety or durability. One of the ways Ford has reduced mass in its latest offerings is through the use
of light-weight materials such as aluminum and magnesium, and the light-weighting of heavier
materials such as ultra high strength boron steel.

QUOTES:
“The MKT’s liftgate is a breakthrough achieved by our scientific research team, product design
team and our supplier, who overcame significant technical challenges to develop it. The use of
magnesium and aluminum in the MKT marks a new direction for liftgates and closures in general.”
– Randy Frank,
Closures Chief Engineer, Ford Product Development

“Because it is cast instead of stamped, we are able to develop variable thicknesses. We did extensive
CAE analysis to see how the magnesium would functionally perform in a high impact event and
made structural improvements such ribbing for added strength.”
made structural improvements such ribbing for added strength.”
– Cindy Wetzel,
Design and Release Engineer of Liftgates, Ford Product Development

DETAILS:
Light-weight and down-gauged material applications help enable the use of smaller, more
fuel-efficient powertrains – such as Ford’s new EcoBoostTM V-6, which provides the power of a
normally-aspirated V-8 with V-6 fuel economy. Ford introduces EcoBoost on the Lincoln MKS
flagship this year, followed by the Ford Flex and other vehicles.
The MKS and Flex are just two of the many Ford products that get some of their core strength from
the use of down-gauged aluminum-coated boron steel – one of the strongest weld-able materials – in
the body structure.
The use of high-strength steel has helped Ford earn more U.S. government 5-star safety rated
vehicles than any other brand and more “Top Safety Picks” from the Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety than any other automaker.

Lincoln’s Light-weight Liftgate

The company’s newest addition, the 2010 Lincoln MKT seven-passenger crossover, is taking Ford’s
light-weighting strategy to a whole new level of sophistication and innovation. The MKT is the first
mainstream North American vehicle to feature a liftgate constructed from a combination of
magnesium and aluminum, which makes the liftgate approximately 40 percent lighter than if it was
made from standard steel.
According to a recent study commissioned by the U.S.-based Aluminum Association, use of the
alloy by North American automakers is at an all-time high, averaging 8.6 percent of vehicle curb
weight, and projected to reach 11 percent by 2020. Additional data shows that magnesium
production is expected to jump by more than 50 percent from 2008 to 2010, with the auto industry
accounting for a third of total global usage.

Mastering new materials

Ford’s body structure technical experts, whose research will be presented at SAE International’s
2009 World Congress this week, say one of the keys to maximizing fuel economy through the use of
advanced materials is the extensive use of computer-aided engineering (CAE) to select the
appropriate material and minimize its thickness without sacrificing durability and structural integrity.
CAE modeling proved essential to the challenging design and development of the MKT liftgate – the
largest in the company and possibly the largest thin-walled magnesium closure panel in the North
American industry. The die casting process enabled the MKT team to fine-tune the part’s shape in a
way that wouldn’t have been feasible in a stamped sheet metal part.
Although magnesium raw material cost is a more expensive material than steel, the team determined
that an all-steel MKT liftgate would have been too heavy for available power-lift systems to open,
and more complicated and expensive to manufacture than one made of magnesium and aluminum.
In addition, the use of magnesium and aluminum afforded more design flexibility than steel,
enabling the MKT’s swept-forward bustle-back styling without sacrificing interior rear-seat
headroom. Its materials also allowed for a smooth transition from the liftgate to the bumper, which is
uncommon in production vehicles.
Aluminum and magnesium vehicle closures were first seen in low volume European luxury cars a
few years ago. The Ford team drew upon first-hand experience developing magnesium doors for the
2004 Aston Martin DB9 and Vantage, and aluminum doors for the 2004 Jaguar XJ and XK. Ford is
looking at future applications for both metals.
The team decided to use magnesium for the liftgate’s inner panel and aluminum for the outer panel.
The choice of the aluminum outer enabled the assembly to be engineered for maximum weight
saving, while enhancing the corrosion protection of the inner panel. In fact, due to the mixture of
light metals and steel, the MKT team took great care to assess all liftgate sub systems for corrosion
protection.
Every item of hardware and contact point on the liftgate had to be designed and analyzed for
corrosion protection. Extensive full vehicle and component level testing also were required to prove
out its durability.

Right-sizing power to weight

Material experts, body and powertrain engineers expect vehicle weight reduction to account for up to
50 percent of future fuel economy improvements, according to the study commissioned by the
Aluminum Association. The study participants also said that replacing heavier materials with
light-weight materials is nearly as important as hybrid technology for automakers to meet the
expected increase in the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) by 2020.
Weight reduction alone isn’t enough to significantly improve fuel economy. By itself, a 10 percent
reduction in weight results in approximately a 3 percent improvement in fuel efficiency. However, if
the powertrain is re-matched, the fuel economy improvement increases to roughly 7 percent. Weight
reduction combined with powertrain re-matching not only improves fuel economy, but helps
maintain overall performance (as compared to a heavier vehicle with a larger engine).
By using magnesium and aluminum instead of steel on the MKT liftgate, the vehicle lost 22 pounds.
That, along with other weight saving measures gives the MKT fuel economy among the best in its
class and gives customers a choice of two powerful yet practical V-6 engines.
A 3.7-liter, 24-valve variation of the award-winning Duratec engine family is standard. Delivering
an expected 268 horsepower at 6,500 RPM and 267 ft.-lb. of torque at 4,250 RPM, this engine has
been tuned to provide brisk acceleration and smooth power delivery.
For even more performance driving feel, Lincoln MKT also offers a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged
EcoBoost V-6. This engine provides the power of a normally-aspirated V-8 with V-6 fuel economy.
This advanced engine delivers a class-leading estimated 355 horsepower at 5,700 RPM, while
generating 350 ft.-lb. of torque at 3,500 RPM.
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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures
or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 213,000 employees and about 90 plants
worldwide, the company’s wholly owned automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and
Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more
information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.