Toyota Turning to Aluminum for Future Models

It looks like Toyota is the next major automaker pinning its hopes to aluminum for some of its most important vehicles.

According to Automotive News, the Toyota Camry is set to receive an aluminum hood in 2018. Before the Camry gets its new hood though, Toyota’s luxury arm Lexus will use the lightweight material for the hood and liftgate of the 2016 Lexus RX 350.

“Toyota has plans to use aluminum on future vehicles for hood, closures and parts for lightweighting,” said spokeswoman Jana Hartline. “Also, we will increase usage of mix metals and resin materials to enhance lightweighting efforts.” In Japan, Toyota already uses aluminum in a few of its vehicles including the Prius and most Lexus sedans.

SEE ALSO: 2015 Toyota Camry Review 

The aluminum is expected to be manufacturer in the Southeastern U.S., with the plant churning out 100,000 tons of aluminum sheets annually thanks to a joint venture between Toyota Tsusho Corp. and Kobe Steel.

The about to be released 2015 Ford F-150 is the first mass market vehicle in America to use aluminum body panels, helping the truck lose about 700 pounds compared to the previous generation.

Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story included the sentence “On average, about 7 mpg was gained thanks to the truck’s weight loss,” in regards to the 2015 F-150. Ford contacted us to let us know that this information did not come from a company spokesperson, as stated at the source. 

GALLERY: 2015 Toyota Camry

[Source: Automotive News]

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