Cleveland, Ohio – With Toyota’s first experiment in aluminum-bodied vehicles paying off handsomely, the automaker is doubling down on the strategy.
Officials with Arconic, formerly known as Alcoa, announced Monday that the aluminum producer has signed a multi-year deal to supply sheet metal for the Lexus RX crossover. Launched with lightweight metal panels last year, the redesigned RX was a hit, remaining Toyota’s luxury brand’s No. 1 seller in 2016 with an 8.8% sales increase.
With higher price points, luxury cars are better able to absorb aluminum’s higher price (compared to steel). Audi’s TT coupe has been using aluminum for more than a decade, and the metal is common on many German luxury vehicles.
Mark Vrablec, president of Arconic’s Aerospace & Automotive Products business, said, “Many bestselling vehicles in America have already converted to aluminum for improved performance, including better fuel efficiency, more towing and payload capacity, and improved vehicle safety scores. This trend will continue.”
Arconic plans to supply Toyota with aluminum from its Davenport, Iowa, and Danville, Illinois, mills. Arconic will be the sole aluminum supplier for the vehicle.
About the author: Robert Schoenberger is the editor of Today’s Motor Vehicles and a contributor to Today’s Medical Developments and Aerospace Manufacturing and Design. He has written about the automotive industry for more than 17 years at The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio; The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky; and The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi.