Piston for use in internal combustion engines and method of making the piston

A piston for an engine of a vehicle, comprising:

• a crown portion having a peripheral side surface and an inner crown surface;
• a skirt portion comprising:
• a pair of skirt ends extending from the peripheral side surface;
• and
• a pair of skirt panels extending from the inner crown surface and interconnecting the pair of skirt ends, wherein at least one of the pair of skirt panels include an outer panel surface, an inner panel surface opposite the outer panel surface, and a pin boss;
• and
• wherein the outer panel surface cooperates with the inner crown surface to define at least one recessed pocket at an interface between the outer panel surface and the inner crown surface;
• wherein the skirt portion further comprises a peripheral distal end surface;
• wherein the outer panel surface of the at least one of the pair of skirt panels defines an external rib adjacent the peripheral distal end surface and at least one stiffening rib extending from the pin boss to one of the pair of skirt ends;
• wherein the at least one of the pair of skirt panels includes a wall portion defined between the external rib and the at least one stiffening rib;
• and
• wherein the wall portion includes a wall thickness of between 0.2 mm and 1.0 mm.