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https://www.news.com.au/technology/...a/news-story/156212a650ff356ffd81b6e223241bab
Ford F-150 confirmed for Australia
March 28, 2022
America’s best-selling vehicle is on its way to Australia, giving pick-up fans tough decisions to make at the top end of town.
Ford’s F-Series pick-up will return to Australia in 2023, giving customers a bigger option than the smash-hit Ranger ute.
The latest Ford F-150 will be sold in official dealerships with the same five-year warranty and customer guarantees as any other Ford.
As with the RAM 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado, it will be imported to Australia as a left-hand-drive model, then converted to right-hand-drive locally.
Ford Australia boss Andrew Birkic said the project converting the latest F-150 to right-hand-drive was the only Ford venture of its kind anywhere in the world, reflecting the brand’s determination to offer the model here.
“We’ve listened hard to fans and dealers and found a way to bring F-150 to Australia,” he said.
“As the pinnacle of ‘Built Ford Tough’, it will give our customers even more choice when they’re in the market for a pick-up. We just can’t wait to unleash it.
“F-150 has been part of F-Series, America’s best-selling vehicle line, for the past 40 years, with more than 40 million F-Series Trucks produced to date.
“With such a local fan base, and with full-size truck sales in Australia tripling in recent years, we just knew we had to find a way to bring it back to Australia.”
The Blue Oval has contracted engineering firm RMA Automotive to “remanufacture” the F-150 in Australia, in an extensive process that requires far more work than a repositioned steering wheel and new dashboard.
RMA has worked with Ford on a wide variety of projects including ambulance and military versions of its Ranger ute and Everest four-wheel-drive.
The model will go on sale locally in high-grade trims, XLT and Lariat.
Full prices and specifications are not available for the models. But the $115,000-plus price asked for the similar-sized, locally-converted RAM 1500 suggests Ford’s contender will be a six-figure proposition.
Standard equipment includes a huge touchscreen, 10-speed automatic transmission, and safety gear such as front and rear auto emergency braking, lane keeping assistance and blind-spot monitoring.
Both are powered by 298kW/678Nm versions of Ford’s “EcoBoost” 3.5-litre petrol V6, a motor also found in the range-topping F-150 Raptor.
But the high-performance Raptor is off-limits to Australia for now, as is the electric F-150 Lightning. Both models are on Ford’s wish list, but the brand’s local arm has to prove the F-150 has a strong enough following in Australia before Detroit opens its order book to high-end models.
Birkic said the success of the regular F-150 was “one of the inputs” considered in a decision surrounding the Lightning and Raptor. Other considerations included prices and availability, as F-150 Lightning demand is particularly strong in the US.
“I absolutely love the Lightning. It’s incredible,” he said.
“Absolutely, I’m sure we could sell that product.
“Right now [America] really is the focus. North America are investing billions of dollars to make sure that program is robust, and they get that vehicle to their customers and dealers.”
Ford F-150 confirmed for Australia
March 28, 2022
America’s best-selling vehicle is on its way to Australia, giving pick-up fans tough decisions to make at the top end of town.
Ford’s F-Series pick-up will return to Australia in 2023, giving customers a bigger option than the smash-hit Ranger ute.
The latest Ford F-150 will be sold in official dealerships with the same five-year warranty and customer guarantees as any other Ford.
As with the RAM 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado, it will be imported to Australia as a left-hand-drive model, then converted to right-hand-drive locally.
Ford Australia boss Andrew Birkic said the project converting the latest F-150 to right-hand-drive was the only Ford venture of its kind anywhere in the world, reflecting the brand’s determination to offer the model here.
“We’ve listened hard to fans and dealers and found a way to bring F-150 to Australia,” he said.
“As the pinnacle of ‘Built Ford Tough’, it will give our customers even more choice when they’re in the market for a pick-up. We just can’t wait to unleash it.
“F-150 has been part of F-Series, America’s best-selling vehicle line, for the past 40 years, with more than 40 million F-Series Trucks produced to date.
“With such a local fan base, and with full-size truck sales in Australia tripling in recent years, we just knew we had to find a way to bring it back to Australia.”
The Blue Oval has contracted engineering firm RMA Automotive to “remanufacture” the F-150 in Australia, in an extensive process that requires far more work than a repositioned steering wheel and new dashboard.
RMA has worked with Ford on a wide variety of projects including ambulance and military versions of its Ranger ute and Everest four-wheel-drive.
The model will go on sale locally in high-grade trims, XLT and Lariat.
Full prices and specifications are not available for the models. But the $115,000-plus price asked for the similar-sized, locally-converted RAM 1500 suggests Ford’s contender will be a six-figure proposition.
Standard equipment includes a huge touchscreen, 10-speed automatic transmission, and safety gear such as front and rear auto emergency braking, lane keeping assistance and blind-spot monitoring.
Both are powered by 298kW/678Nm versions of Ford’s “EcoBoost” 3.5-litre petrol V6, a motor also found in the range-topping F-150 Raptor.
But the high-performance Raptor is off-limits to Australia for now, as is the electric F-150 Lightning. Both models are on Ford’s wish list, but the brand’s local arm has to prove the F-150 has a strong enough following in Australia before Detroit opens its order book to high-end models.
Birkic said the success of the regular F-150 was “one of the inputs” considered in a decision surrounding the Lightning and Raptor. Other considerations included prices and availability, as F-150 Lightning demand is particularly strong in the US.
“I absolutely love the Lightning. It’s incredible,” he said.
“Absolutely, I’m sure we could sell that product.
“Right now [America] really is the focus. North America are investing billions of dollars to make sure that program is robust, and they get that vehicle to their customers and dealers.”
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