Right-hand drive F-150 coming to Oz
Ford Australia surprises motoring enthusiasts with the announcement that the F-150 is coming Down Under.
America's best-selling pick-up truck, the F-150, will undergo local engineering work for a factory-endorsed conversion to right-hand drive. It's a move that will see Ford offer a true rival to the popular RAM 1500.
Ford F-150 specs and pricing
Here's what Ford has confirmed so far.
- Big V6 under the bonnet. Ford Australia will give buyers a taste of America, with the same 3.5-litre V6 EcoBoost petrol engine the F-150 has in its home market. Peak power is impressive, with 298kW and a hefty 678Nm of torque. That's 7 more kWs than the RAM 1500 and an extra 122Nm of torque. This engine seems specifically chosen by Ford as it outperforms V8 competitors. Helping translate the engine's might to the road is a 10-speed automatic transmission.
- 4.5-tonne towing capacity. The major selling point for these American-born utes is the towing capacity. The F-150 matches the RAM 1500's 4,500kg towing capability. That's 1,000kg more than the typical ute segment benchmark.
- Locally converted to right-hand drive. Just like RAM Trucks Australia has its 1500 ute remanufactured by Walkinshaw Group in Victoria, Ford will retrofit right-hand-drive components to its F-150s. It has chosen to work with a Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier, RMA Automotive. The company, based on the outskirts of Melbourne, has worked with Ford since 1997. Ford plans to bring in its local development gurus, who can boast the Ranger on their CV.
- 5-year, unlimited-KM warranty. Thanks to the local engineering work, Ford states it'll offer a 5-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty on the F-150. That's the same deal buyers get on a Ford Ranger. You'll be able to get your F-150 serviced at a Ford dealership too.
- Dual-cab body. Ford says the F-150 will arrive here with a crew-cab body. If the RAM 1500 is anything to go by, then the back will have heaps of room, with seating for 3 generously-sized adults.
- 2 trim grades. When it launches, the F-150 will come in 2 flavours: XLT or the top-spec Lariat. We checked out the 2 variants on the Ford North America site. The XLT trim sounds more like a workhorse-spec ute. It has features like Ford's well-received SYNC4 infotainment system, an 8-inch touchscreen, a 4G hotspot, cruise control and many of the safety assists you'd expect from a modern vehicle. From the sounds of it though, XLT wouldn't really trouble RAM Trucks Australia's luxury 1500 model. Lariat unlocks things like a 12-inch touchscreen, leather-trimmed seats and power seat adjustment for the driver and passenger. This might be aimed more directly at the RAM range. Interestingly, in North America, there are 5 more trim variants available above the Lariat, which Ford could theoretically import if it wants to go even more high-end.
Ford F-150 pricing and availability
How much are these trucks going to cost? Ford will confirm pricing for the F-150 at a later date. Speculatively, we would suggest you're probably looking at 6-figure sums, judging by RAM's utes.
Ford says the F-150 will launch around the middle of 2023.
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