For some time, a variety of third-party companies have been importing the Ford F-150 into Australia and converting those pickups to right-hand drive. These unofficial Ford F-150 imports have become so popular that customers were previously facing wait times of up to a year to take delivery, which is likely part of what prompted FoMoCo to announce back in March that it would begin exporting the Ford F-150 to Australia in 2023. With so many delays recently stemming from various supply chain constraints, many have been wondering if this launch would also be delayed, but CarExpert is reporting that things remain on track for the full-size pickup to arrive next year as expected.
“We’ve had a lot of interest on our website, and certainly dealers are taking orders,” Ford Australia president Andrew Birkic told CarExpert. “We haven’t released pricing yet. We’re working through that now, so I think that will be the next trigger point to drive further orders and we can shore up some customers with the specifications. We’ve made really good progress, so we’ve built some initial vehicles. And we’re doing a comprehensive level of testing. And as we mentioned at the launch, Ford Engineering is involved in that.”
The Ford F-150 will launch in Australia in both XLT and Lariat trim levels, though customers down under are only getting one engine choice – the twin-turbocharged Ford 3.5L V6 EcoBoost, which produces 298 kW (400 horsepower) and 678 Nm (500 pound-feet) of torque. That powerplant is mated to the automaker’s 10-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive only, giving it 4,500 kilograms (9,920 pounds) of max towing capacity.
While Ford will be exporting the F-150 to Australia, RMA Automotive will be handling the right-hand drive conversions at its own facility. “RMA Automotive have a facility out near our new parts warehouse in Mickleham,” Birkic said. “And you know, we’ve worked with RMA around the world, we know they’re a really strong, strong partner of ours. But obviously the lens needs to be on quality and doing it right. It’s a significant investment.”
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