Ford F-150 one step closer to Australia as exports begin

Ford Australia has confirmed the first customer examples of its upcoming locally remanufactured F-150s have rolled off the US production line.

The company already has prototypes of the F-150 in Australia, with one spied at this weekend’s Finke Desert Race being used to haul the Ranger Raptor that’ll be tackling the tracks.

It’s a Lariat, which will be the uppermost of two trim levels to initially be available in Australia. It’s priced between $139,950 and $140,945 before on-roads depending on length, while the base XLT ranges from $106,950 and $107,945 before on-roads.

You can view a full breakdown of the range in our price and specs article.

The F-150 range arrives locally in the third quarter of 2023, and orders opened back in February.

The pickup truck is manufactured in Dearborn, Michigan, before being converted to right-hand drive by RMA Automotive in Mickleham, Victoria.

As this is a prototype, Ford Australia says details like the interior trim aren’t necessarily indicative of the production vehicles. This example is also fitted with off-road tyres and different wheels.

While powertrains like a twin-turbo 2.7-litre V6, a twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 hybrid and 5.0- and 5.2-litre V8s are offered in the US, the XLT and Lariat are coming here exclusively with a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre petrol V6 engine.

It’s the best-selling powertrain in the US and produces 298kW of power and 678Nm of torque, sent through a four-wheel drive system.

The entry-level XLT variants have a part-time four-wheel drive system with 2H, 4H, and 4L models, whereas the flagship Lariat variants have a full-time four-wheel drive system with a 4A mode.

With a braked towing capacity of 4500kg, the F-150 matches the Chevrolet Silverado and Ram 1500 when it comes to claimed heavy hauling ability.

Ford makes no bones about the fact strong Silverado and Ram sales are behind its decision to bring the F-Series back to Australia after almost two decades. Sales of full-sized American pickup trucks have soared since 2018, and the Blue Oval doesn’t want to miss out on the action.

The car will be backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, and will be sold and serviced through the Ford Australia dealer network.

How many it will be converting hasn’t been confirmed (or revealed) yet, but Ford Australia boss Andrew Birkic has made it clear the Blue Oval wants to sell the F-150 in decent numbers.

While the F-150 left local showrooms in 1993, its heavier-duty F-250 and F-350 siblings were sold here from 2001 to 2006 by Ford Australia.

They were produced in right-hand drive by Ford in Brazil, and depending on the variant was available with a 5.4-litre petrol V8 and a choice of two turbo diesels: a 4.2-litre six and a 7.3-litre V8.

MORE: 2023 Ford F-150 price and specs
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