Ford F-150 with 4500kg towing and almost 300kW of power will be on sale in Australia mid-2023.
Ford Australia has confirmed the new 14th generation F-150 pick-up truck will be sold and delivered via local dealers next year.
The biggest ute Ford Australia will sell, for now, the F-150 will sit alongside the new-generation Ranger. And both utes will pack V6 engines.
While the Ranger has the option of diesel four-cylinder and V6 engines, and a V6 petrol in the Raptor, the F-150 will be powered exclusively by a 3.5-litre petrol turbo ‘EcoBoost’ engine, producing 294kW and 678Nm of torque through a ten-speed automatic transmission.
Distributed officially by Ford Australia, it will come with a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty and servicing at Ford dealers around the country.
The F-150 will not be produced in right-hand drive at the factory, however, with local conversions completed by Australian engineering company RMA. It is the first such program of its type globally and may open the door to more Ford models coming to Australia via a similar second-stage manufacturing route (such as the Bronco).
Two variants of the F-150 will be sold, the XLT and Lariat. The 3.5L V6 is the most popular option in the US market and brings a 4500kg braked towing capacity when using a 70mm ball – a 50mm ball limits the rating to 3500kg. There will be no other drivetrain options.
Pricing and specification are yet to be announced, but the XLT and Lariat will most likely mimic the Ford F-150 trims in the US. The Lariat, for example, has a remote-powered tailgate, tray lighting, chrome bumpers, 18-inch alloys, 12-inch infotainment screen, dual-zone climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, and more. Plus, there are many options, so Ford Australia could juice up the flagship model while keeping the XLT price competitive to the likes of the RAM 1500, which would have to be a figure around (or under) six figures.
For now, models such as the F-150 Raptor and all-electric Lightning are not on the table. Ford will need time to assess the success of the F-150 before looking to such models, which require further development and engineering for what would sell in lower quantities.
Alex Rae