2023 Ford F-150: Australian News and Everything You Need to Know

Here's everything you need to know about the new 2023 Ford F-150 coming to Australia in the second half of next year.

JUMP AHEAD

• Dec 15: New F-150 in Oz for testing and tuning
• Sep 19: F-150 could be just the first RHD conversion for Oz
• Apr 5: History of the F-150 in Australia
• Mar 29: F-150 v Ranger, how do they compare?
• Mar 22: 2023 Ford F-150 confirmed for Australia
• Oct 2021: EXCLUSIVE: Ford F-150 lands in Oz for evaluation

December 15: New F-150 arrives in Australia for testing and tuning

Both the F-150 XLT and Lariat to go on sale in Australia from the second half of 2023, and both variants are now with local engineers to make sure they'll live up to expectations. Story at the link below.

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September 19: The F-150 could be just the first RHD conversion for Oz

Speaking with Wheels Media, Ford execs have admitted that if the F-150 does well in Australia, and if production capacity can be found, then we might also see the Maverick and Bronco come down under. Story at the link below.

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April 5: History of the F-150 in Australia

As Ford brings the F-150 back, we take a look at the pick-up’s relationship with our market. Story at the link below.

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March 29: F-150 v Ranger, how do they compare?

Will the big F-150 step on the Ranger's toes? We take a look at the specs released so far. Story at the link below.

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March 22: 2023 Ford F-150 confirmed for Australia

The 2023 Ford F-150 pick-up truck will be sold officially in Australia, marking a return for the iconic F-series after a 16-year hiatus.

Ford Australia will import the 14th-generation F-150 and convert America's best-selling vehicle to right-hand-drive through Melbourne company RMA Automotive.

Australian suppliers will account for three-quarters of its parts to pass Australian Design Rules regulations, but also to take on our local roads.

An official return for the F-series has been rumoured for years - with anticipation increasing last year after a 2021 model was seen shortly after landing in Australia.

Ford Australia has been noting the local sales successes of the big pick-up trucks from RAM and Chevrolet. The RAM 1500/2500/3500 range is distributed by Ateco in Australia, with conversions performed by the Walkinshaw company also responsible for localised versions of the Chevrolet Silverado.

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Overseas model shown

Off the back of demand for the pick-up from Australian customers, Ford will copy the most popular grades from the United States market for local buyers, shipping the F-150 with a 3.5-litre 'EcoBoost' twin-turbo V6 petrol engine as its sole powertrain, paired with a 10-speed torque-converter automatic transmission and four-wheel drive.

The 298kW/678Nm EcoBoost F-150 has a 4.5-tonne towing capacity in the US – on par with both the Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500, the American competitors that are now local rivals.

It's also an improvement on the upcoming flagship Ranger Raptor, which scores the 3.0-litre EcoBoost V6 for the first time with outputs of 292kW/583Nm, although the two models are designed for very different jobs.

An official confirmation of the F-150's payload capacity has not yet been announced, but American specifications suggest it would carry between 1000-1200kg in the bed.

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Overseas model shown

Just two grades of the Crew Cab F-150 will be available from launch, with both the XLT and Lariat carrying across from the F-150's home market thanks to their proven popularity. Specific details regarding pricing and features will be announced closer to launch.

Ford, however, has confirmed standard equipment will include its SYNC4 infotainment system, as well as safety technology such as: collision assist with automatic emergency braking, BLIS (blind-spot information system) with cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping system, rear view camera, auto high beams, reverse brake assist, reverse sensing system and post-collision braking.

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Overseas model shown

Ford Australia CEO Andrew Birkic said local interest for the F-150 has never been higher, making it an obvious decision to introduce the pick-up to the Australian market.

“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.

“With the introduction of F-150, alongside our Ranger line-up, Ford’s comprehensive pick-up truck range will offer a vehicle for every situation.”

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Overseas model shown

Asked whether the F-150 will gain the same in-house and aftermarket parts support as the Ranger, which saw ARB develop official accessories for the dual-cab, Natalie Manariti, Ford Australia’s Global Trucks Enterprise Product Line Manager, said accessories for the pick-up are still under development with Australian partners.

The Ford F-150 will be sold in Australia with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty – longer than Ram and Chevrolet offerings, which are limited to three-year/100,000-kilometre warranties.

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Overseas model shown

More models from Ford's global operations are not yet off the cards, with Birkic saying the F-150 could open the floodgates for Blue Oval fans in Australia.

“The F-150 is part of a new wave of Ford vehicles for our Australian customers,” the boss added.

“We’re listening to customers and breaking down barriers to give them what they want – the best of our global line-up. There’s more where F-150 came from.”

The F-series was last sold in Australia between 2001 and 2006, when F250 and F350 variants were imported from Brazil in right-hand-drive guise.

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October 2021: EXCLUSIVE – 2021 Ford F-150 lands in Australia for evaluation

Ford has flown an F-150 pick-up into the country, as the company looks to muscle in on Ram, Chevrolet, and Toyota.

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