IN PREPARATION for the arrival of a brand new F-150 ute – tipped to be within the second half of the 12 months – Ford Australia has subjected the large American ‘pick-up truck’ to the rigours of Aussie driving situations by placing it by means of its paces at their You Yangs automobile testing facility close to Melbourne.
Eager to underline Ford Australia’s ‘Constructed Ford Robust’ mantra, the Blue Oval folks have been engaged on localising the F-150 to make sure it delivers on the promise.
The method is important as Australian situations are excessive coupled with house owners who demand autos with broad capabilities, notably ‘gentle’ commercials.
The F-150 has dominated within the US marketplace for virtually half a century and appears set to proceed getting the job accomplished with a spread of various fashions and powertrains on supply together with full EV (not in Australia).
Ford says the 2023 F-150 is the hardest and most efficient mannequin ever and can do properly when it will definitely arrives Down Underneath.
Gauged by the variety of ahead orders for the F-150, that’s already frequent data right here with patrons registering their curiosity within the large ute as quickly because it was confirmed for native consumption.
Ford says it’s holding “1000’s of potential orders” by means of their vendor community.
Will probably be obtainable right here in XLT and Lariat grades and can characteristic the favored 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 engine coupled with 10-speed computerized transmission in 4×4 Crew Cab configuration.
Each variants might be obtainable in 3683mm brief wheelbase (SWB) with a 1676mm load field and 3987mm lengthy wheelbase (LWB) with a 1981mm load field configurations.
Ford Australia. Efficiency and Customisation Chief Program Engineer, Dave Burn mentioned,
“When F-150 hits Australian showrooms, prospects can relaxation assured it’s been put by means of the identical native sturdiness program as Subsequent-Era Ranger and Everest which, in fact, is identical program left-hand drive F-150 went by means of within the States.”
Ford says sturdiness is on the core of the brand new F-150 and through native engineering and growth it had to deal with every thing from -40° Celsius and +50° Celsius temperatures, trailer towing, mud, ultra-fine sand, water crossings, and corrosion exams.
Whole Australian sturdiness check mileage was in extra of 135,000km which is the equal of driving round Australia 9 instances.
Ford Australia didn’t maintain again driving the F-150 throughout their torturous Silver Creek Highway sturdiness observe lots of of instances. Equally, among the world’s most punishing roads had been replicated within the laboratory at Ford Australia’s You Yangs Proving Floor with F-150’s driveline, steering, wheels and suspension punished on a Kinematic and Compliance (Okay&C) rig.
“We’ve torture-tested, tuned and re-worked the right-hand drive F-150 in order that Aussie prospects know they’re getting the complete manufacturing unit F-150 expertise. We’re doing every thing to ensure the truck might be proper at dwelling right here in Australia,” mentioned Mr Burn.
The F-150 goes on sale in Australia in 2023 with pricing and closing specification particulars introduced nearer to market launch.
