Ford has conducted an Australian testing program for the mammoth F-150 pickup ahead of its 2023 arrival, while confirming some specs and a 3.5 EcoBoost V6 engine for a two-variant lineup.
Ford says that more than 8000 Aussies have registered their interest since the company first announced the F-150 would indeed be heading Down Under, as it looks to snatch some of the market share back from RAM and Chevrolet.
In the lead-up to its Australian launch, Ford has conducted 135,000km of real-world testing on everything from its Silver Creek Road test track to water crossings, ultra-fine sand and extreme temperature tests to ensure the right-hand-drive conversion lives up to local standards.
Ford imports the F-150 from America and then it is remanufactured and converted to right-hand-drive by RMA Automotive Holdings in Victoria.
Aside from the testing debrief, Ford has confirmed the F-150 will be offered in a two-variant lineup, with the XLT at the base of the range sitting below the LARIAT.
Ford says both the XLT and the LARIAT will be available in short and long wheelbase form, with the former measuring 3683mm between the wheels paired with a 1676mm load box, and the latter offering a wheelbase spanning 3987mm with a loadbox measuring 1981mm.
In terms of powertrains, Ford says that both variants will come powered by a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 EcoBoost petrol, which, overseas, produces 298kW of power and 678Nm of torque. This is paired with a 10-speed automatic and offers up to 4500kg towing capacity.
The company says the F-150 will hit dealerships some time in 2023, with pricing and final specifications set to be announced closer to its official launch. Dave Burn, performance and customisation chief program engineer at Ford Australia, said:
“We’ve torture-testing, tuned and re-worked the right-hand drive F-150 so that Aussie customers know they’re getting the full factory F-150 experience. We’re doing everything to make sure the truck will be right at home here in Australia.”
