Ford backs F-150 future in Australia

Despite its troubled launch dogged by recalls, Ford Australia has expressed confidence a long-awaited F-150 update due later this year can rebuild the US full-size pick-up’s local sales momentum.

And it insists there is room for the F-150 to co-exist alongside the incoming Ranger Super Duty, despite the locally developed product attracting a lot of attention ahead of launch and having a superior payload, identical 4500kg braked towing capability and a – likely – lower starting price.

The USA’s top-selling vehicle for 40 years, the 14th generation F-150 began right-hand drive conversion in Melbourne in late 2023 via a joint-venture between Ford Australia and RMA Automotive Australia.

But the roll-out has been dogged by a series of recalls that have knocked buyer confidence in the four-model lineup, comprising XLT and Lariat grades in short and long wheelbase priced between $106,950 and $140,945 plus on-road costs (ORCs).

To the end of May 2025 sales are off 35.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.

Of the F-150’s rivals – the freshly updated RAM 1500, the Chevrolet Silverado and Toyota Tundra, which are all converted locally to right-hand drive by the Walkinshaw Auto Group – the Ford only currently outsells the newly introduced and high-priced Toyota.

Ford is actually expected to add a more expensive Platinum model to the F-150 line-up when it introduces the update.

While unwilling to confirm that addition, Ford Australia Marketing Director Ambrose Henderson stoically supported an ongoing role for the F-150 in Australia.

“We’re going to continue investing in [F-150] locally here,” he said. “Having seen the facelift that we’ll launch in the second half of the year, it looks amazing, it’s really exciting.

“I’m sure customers will engage with that, and we’ll continue to back that product going forward.

“F-150 has been a huge success in the US; we’ll get to that point here as well.”

With lessons learned from the original launch, Henderson predicted a smoother roll-out for the updated F-150, which was first seen in the USA in 2023.

“For sure,” he said. “I think we’re always constantly learning, and anyone in business should have that philosophy, whether it’s a brand-new program or it’s something that we’ve had in market for a long time.

“That continual improvement process is absolutely … a mindset that we have, and no doubt that when we launch the facelifted version in the balance of this year … we’ll see some good success with it.”

The F-150 is one of six model roll-outs Ford has locally in the second half of 2026. The others are the Ford Ranger PHEV in July, E-Transit Custom, Transit Custom PHEV and Transit Custom Trail in the third quarter, and a Mustang Mach-E update in the fourth quarter.

The F-150 is listed only as ‘second half 2025’ by Ford, while the Super Duty is expected to be launched but not on sale before the end of the year.

Henderson said the F-150 would co-exist alongside the Super Duty because they had very different roles despite intersecting on braked towing capacity.

“If you think about F-150, obviously it is a significantly bigger car, it has a bigger footprint, and that suits some and doesn’t suit others.

“In addition to that it is really the armchair-on-wheels ride. It’s just a beautiful car to drive in and to tour in, and that suits a particular group of customers.

“Ranger Super Duty has been designed for the most extreme work conditions in Australia.

“So I think they are two very different products. I think both can live in our portfolio, and that’s why we’ve made the choice to continue to invest in both.”

What might be less likely to appear in Australia as result of the Ranger Super Duty’s arrival are the F-150’s bigger brothers, the F-250 and F-350. The cross-over there might be judged just too close.

Other vehicles based on the same platform as the F-150, such as the Expedition SUV, have also been mentioned as local conversion candidates.

But the focus seems to be on making sure the updated F-150 launch is executed correctly before there are any other new models added to the mix.

“In terms of the future opportunities, it all eventually comes down to a business case,” Henderson cautioned.

“So we'll continue to assess what customers want and what we can make a business case out of, but we won’t speculate any further in terms of what could be happening in the future.”

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