Photo: Ford Australia
Ford Australia happily announced it started first deliveries to select customers of the popular F-Series; the re-manufacturing process is handled by RMA Automotive in Mickleham, north of Melbourne.
The Blue Oval company recently introduced the 2024 Ford F-150 in America at the 2023 edition of NAIAS (North American International Auto Show) in Detroit. The F-150 will be sold with subtle design changes – including a new trim-related front fascia delimitation, an updated cabin, more tech inside and under the hood, and more. Naturally, the competition didn't waste any time in proposing alternatives.
For example, Ram Trucks soon revealed the 2025 model year of the 1500 series – which is also refreshed from top to bottom. The exterior changes are even subtler, but Ram compensates with massive upgrades inside and in the engine bay – where the Hemi V8 is gone, replaced by the new 3.0-liter Hurricane straight-six turbo in two flavors (420 and 540 hp). However, the supercharged TRX will be gone, too, leaving the F-150 Raptor R as king of the V8 hill.
It will be a while before Ford starts selling the facelifted F-150, so there's still a bit of life left in the 'old dog,' aka the current iteration. Apparently, the F-Series doesn't shy away from traveling the world, either, as the F-150 just started its first deliveries to select customers in the Land Down Under. Of course, it is not traveling across Australia in left-hand drive mode. Instead, there's an RMA Automotive facility in Mickleham, north of Melbourne, where the trucks are re-manufactured into right-hand drive.
To mark the precious milestone properly, Ford invited some of the first F-150 customers to check out the re-manufacturing process and meet Ford Australia's Product Development engineers as well as RMA Automotive leadership. The facility will modify up to 20 F-150s per day, with the assembly line equipped with no less than 65 individual stations and the process taking around 22 working hours over three days to complete each vehicle. The entire procedure needs about 500 new parts and careful recalibration of some of the major systems - steering, climate control, lighting systems, plus the instrument panel and software upgrades.
"Located in the same precinct as Ford Australia's new parts distribution center, the 21,000 sqm RMA Automotive facility sees engineers from Ford and RMA Automotive collaborate to ensure the F-150s are re-manufactured to exacting 'Built Ford Tough' standards, with the aim to offer the same unbeatable quality, capability, and comfort that have captured the hearts of F-150 customers for 75 years," said Ford Australia in a statement.
Offered as a 2023 model year, the iconic Ford F-150 is available with XLT and Lariat trims in short and long wheelbase versions. Both use the same 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 EcoBoost with part-time 4x4 linked through a ten-speed automatic transmission and are featured as Double Cab pickup trucks. Pricing starts from AUD 115,941 for XLT, equivalent to around $75,788 at the current exchange rate. The Lariat, meanwhile, has an estimated drive-away price of AUD 149,832, which equates to no less than $97,950!
Luckily for the customers, Ford promises the F-150 truck has "unbeatable capability, comfort, and Built Ford Tough quality." Besides, it's not like they have too many alternatives to the F-Series, right? Well, do remember that GMSV (GM Specialty Vehicles) offers both the Silverado 1500 (LTZ and ZR2) plus the 2023 Silverado HD (LTZ Premium) in Australia, too.
For example, Ram Trucks soon revealed the 2025 model year of the 1500 series – which is also refreshed from top to bottom. The exterior changes are even subtler, but Ram compensates with massive upgrades inside and in the engine bay – where the Hemi V8 is gone, replaced by the new 3.0-liter Hurricane straight-six turbo in two flavors (420 and 540 hp). However, the supercharged TRX will be gone, too, leaving the F-150 Raptor R as king of the V8 hill.
It will be a while before Ford starts selling the facelifted F-150, so there's still a bit of life left in the 'old dog,' aka the current iteration. Apparently, the F-Series doesn't shy away from traveling the world, either, as the F-150 just started its first deliveries to select customers in the Land Down Under. Of course, it is not traveling across Australia in left-hand drive mode. Instead, there's an RMA Automotive facility in Mickleham, north of Melbourne, where the trucks are re-manufactured into right-hand drive.
To mark the precious milestone properly, Ford invited some of the first F-150 customers to check out the re-manufacturing process and meet Ford Australia's Product Development engineers as well as RMA Automotive leadership. The facility will modify up to 20 F-150s per day, with the assembly line equipped with no less than 65 individual stations and the process taking around 22 working hours over three days to complete each vehicle. The entire procedure needs about 500 new parts and careful recalibration of some of the major systems - steering, climate control, lighting systems, plus the instrument panel and software upgrades.
"Located in the same precinct as Ford Australia's new parts distribution center, the 21,000 sqm RMA Automotive facility sees engineers from Ford and RMA Automotive collaborate to ensure the F-150s are re-manufactured to exacting 'Built Ford Tough' standards, with the aim to offer the same unbeatable quality, capability, and comfort that have captured the hearts of F-150 customers for 75 years," said Ford Australia in a statement.
Offered as a 2023 model year, the iconic Ford F-150 is available with XLT and Lariat trims in short and long wheelbase versions. Both use the same 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 EcoBoost with part-time 4x4 linked through a ten-speed automatic transmission and are featured as Double Cab pickup trucks. Pricing starts from AUD 115,941 for XLT, equivalent to around $75,788 at the current exchange rate. The Lariat, meanwhile, has an estimated drive-away price of AUD 149,832, which equates to no less than $97,950!
Luckily for the customers, Ford promises the F-150 truck has "unbeatable capability, comfort, and Built Ford Tough quality." Besides, it's not like they have too many alternatives to the F-Series, right? Well, do remember that GMSV (GM Specialty Vehicles) offers both the Silverado 1500 (LTZ and ZR2) plus the 2023 Silverado HD (LTZ Premium) in Australia, too.
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