2023 Ford F-150 tested and tuned in Australia
‘Built Ford Tough’ Ford F-150 XLT and Lariat to go on-sale Down Under in 2023 boasting an impressive standard feature listThe Ford F-150 has been America’s choice for getting the job done for almost half a century, and in 2023 the toughest and most productive F-150 ever will arrive Down Under.
Since plans for local introduction were announced earlier this year, more than 8000 Australians have registered their interest with thousands of prospective orders already placed with dealers.
Both XLT and Lariat series will feature the top-selling 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 engine, coupled with 10-speed automatic transmission in 4x4 Crew Cab configuration.
Both variants will be available in SWB (145-inch Wheelbase, 5.5-foot load box) and LWB (157-inch Wheelbase, 6.5-foot load box) configurations.
“When F-150 hits Australian showrooms, customers can rest assured it’s been put through the same local durability programme as Next-Generation Ranger and Everest which, of course, is the same programme left-hand drive F-150 went through in the States,” said Dave Burn, Performance and Customisation Chief Program Engineer, Ford Australia.
Durability is at the core of the new F-150 and during local engineering and development it had to cope with everything from -40 degrees Celsius and +50 degrees Celsius temperatures, trailer towing, mud, ultra-fine sand, water crossings, and corrosion tests.
In all, durability tests in Australia saw the F-150 travel more than 135,000 kilometres, or the equivalent of driving around Australia nine times.
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The F-150 has been driven across Ford’s torturous Silver Creek Road durability track hundreds of times. Similarly, some of the world’s most punishing roads were replicated in the laboratory at Ford Australia’s You Yangs Proving Ground with F-150’s driveline, steering, wheels and suspension punished on a Kinematic and Compliance (K&C) rig.
“We’ve torture-tested, 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,” said Burn.
The F-150 goes on sale in Australia in 2023. Pricing and final specification will be announced closer to market release.
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