Celine Nolan

Ford Australia wants its merely-hand-drive F-150 to “knock it out of the park” as native deliveries of the paunchy-measurement pickup are goal for early November.

The Detroit-built and Melbourne-remanufactured F-150 XLTs and Lariats be half of a burgeoning paunchy-measurement truck sector, with Ford Australia anticipating its “iconic” giant to turn out to be a success legend.

This will rumble in opposition to the established Chevrolet Silverado (from $121,000) and RAM 1500 (from $98,950), which contain loved impressive sales since factory-backed remanufacturing to RHD has been conducted by the Walkinshaw Automobile Community.

Conversions of Toyota’s Tundra paunchy-measurement pickup automobiles are also underway at Walkinshaw, nonetheless Toyota Australia has said its preliminary examples would be on hand handiest on a lease deal to handpicked prospects.

When the Tundra goes on paunchy sale right here, likely within the second half of 2024, there’s the likelihood this is in a position to well perhaps land with sharper pricing than the above, as it’s much less successfully-identified than the American brands within the section.

What number of F-150s will Ford Australia sell?

Ford Australia’s president and CEO, Andrew Birkic, made it certain they don’t discuss about anticipated sales volumes.

However the RMA Automobile facility north of Melbourne (conclude to Ford’s light meeting line at Broadmeadows) the put F-150s are remanufactured for RHD, has capability to hold spherical 5000 yearly.

In definite quarters, Ford in Australia has turn out to be identified as the ‘Ranger and Everest’ firm,’ and it’s no longer great to argue when sales figures are digested.

Most fresh 2023 figures reward almost 38,000 Rangers had been delivered, alongside 8400 Everests. Next handiest is the Transit a long capacity within the inspire of at 2250 devices, then the soon-to-be discontinued Procure away midsize SUV with 1800.

With the introduction of F-150, and the capacity for spherical 5000 devices transferring each year, it’d be a mighty sales boon for the Blue Oval.

For the yr to this point, RAM has sold a ambitious 5075 devices of its 1500, 2500 and 3500 paunchy-measurement automobiles – hanging it now not off beam for spherical 8000 entire sales for 2023.

To the end of August 2023, appropriate over 2000 Chevrolet Silverados chanced on contemporary Australian homes for the yr.

With the Ford F-150’s arrival, plus these solid figures from RAM and Chevrolet, over 10,000 sales for the paunchy-measurement truck section will happen long earlier than the yr’s out. Implausible for a sector that barely existed a pair of years ago.

“It’s going to be spellbinding as soon as we birth hitting the dealerships (with F-150),” said Birkic with a assured smile. “Let’s dash, let’s stare what occurs.”

Will the paunchy-measurement pickup truck search information from proceed?

Ford playing in this ever-expanding section can’t advance mercurial ample for the logo, nonetheless is there a possibility of market saturation?

“What everyone is aware of is that RAM and Walkinshaw contain done a terribly merely job,” said Birkic. “They’ve unfolded the section. We think we’ve bought a splendid-looking out merely truck, so it’s about to acquire spellbinding, the market, isn’t it?”

No query. However when pressed on what number of pre-orders Ford Australia had for the contemporary RHD F-150 before begin, Birkic refused to give numbers. “We’re in a splendid-looking out stable web page,” he said referring to the uncover monetary institution.

There’s obvious interest within the put RHD F-150s would maybe well perhaps within the ruin dash in Australia – hybrid, Raptor and entire-electrical Lightning are all in sale within the US and would be of extensive interest right here – nonetheless for now focus is on the two grades about to begin.

Equipped are a $106,950 F-150 XLT and $139,950 F-150 Lariat – each the exercise of Ford’s 298kW/678Nm 3.5-litre EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 petrol engine.

Each variant would maybe well perhaps also be sold as a short wheelbase (SWB) with a 3683mm wheelbase, or for an further $995 over the above costs, as a long wheelbase (LWB) with 3987mm wheelbase.

The latter will enhance the styleside box by 300mm (there’s no trade to cabin dimensions), allowing loading of motorbikes with the tailgate closed. All F-150s contain a tow ranking of 4500kg.

“We know what now we contain is a splendid-looking out stable formula,” said Birkic. “We think we’ve bought the merely product and the merely spec with XLT and Lariat; the shorter mattress and the longer mattress. It’s about working out the customer and what they desire.”

The F-150’s non-hybrid 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 used to be also singled out for reward by Birkic, asserting “it affords you the sweet blueprint between performance and efficiency.”

The RAM 1500 (291kW/556Nm) and Chevy Silverado (313kW/624Nm) opponents make exercise of petrol V8 engines, nonetheless the F-150’s V6 678Nm torque resolve eclipses each.

Toyota’s Tundra will exercise a 3.5-litre hybrid V6 twin-turbo petrol when it hits the market, its blended petrol and electrical outputs merely for a section-bashing 325kW and 790Nm.

Remanufactured exact-hand-power Ford F-150 vehicles will be handiest weeks some distance off from customer shipping, nonetheless in exact Aussie trend, we’re already asking for more.

Can we’ve a paunchy electrical RHD F-150 Lightning? How a couple of hybrid model? And the place apart the hell’s the Raptor for us? Why does The usa receive the total frosty stuff?

The message from Ford Australia’s president and CEO Andrew Birkic is: “Enable us to land the plane on this predominant,” referencing the big quantity of labor and investment already required to receive the first tranche of remanufactured RHD F-150 into Australian showrooms.

First customer deliveries of those $106,950 F-150 XLTs and $139,950 F-150 Lariats – every the utilization of Ford’s 298kW/678Nm 3.5-litre EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 petrol engine – are due in early November.

But with seek data from and sales soaring in North The usa for the paunchy-electrical F-150 Lightning, and Australian hobby bubbling away, when can also honest we search for this electrified brute on our shores?

“With Lightning, they’re focusing on that in the US,” Birkic instructed Australian media. “Are we looking out at it? Yes. Is there a confirmed product programme the place apart I’ve rung up Trevor (Negus, of RMA Car, which does the RHD remanufacturing) to notify I need one other (production) line? No.”

Whereas it could probably also honest now not be forthcoming, Birkic mentioned: “That will reach in the fullness of time. We favor to support out extra prognosis, and we exact favor to keep we are able to carry out the remanufacturing.”

Making clear the petrol F-150s about to be presented keep profitable and quality meets expectations is the important thing focal level. “Let’s carry out that, then we’ll cling a memoir about Lightning,” mentioned Birkic.

Why can’t the F-150 RHD conversion be reduce and paste?

Chasing Vehicles had the different to detect the big workshop the place apart Ford F-150s are being remanufactured at RMA Car north of Melbourne, end to Ford’s feeble assembly line at Broadmeadows.

RMA is a Thailand-primarily primarily based mostly company, already accountable for making improvements to over 100,000 vehicles globally.

And asserting ‘remanufacturing’ is now not hyperbole. The procedure is laborious, costly and, from what we seen, deeply spectacular in relation to innovation and quality regulate.

For the F-150’s conversion, there are roughly 500 new or modified aspects required.

That entails the likes of a new forged magnesium RHD inferior bar beam, new race, new electrical harnesses, a modified RHD steering rack (from the Ranger Raptor), new shifter assembly, new brake pedal assembly, new heating and ventilation machine, new towbar assembly, modified headlamps and modified seats and door trims.

Taking on a bunch of models would carry extra ranges of complexity. There’d be more remanufacturing and testing – all takes time and cash.

In North The usa the F-150 can even be had as a 320kW/773Nm Plump Hybrid V6. You’d suspect this would possibly maybe occasionally maybe maybe presumably be next top to rework to RHD, with the hard work already accomplished on the F-150 with 3.5-litre V6 petrol.

Its attraction is a gasoline economy pick of roughly 9.8L/100km mixed, next to the non-hybrid we’re going in Australia, which returns 12.5L/100km.

The Raptor with its specialist bespoke aspects would possibly maybe maybe presumably be more challenging all all over again to remanufacture for RHD Australia, and clearly the all-electrical Lightning would possibly maybe maybe presumably be an fully a bunch of animal.

Model year changes keep extra challenges

One more self-discipline comes with Ford North The usa updating its F-150 yearly, generally with important changes.

It’s been The usa’s most inviting-promoting automobile for decades, with some 640,000 F-Series vehicles discovering new homes there in 2022.

Model year changes from the Dearborn, Michigan factory (the place apart our F-150s are at the initiating constructed) will necessitate changes for Australian variations remanufactured domestically. Once more, more complexity added.

Then there’s testing. The F-150s dwelling for our market persisted around 130,000km of local review. Introducing a bunch of models would suggest extra rounds of the the same.

“It’s bought to be commercially viable, and also you’ve bought to scale it so it makes it vital,” mentioned Birkic. “Engineering handy resource is precious, and funds are precious.”

Whereas we’re baying for an elevated fluctuate of F-150s, Ford Australia’s message is it’s centered on keeping it straightforward for now. But it’s keeping a extraordinarily start thoughts about the long flee.

“We’ll cling conversations with our seniors in the US and in Bangkok (RMA Car) about what’s imaginable,” mentioned Birkic. “Very clearly we favor to receive this exact. That’s our total focal level.”

But it’s not probably to push apart dash for food for, in specific, the F-150 Lightning. There’s in the suggest time no electrical paunchy-dimension pickup on the Australian market.

A exact-hand-power transformed example was as soon as seen in Brisbane earlier this month, this 337kW/1050Nm XLT 4×4 grade with 515km electrical fluctuate it seems a non-public import and now not linked to Ford Australia.

Is this the following Nissan Micra?

Nissan has pulled the covers off its Thought 20-23, a diminutive electrical vehicle that continuously is the following iteration of the celebrated Micra diminutive vehicle.

With fearless racecar-worship styling and a extremely racing-inspired interior, the Thought 20-23 continuously is the most efficiency-ready Micra ever made.

With a 100kW electrical motor and sharing its recent CMF-BEV platform with the upcoming Renault 5 and Alpine mannequin, the Thought 20-23 is determined to respect an estimated 400 kilometres of electrical vary.

Being a diminutive EV, the theorem could be a severe rival for the likes of the Fiat 500e and the Mini Cooper Electrical hatch.

Pictures of the theorem exclaim masses of aerodynamic beneficial properties such as a rear soar and aggressive front splitters, while interior there are racing buckets and staunch harnesses to assist you in tight. Gullwing doors feature, staunch worship a Lamborghini Aventador.

Will the manufacturing vehicle look anything else worship the theorem? It’s unlikely to be as wild, however here’s a gigantic trace of what’s to come for the Nissan set within the following couple of years.

A manufacturing model is anticipated within the future in 2024.

Is the Micra serene offered in Australia and out of the country?

The third-skills K13 Nissan Micra performed up in Australia in 2016 and modified into once no longer replaced by the most most recent fourth-skills K14 mannequin as quiz for diminutive autos diminished.

The K14 modified into once powered by a combine of engines, in conjunction with a extremely diminutive 898cc turbocharged three-cylinder unit and modified into once constructed on the identical platform because the Renault Clio and Captur gadgets. It modified into once on hand in many European markets.

Essentially the latest K14 Micra, constructed in France, performed its manufacturing bustle in 2022, with the mannequin’s future uncertain.

On the opposite hand, this recent Thought 20-23 theory continuously is the revival that folk respect been looking at for.

What an Australian success story the Mazda CX-3 is.

It’s been our ideal-promoting gentle SUV since its January 2015 introduction; is the third ideal-promoting car in Mazda’s line-up and has elegant been proficient a refresh for 2024.

However there’s a fairly awkward elephant within the room.

The mannequin, in its fresh technology, is eight years feeble. That’s a lifetime in SUV world.

And a long way like the Mazda 2 it’s in conserving with (itself a 9-twelve months-feeble mannequin), while you happen to peep or seek knowledge from about knowledge on an all-unique CX-3, all you hear are crickets.

Australia loves the CX-3, but the leisure of the arena isn’t as enamoured. And that come Mazda’s head set of dwelling of labor appears to be like in no lumber to counsel a brand unique technology is nigh.

Might possibly well perchance even the mannequin of course be facing the tip of the boulevard? If Japan called time on the CX-3 it’d be a serious loss to our native line-up, but Mazda Australia can handiest promote autos Japan decides to gain.

Why is the Mazda CX-3 potentially under menace?

Those of us who’ve been around the industry a truly long time know that no news is on the total no longer staunch news by come of a mannequin’s survival.

The CX-3 used to be discontinued within the US and Europe at the tip of 2021, where the CX-30 used to be deemed its pure successor. In Australia, the pricier, roomier Mazda 3-essentially based completely mostly CX-30 diminutive SUV sells alongside the CX-3, with every returning carefully matched sales figures of around 1000 month-to-month.

In our market, appetite clearly stays for every.

Addressing every the Mazda 2 and CX-3, Mazda Australia’s product director Alastair Doak told Chasing Cars: “They’re the biggest segment of our line-up, and we’d like to give them for so long as they’re accessible to us.”

Doak mentioned he couldn’t resolution if unique technology 2s and CX-3s were in pattern, but mentioned in future “if they’re no longer accessible to us then we might discontinuance something varied.

We’ve got CX-30 there which is a pure step, and there’s some pricing crossover between CX-3 and CX-30, so we are in a position to quilt a few that already.”

As a outcome of its age, the CX-3 now has no ANCAP security ranking. It secured a maximum 5 huge title outcome in 2015, but ANCAP’s time limitations since the take a look at come this expired in December 2022. There are no longer any plans to re-take a look at one, either.

Is there scope for a CX-20 metropolis SUV?

The CX-20 badge would slot in nicely under the larger, more fresh CX-double digit SUVs in Mazda’s line-up.

Top Equipment within the Philippines, for instance, fair at this time reported the CX-20 title had been trademarked there.

As quite a lot of the buying world has an insatiable appetite for any create of SUV over a passenger car identical, there’s a bigger commerce case for a CX-20-form metropolis SUV over a less in-vogue Mazda 2 hatch and sedan.

The United States would seemingly swerve it. “The CX-3 used to be possibly viewed as bodily fairly diminutive for them,” Doak urged about its downfall there. However Europe, with its penchant for diminutive offerings, would seemingly embrace it.

The UK’s fresh Mazda 2 is fair a re-badged Toyota Yaris. Might possibly well perchance even the similar happen with a metropolis SUV? Perhaps a CX-3 or CX-20 moniker might land on a Yaris Unfavorable if the 2 Eastern brands proceed their automobile address-in.

Then there’s the electrical ask. Would a diminutive Mazda SUV EV be the smarter offering within the fresh native weather, especially with Europe’s strict emissions targets in mind?

Does Mazda serene need cheap autos?

In 2019 you will aquire a front-power, manual transmission CX-3 Neo Sport for $21,790 forward of on-roads.

Four years later and the auto CX-3 Sport’s most payment-efficient at $26,800, that come you will now no longer power away Mazda’s smallest SUV for under $30,000.

These increased costs accompany the CX-3’s 2024 Mannequin twelve months updates, whereas the fluctuate has been trimmed to exclude manual and all-wheel-power variants.

That come fee of entry accurate into a CX-3 is up a corpulent $3290 over forward of.

Goodies like 16-crawl alloys, wi-fi Apple CarPlay and improved security tools are sweeteners, but metropolis SUV investors on a funds might now migrate to a Hyundai Venue, Kia Stonic or Suzuki Ignis, all of which is ready to now be had for around $5000 decrease than a CX-3.

If the CX-3 were to ultimately be culled, entry to Mazda’s SUV fluctuate might be the CX-30 G20 Pure at $30,610. This could potentially exclude many first car investors who’d no longer be ready to acquire the cash for a brand unique Mazda, scuppering the chance to contain designate loyalty.

“It (CX-3) remains to be top seller within the gentle SUV section, and we furthermore obtain out about with our have confidence inner knowledge it’s by a long way the most desired in that class for folks which indulge in possibilities at that fee point and dimension SUV,” Doak explained. “And it continues into the future, completely.”

However this might very nicely be out of Mazda Australia’s hands. They can handiest promote what Mazda builds, and the CX-3’s future appears to be like foggy indeed.