2022 Bronco and Tundra RHD ready for Australia

With all the talk of right-hand drive versions of American vehicles coming out of the recent Detroit Auto Show, including stories of RHD production of the Ford Bronco, an Australian-owned company has just completed its first left to right conversion of the retro Ford off-roader.

Autogroup International (AGI) is an Australian-owned company with its manufacturing base in Sri Lanka, that has been converting American vehicles from left to right-hand drive for more than 25 years. Over that quarter of a century of conversions, AGI has converted American pickup trucks, Corvettes, Camaros, Dodge Challengers, Nissan Titans, Mustangs, Lincoln Navigators, Hummers and many other makes and models for export to RHD markets including but not limited to Australia.

10

AGI is ISO 9001 2015 certified and Australian Design Rules (ADR) compliant for Conformity of Production and its conversions are mirror image swaps from left-to-right. AGI conversions use a completely new dash panel that is manufactured to OE standards to accommodate the steering on the right-hand side of the passenger compartment with the driver optimally centred behind the steering wheel.

The new Ford Bronco and 2022 Toyota Tundra are just the latest vehicles to come out of the Colombo manufacturing facility with the steering on the opposite side of the car to where it was when it entered the factory.

10

The first Bronco to come out of the AGI factory is a 2-door, 2022 Bronco Wildtrak, but with the engineering of the transition now complete, there is no reason that the process couldn't be applied to any current generation Ford Bronco.

Being based on the same Australian-engineered T6 chassis platform as the Ford Ranger and Everest, the Bronco represented an easier transition for the team at AGI as there were many RHD parts available from Ford.

10

At the Detroit Auto Show in September, Ford president and CEO Jim Farley said that Ford could build the Bronco in right-hand drive for markets such as Australia, but as the demand for the model is currently so high in the USA, RHD production couldn't be considered until that domestic market demand slows; and that slow in demand could be two or more years away.

The 2022 Toyota Tundra full-size pickup is the other most recently converted vehicle to come out of AGI and like the Bronco, its conversion benefitted from the fact that the latest model now rides on the same chassis platform as a RHD vehicle. In this case itís the 300 Series LandCruiser which is of course, manufactured in right-hand drive from the factory and although they are built in different factories, both the Tundra and LandCruiser ride on variants of the TNGA platform.

10

Toyota Australia recently confirmed that it is currently evaluating the Tundra for release to the Australian market and is working with another conversion specialist, Walkinshaw Automotive, where the conversion will utilise components such as the steering column, rack, pedals and gearshift selector from the LC300.

The Toyota/Walkinshaw Tundra are currently undergoing testing in Australia and have not yet been confirmed for Australian launch, although it is highly expected to happen in 2024.

10

The Australian owners and local retail arm of AGI is American Vehicles Sales (AVS) based in Rowville, Victoria. AVS's James Hill told 4X4 Australia Magazine that the Bronco and Tundra will be coming to Australia and they will be on sale here.

Hill said, "I've got Tundras on their way to Australia now and Broncos will be coming soon. They'll have to go through approvals before they can be registered here but that will happen soon enough."

Regarding the Tundra, James said that AVS will be able to offer any variant a buyer could want.

10

"If someone wants a single-cab Tundra, we can get it for them", he said.

Toyota has said that it will only bring the double-cab Tundra here and only with the hybrid petrol V6 engine.

Check out the range of American trucks and muscle cars already available at AVS online at www.american.com.au and keep an eye on the site for the Broncos and Tundras coming soon.