Converting the 2023 Ford Bronco for Australia is “very doable”

Ford’s conversion partner has revealed they’d relish the challenge of converting the 2023 Ford Bronco to right-hand drive, injecting fresh hope that the retro-styled SUV will join the Aussie line-up.

RMA Automotive is Ford’s remanufacturing partner on the F-150 project, with the conversion work taking place in a brand new 21,000 sqm facility in Michleham, north of Melbourne.

The new venture will see RMA produce 20 converted F-150 utes per day, though General Manager Trevor Negus confirmed the facility has capacity to produce more and take on other Ford products.

I think it's very doable and I'd love to have that challenge

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“Absolutely. The whole facility has been built with other products in mind, I guess,” said Negus. “So we've got the capacity to take larger F series. We've got the capacity to take other vehicles. And as you pointed out, we've got another shift to go to.”

Negus’s mention of “larger F Series” is intriguing and could indicate Ford is considering converting the 2024 F Series SuperDuty, which was refreshed with a new generation model last year.

Aside from the bigger trucks, two products are known to be firmly on Ford Australia’s radar for conversion, the F-150 Lightning and Bronco.

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Ford F-150 Lightning

The Bronco shares the same T6 underpinnings as the Aussie-developed Ford Ranger and Everest and a left-hand drive Bronco development vehicle has already been spotted several times around Melbourne.

Ford also recently confirmed the Bronco will soon be made in China through a joint venture with Jangling Motor, leading to speculation that deal could help free up some Bronco supply for Australia.

As for whether RMA Automotive has already assessed the Bronco to convert for Aussie roads, Negus simply replied: “I think it's very doable and I'd love to have that challenge.”

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Ford Australia boss Andrew Birkic was diplomatic when quizzed about Bronco’s Aussie chances, saying Ford and RMA need to focus on nailing the F-150 project before expanding to other product.

“Bronco is an amazing vehicle. I've been on the record before saying we love it and yeah we're looking at it but we've got nothing to share,” he said. “There will be lots of decisions that still need to be made and we would go through a very rigorous process and do our due diligence on what's the right way to do it. What's the most effective way, can we get the supply, is it commercially viable?

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2022 Ford Bronco Raptor

“We've also been very conscious of getting this right [the F-150 project]. Sometimes it's great to look at what's next and what you could do, but sometimes it's good just to love the ones you're with. And that's what we're doing.

“Let's land the plane on this [F-150] and then we'll have conversations with our seniors in the US and in Bangkok about what's the art of the possible.”