The battle of the big trucks! Ford Australia has asked for right-hand-drive F-150 to take on Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado

Ford in Australia is waving its hand in the air for a right-hand-drive version of the next F-150, with the brand's local boss telling CarsGuide she is "making sure people understand there is a market" in Australia for the world's best-selling vehicle.

Ford is currently hard at work on the next-gen F-150, expected to arrive Stateside in 2021, with international reports suggesting the key engine would be a new 4.8-litre V8 good for around 315kW and 570Nm, and that it would partner with a 10-speed automatic. 

Rumours have been swirling that the next F-150 will be a global product with the potential for a steering wheel on both sides of the car. And that's something Ford in Australia is hoping for, describing "commercial and trucks" as one of its strengths in this market. 

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"We have continued, as we have for a number of years, to say that if there was a right-hand-drive (vehicle), then Australia, we believe, would be a good market for an F-150, but currently there are no plans for a right-hand drive," says Ford Australia president and CEO, Kay Hart.

"We continue to put in our market wants. We have a process at Ford which looks at where we believe our customers are, and where we believe our strengths will be. Commercial and trucks is clearly one of our strengths.

"We continue to ask and make sure people understand there is a market."

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When the F150 was last sold in Australia, in 2007, it was converted from left- to right-hand drive in a Ford factory in Brazil before being shipped to Australia. 

Both Ram and Chevrolet (with its Silverado) have found conversion success, Hart suggested she is asking for right-hand-drive vehicles from the factory.

"I think the Walkinshaw team and the work they've done on right-hand drive conversions has been great for the market, but we have no plans to do that at this stage," she said.