Ford F250 2007 News

Performax International announces F-250 full-size pickup range for Australia. They're everywhere in the US but monster-truck-style full-size utes haven't really taken hold in Australia as buyers prefer the smaller, more manageable and affordable light commercial utes like the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger.That may change if independent American vehicle importer Performax International has any say. This month, they launched the 2015 Performax Ford F-Series Super Duty range full-size pick-ups, priced from $105,000. This may be more than double the price of the average light-commercial ute, but it's a lot of truck with huge towing potential and 'go anywhere you damn well like' off-road ability.Queensland-based Performax refers to itself as a  `full-volume manufacturer'  but is in fact a conversion specialist with `production' underway for right-hand drive Ford F-250 XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum models.It's no backyard operation though with a dedicated assembly line and locally designed and made parts to effect the necessary changes to a factory standard.Vehicles will be sold by Performax International and through dealers around Australia.ENGINE / TRANMSISSIONThe local  F-250 is powered by a 6.7 litre V8 common-rail turbo-diesel engine producing 328kW of power and a massive 1166Nm of torque.Combining exceptional power with six-speed automatic transmission and on-the-fly four-wheel drive, the F-250 has a five-tonne towing capacity unmatched by mass-market utes and 4WDs sold in Australia, plus exceptional all-terrain ability.It has an imposing presence on the road and a luxurious interior to match which gives the F-Series Super Duty style, comfort and ability like nothing else.Performax F-Series Super Duty production marks a milestone for the Gympie-based company, which has been producing right-hand drive versions of American pick-ups and sports car for 25 years.ENGINEERINGIn that time, the company has mastered the complex engineering and electronics challenges of converting the latest vehicles with high-tech safety and powertrain systems."We're tremendously proud of this latest achievement, which is the pinnacle of all our years of experience and perseverance with quality standards," Performax General Manager Glenn Soper said."Old-fashioned conversion methods are no longer acceptable to customers buying these sophisticated new American pick-ups. In engineering, electronics and final fit and finish, the Performax Difference ensures we build every vehicle to factory-original quality standards."The F-Series has been one of America's most popular vehicle ranges for six decades, but many people in Australia too are keen to see the nameplate back on the road here. Pre-launch demand has been very strong."We're totally confident the 13th generation F-Series we're building now will be the best ever seen in this country, with unprecedented levels of performance, capability, safety and comfort, all backed by a comprehensive, competitive warranty and roadside service."NEW COMPONENTSInstead of vehicles being individually engineered and approved by government authorities, there are no one-off or handmade items among the 100-plus new components in a Performax F-Series.All parts are part-numbered and 100 percent identical, ensuring consistent high quality and easy replacement.Work is completed to ISO 9001 Quality Assurance standards. The company is also certified to ISO/TS 16949 (Automotive Quality Management).

The US's top-selling pick-up for the past 35 years is coming here, via independent importer Performax.

The top end of the working ute business has been barren since Ford ran out of F-Series trucks, following the end of right-hand drive production in South America, which has created an opportunity for Chrysler.The American company is now mounting a detailed investigation into the potential for the Ram in Australia, as it prepares for the next all-new model, and the chance of right-hand drive trucks for overseas sales."There’s an opportunity with the Ram. I think it's worth investigating," Chrysler's senior manager for international product, Kevin Tourneur, says.He attended the Australian press preview of the new Jeep Patriot and Dodge Avenger in New Zealand last week and now has a strong understanding of the opportunityl for the Ram.“We don’t know if the time is right yet to bring it in, but this would be the time to start thinking about it. It's a matter of working with the markets," Tourneur says.He believes Australia's traditional support for both commercial and sports utes, over more than 40 years, points to the potential with Chrysler's long-running rival to Ford's F-Series, which is the world's favourite truck."But you need to have sustainable demand, because the Ram is not right-hand drive and was not developed with right-hand drive in mind, so there would be a lot of engineering work," he says.Chrysler Group Australia’s managing director, Gerry Jenkins, believes the Ram has a place on our roads and is keen to see it here."We’d love to have Ram here . . . I’m really excited about the idea,” Jenkins says."It’s not entirely about the numbers, but there probably needs to be demand for about 10,000 a year right-hand drive in the international market before it’s viable.""I think we could sell 3000 a year in Australia, especially with the Cummins diesel engine. There’s really nobody in that large ute market, there’s no competition.”The commercial market has big potential for the Ram, according to Chrysler spokesman, David McCarthy."If we brought the Ram here, more than half would be cab-chassis for ambulance and food delivery use,” McCarthy says.Jenkins says he has already had a stream of inquiries about the Ram from a mining company in Western Australia, and impressed by their persistence, eventually flew over and met with them."We’re going to supply some to them, but they will be left-hand drive," he says.However, Jenkins says converting Rams to right-hand drive is not an option he wants to consider for the broader Australian market.`"We’re not going to do conversions . . . we’re only interested in getting one that’s ADR compliant. People want the authentic product.”Jenkins says the same approach would apply if there was a chance to bring the latest Dodge Charger here, which will be unlikely as long as demand for the left-hand drive version continues to outstrip supply."Could we sell it in Australia? Of course we could,” he says."I think it’s the best-looking car we have. But it’s not really a possibility right now.”Tourneur says the strong American styling of Dodge vehicles, including the Ram and Charger, is the key to the brand's growing success.There’s no point in us trying to follow European design. If people want European, they’ll buy European," he says."We need to stay true to the US style. That unique design, that’s what we can bring. People all over the world want to be different."The character about Dodge is DNA from the trucks and the 70s muscle car phase . . . strong emotions and passion. Every product has to have a certain `Dodgeness.’