Ford Australia looks to China as it plans major lineup expansion

Soon, Ford will have two China-sourced models in its Australian lineup — the Transit City and the Bronco Basecamp – and the brand isn’t shy about adding more as it looks to plug holes in its lineups.

Speaking at the brand’s Ford Uncovered event in Melbourne this week, Ford Australia president and CEO Fadi Mawal confirmed the brand is looking to increase its market coverage.

Mr Mawal underscored that Ford currently only competes in 30 per cent of Australia’s new-vehicle market, following the discontinuation of models like the Fiesta, Focus, Puma, Escape and Mondeo in recent years.

Mr Mawal said this 30 per cent figure is "not enough”. He confirmed that Ford aims to double the number of segments it competes in to 60 per cent in the next three years, adding that by the end of the decade, 90 per cent of the brand’s lineup will be either all-new models, or significantly refreshed. 

“We can’t rest on our laurels. We have to evolve, grow, and serve customers in new ways,” said Mr Mawal.

“By leveraging our global footprint, including China for the first time, we are moving fast and staying affordable without asking customers to compromise on capability, lifestyle, or quality.”

“Ford is here to win. We will be here for the next 100 years, no matter what the challenges are in front of us. But we know we need to evolve to win,” Mr Mawal added.

“Our future direction is clear. Greater choice for our customers, deeper loyalty with the Ford brand, and more foot traffic into our dealerships. Smarter, more affordable vehicles that leverage cutting edge, multi-energy technology. A much more diverse lineup to sell beyond the wildly successful Ranger and Everest. 

“All of which helps us to compete aggressively with new and legacy automakers alike.”

In the first half of this year, the related and locally developed Ranger and Everest accounted for a whopping 88.5 per cent of Ford's Australian sales.

Mr Mawal underscored that Ford Australia will continue to have involvement in design and development of various Ford models. It's currently in the process of developing the Bronco Basecamp’s local tune, which is expected to eventually go global to other markets.

“We will keep designing and engineering the right vehicles here, made for Australian and Kiwi customers,” said Mr Mawal.

“These new vehicles, and many more that we can’t share with you yet, broaden our portfolio and open up parts of the market that we haven’t spoken to for some time.” 

Beyond the Transit City and Bronco Basecamp, Ford hasn't confirmed what other vehicles it plans to launch here.

Two segments Ford is likely to prioritise are the affordable end of the small SUV segment and the traditional mid-size SUV segment. 

In Australia, Ford hasn't offered competitors in either category for several years. The Escape was axed in 2023 and the Puma followed it out the door in 2024, despite these vehicles continuing in New Zealand. Even across the ditch, though, the Puma lineup has been pared back, while the Escape was only discontinued this year.

In China, Ford offers several SUVs that could fit the mid-size SUV bill for Australia and New Zealand. These include three medium-to-large passenger SUVs that are made by Jiangling Motors – the same joint venture manufacturer that produces the Bronco Basecamp and the Transit City, the latter of which is also being launched in Europe.

Ironically lifting its name from a long departed Australian-made SUV, the Territory is the smallest Chinese-developed Ford SUV. Also known as the Equator Sport, it's similar in its dimensions to a Toyota RAV4, and is already on sale in right-hand drive in South Africa. 

There’s also the slightly larger Equator, which can be had with a 1.5-litre plug-in hybrid powertrain and three rows of seats. 

Ford also offers the Edge L in China, which is produced by its other joint-venture partner Changan. At five metres long, it's the same size as a Hyundai Palisade. It's powered by a 2.0-litre EcoBoost four-cylinder available in either pure petrol form or hybrid form, and also boasts a seven-seat layout. 

Changan Ford vehicles are also exported to markets such as the Middle East, though as yet none of the models in its lineup – which also includes the Mondeo/Taurus – are built in right-hand drive.

Automotive News reported this week that Ford CEO Jim Farley met with government officials in the Chinese city of Nanchang this month to confirm the Blue Oval will deepen its collaboration with Jiangling Motors and "jointly expand into international markets".

Ford has drawn the ire of the US government thanks to its increasing involvement with Chinese brands, including its partnership with Geely and battery manufacturer CATL, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy publishing a letter sent to the Blue Oval urging it to pull back from China.

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