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News - FordFord weighs Bronco, new ute for AustraliaJim Farley mulls new models for Australia during Ford CEO’s product planning visit9 Mar 2026 By TOBY HAGON FORD could significantly expand its Australian product line-up with new models including the Bronco off-roader and a potential monocoque lifestyle ute, with global CEO Jim Farley confirming key decisions will be made during his visit to the country this month.
Mr Farley is in Australia alongside Ford advanced product development vice president Sam Basile and chief operating officer Kumar Galhotra as the company finalises its next wave of global product investment.
“This trip is all about making choices,” Mr Farley said.
The visit forms part of Ford’s annual product planning process, where billions of dollars are allocated to future vehicles.
“We allocate like this year nine to 10 billion (US) dollars of spending,” he said.
“That’s my bet as the CEO how I spend that money.”
Among the products under serious consideration for Australia is the iconic Ford Bronco, which Mr Farley confirmed is being evaluated for right-hand-drive markets.
“Should we really launch the Bronco line-up here?” he said during discussions in Melbourne. Asked directly if Ford was seriously considering engineering the vehicle for Australia, he responded: “Yes, absolutely.”
The move would form part of Ford’s broader strategy to strengthen its reputation as a global off-road brand.
Mr Farley has repeatedly described his ambition to make Ford the “Porsche of off-road”, a positioning built around a portfolio of enthusiast-focused four-wheel drives.
“If we want to be the Porsche of off-road, you’ve got to sell the 911,” he said.
“Porsche wouldn’t sell all the Macans and Cayennes if they didn’t have the 911 and win Le Mans.”
For Ford, the Bronco represents one of the brand’s defining nameplates.
“It’s right there we’ve got two horses: We got the Mustang and we got the Bronco,” Mr Farley said.
“They were approved in the same meeting with Lee Iacocca in 1962.”
The Bronco under consideration for Australia is the full-size ladder-frame SUV sold in North America rather than the smaller Bronco Sport crossover offered in some markets.
Launched in 2021, the current-generation model revived the Bronco nameplate after a 25-year hiatus and was designed as a direct rival to the Jeep Wrangler.
Styled with retro design cues inspired by the original 1960s Bronco and featuring removable roof panels and doors, it has become one of Ford’s most recognisable modern vehicles.
Crucially for Australia, the Bronco shares Ford’s T6 ladder-frame architecture with the Ranger ute and Everest SUV – vehicles largely engineered by Ford’s Melbourne-based development team.
However, while the platform supports right-hand-drive configurations, the Bronco itself has so far only been produced in left-hand drive.
Introducing the model to markets such as Australia would therefore require a dedicated right-hand-drive engineering program.
Should it proceed, the Australian line-up would likely include multiple variants, ranging from Wrangler-style entry models through to the heavily modified Bronco Raptor performance version.
The Raptor variant features extensive suspension upgrades, wider track and a high-output twin-turbocharged V6 designed for high-speed off-road driving.
Farley said expanding Ford’s range of enthusiast off-road vehicles remained a priority.
“There is no Porsche of off-road here in Australia,” he said.
“Ranger with Raptor has done a great job, but we can do a lot more.”
At the same time, Mr Farley confirmed Ford is also studying the feasibility of introducing a smaller monocoque ute to Australia - a concept that would echo the legacy of the locally built Falcon ute.
While Ford already sells the Maverick compact pick-up in North America, Mr Farley indicated the Australian solution could be something different.
“No, I don’t think it should be the same, necessarily,” he said.
“I’m not going to get into specifics.”
“All I’m saying is, Aussies would love – on paper – a unibody, efficient, even performance (ute) because they have (previously).”
Australia has a unique history with car-based utes, dating back to the original Ford Coupe Utility of 1934.
Mr Farley acknowledged that heritage remains relevant.
“I think this country gave the globe the ute,” he said. “So, I’m pretty serious about it.”
Farley also revealed the idea of a modern monocoque ute resonates even within his own family, pointing to the enduring appeal of Australia’s once-dominant Falcon ute formula.
“My kid in the United States, his favourite car in the world is a high-performance Falcon ute,” he said. “He can see the value of the vehicle just by looking at it.”
Any such vehicle would need to be engineered specifically for Australian conditions rather than simply adapted from another market.
“To do it right here, as a car person, I would want it not to just stamp a global solution and force the market to take it,” Mr Farley said.
“How to solve it for here is different than the US. The cost … the usage is more extreme here. The commercial space would be bigger for it here.”
Mr Farley declined to provide further details about either project, suggesting the company was still assessing engineering and business factors.
“I’m not going to go into that,” he said.
“I think I’ve given you enough to think about.”
However, with Ford currently finalising billions of dollars in product investment, the decisions made during the visit could shape the brand’s Australian product strategy for years to come.  Read more10th of February 2026  Ford eyes Geely partnership to dodge tariffsTechnology, platform, and production site sharing under discussion, say those close to deal20th of January 2026  Chinese Ford ‘Bronco’ a possibility for AusAn electrified RHD Ford ‘Bronco’ is a strong maybe for Australia – via China13th of January 2026  Ford opens door to V8 hybrid RaptorHybrid V8 tech flagged as Ford shifts focus to performance-led off-road models |
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