Ford Bronco Basecamp headlines Blue Oval’s Aussie ambitions

At a glance:

• Ford Bronco Basecamp hybrid SUV confirmed for Australia
• New Transit van and local-exclusive Mustang announced
• Commercial warranty extended from five to seven years
  
  
  

The Ford Bronco Basecamp – a long-range hybrid ‘adventure SUV’ – will spearhead Ford Australia’s ambitious plan to increase its market coverage to 60 per cent in the next three years.

In an announcement this week, Ford laid out its plans that include a seven-year warranty on all commercial vehicles, a new urban-focused version of its popular Transit van, and an Australian-exclusive Mustang Dark Horse developed in concert with Triple Eight Race Engineering.

For fleet and business buyers Ford revealed ‘Ford Pro’, which it describes as “a new commercial ecosystem that brings together customisation, finance, service and software into one place”.

It’s no secret that Ford’s market coverage in Australia has been dwindling for many years, with models such as the Falcon, Focus, Escape/Kuga and Puma disappearing from showrooms and leaving just a handful of models (mainly the Ford Ranger, which in August accounted for half of all Ford sales) to keep the brand buoyant.

Ford hopes to redress this situation with its expanded model lineup, aiming for 60 per cent market coverage in the next three years and 90 per cent of all vehicles sold to be brand new or substantially updated by 2030.

“We’re more committed to Australia than ever,” said president and CEO of Ford Australia and New Zealand, Fadi Mawal. “Our future direction is clear: greater choice for customers, deeper loyalty to the Ford brand, more foot traffic into our dealerships, and a much more diverse lineup to sell.”

Ford Bronco Basecamp SUV confirmed for Australia

There have long been rumblings about the Ford Bronco joining the fold in Australia and Ford has confirmed it will arrive in showrooms in the second half of 2027.

Described as an “adventure SUV”, it will feature Ford’s first super hybrid electrified engine and has been designed for outdoor enthusiasts such as trail runners, fly fisherman and mountain bikers.

The Outer Banks model of the Bronco Basecamp can also serve as a kind of pop-up campervan, with a lifting roof, sleeping cabin, and a 7.5-litre heating/cooling storage box.

The Bronco’s powertrain pairs dual motors (powered by a 49kWh battery) with a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine that acts solely as an on-board range extender for a claimed range of 800-900km.

When the Bronco Basecamp is parked it can provide up to 6.6kWh of electricity, which is enough to power cooktops, camp lights and devices such as laptops.

“When we looked at how Aussies and Kiwis spend their time outdoors, the national parks, the coastal trails, and the distances they travel, the fit was immediate,” said Ambrose Henderson, marketing director at Ford Australia. “Outdoor life here isn’t a trend, it’s just life. Bronco Basecamp was almost purpose-built for these customers.”

Earlier this year, Ford’s US CEO, Jim Farley, revealed that a hybrid powertrain would be added to the American Bronco range in 2027, which currently comprises a range of four-cylinder and V6 EcoBoost engines.

Ford Australia has yet to share variants and pricing for the local lineup, but the petrol version of the US Outer Banks model costs US$48,190 (around AU$67,000) before on-roads, suggesting the hybrid will start well in excess of AU$70,000.

Aussie-exclusive Ford Mustang Dark Horse arriving soon

A special edition of the Ford Mustang Dark Horse will go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2026, boasting a ‘T8-Spec Pack’ developed with skunkworks Triple Eight Race Engineering.

Special edition Mustangs have been some of the most impressive sports cars on the road in recent years, with motoring press singing the praises of the Mustang R-Spec and current model Mustang Dark Horse, which boasts a 350kW/550Nm V8 engine and race-spec running gear.

The T8-Spec Pack further enhances the Dark Horse Mustang’s track credentials with updated front dampers, stiffer springs all around, a stiffer roll bar, and a reduced-travel steering rack.

Triple Eight has also fettled the aerodynamics, with a performance rear spoiler and an updated front aero splitter that can be fitted for track days.

Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS tyres keep the T8-Spec Mustang glued to the tarmac and a raft of cosmetic enhancements, including exclusive Avalanche paint, identify it as a limited-edition Dark Horse.

Transit City to join Ford Australia’s commercial offerings

The Ford Transit City all-electric commercial van will go on sale in Australia from November 2026, with a special $50,000 drive away price.

This will make it the cheapest vehicle in the Australian Ford Transit range, which currently kicks off with the diesel Ford Transit Custom 320S Trend short wheelbase for $58,990 before on-road costs.

Ford’s current EV van offering, the E-Transit, was priced from $77,590 before on-road costs when it was launched in late 2025 and offered an electric range of around 300km.

The Ford Transit City will be a smaller electric van with a 56kWh battery providing around 254km of combined range (WLTP) and up to 380km in urban driving.

Power output from the single front-wheel drive motor will be 110kW, with a maximum payload of 1085kg.

The Transit City is designed for short-run back-to-base trips and, with a maximum 87kW DC charge rate, it can go from 10 to 80 per cent charge in approximately 33 minutes (and add up to 68km of range in 10 minutes). Plugged into an 11kW AC wall box, it can go from 10 to 100 in approximately 5.5 hours.

Ford says it expects scheduled maintenance costs to drop compared to an equivalent diesel van, with one-year/30,000 km service intervals.

Standard kit on the Transit City includes a heated driver’s seat, push-button start and a 12.3-inch central touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Ford expands warranty for commercial customers

Commercial customers who agree to service their vehicles exclusively within the Ford dealership network will now receive a seven year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

The standard Ford warranty on its vehicles is five years and unlimited kilometres.

“Our seven-year warranty is a strong commitment to our retail and commercial customers that we’ve got their backs for longer,” said Greg Davidson, director of Ford’s customer service division.

Ford says about half of all vehicles sold in Australia are transacted through an ABN and, with its Ranger ute and Transit van vital to its local fortunes, business customers are Ford Australia’s bread and butter.

To further support its business buyers, Ford has introduced the Ford Pro ecosystem, which is already operating in Europe and North America.

According to Ford, the traditional fleet model has been about sales and service, but Ford Pro adds customisation, finance, and software upgrades to the mix.

The idea is that customers can have one point of contact for the life of the vehicle to reduce downtime and keep them on the road.