Ford and ARB announce collaboration

In what could be a potential gamechanger for the off-road aftermarket industry, Ford Australia will collaborate with ARB, Australia’s largest manufacturer and distributor of 4x4 accessories, to offer ARB 4x4 accessories as factory options through Ford dealerships.

Announced on 3 May, the collaboration will see ARB 4x4 accessories for Everest and Ranger vehicles offered as Ford Licensed Accessories from participating dealerships, covered by a Ford new vehicle warranty of up to five years.

What Ford are calling a “high-level collaboration” will come into effect in the second half of 2021, initially limited to Australia, with other global markets to follow.

“We are very proud to welcome ARB on-board as they are known globally and respected in the off-road community for their state-of-the-art manufacturing processes and stringent quality controls,” said Andrew Birkic, President and CEO of Ford Australia and New Zealand.

“A lot of our customers have told us they’d love to be able to access a wider range of quality off-road accessories through our Ford dealership network, and this collaboration will mean they can head off-road safely with access to a range of ARB accessories.”

ARB 4x4 Accessories available through Ford dealerships for the Ranger and Everest have been validated by Ford Australia engineers, with testing conducted at a number of locations, including the Ford Australia Proving Ground. With Ford’s and ARB’s engineering and product development teams located in Victoria, such a collaboration is easier.

“ARB is truly honoured to be working with Ford at a global level,” says Andrew Brown, Managing Director of ARB 4x4 Accessories. “This collaboration is a great testament to the progressive vision of Ford and ARB to deliver to customers highly capable off-road vehicles with a broad range of best-in-class accessories.”

While the full range of ARB accessories offered by Ford will be revealed closer to launch, winch-compatible bullbars, electric winches, driving lights and storage drawer systems are confirmed inclusions.