Ford and ARB announce collaboration
Ford and ARB have joined forces to sell selected off-road accessories as Ford Licensed Accessories through participating Ford dealers in Australia from the second half of 2021. Ford Ranger and Everest customers will be able to fit-out their vehicles with a range of ARB 4×4 Accessories backed by Ford Australia’s new vehicle warranty of up to five years/unlimited kilometres.
The collaboration will initially be rolled out in Australia, with other selected Ford markets to follow.
Under the arrangement, ARB 4×4 Accessories and Ford Australia will work together to give local customers “an easy, seamless way” to kit out their Ranger and Everest vehicles with high-quality and functional off-road accessories. The full range of accessories available will be outlined closer to launch. Among these will be core off-road products such as winch compatible bull-bars, electric winches and driving lights, as well as other accessories like storage drawer systems.
ARB 4×4 Accessories for Ranger and Everest available through Ford dealerships have been validated by Ford Australia engineers, with testing conducted at a number of locations including the Ford Australia Proving Ground near Lara, Victoria.
“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.”
Andrew Brown, Managing Director of ARB 4×4 Accessories, said the company is “truly honoured” to work with Ford at a global level. “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,” added Brown.
ARB and Ford are working together to ensure the products are compatible with Ford vehicle systems on Ranger and Everest, and that the vehicle systems maintain full functionality with accessories fitted.
The origins of ARB go back to 1975 when founder Tony Brown was inspired by a four-wheel drive camping trip through the top end of Australia, finding that the often homemade or ill-fitting equipment fitted to many 4x4s he encountered were not designed for harsh Australian conditions.
Upon his return to Melbourne, Brown started work in his family garage to address the product deficiencies he’d encountered on his trip.
ARB 4×4 Accessories has since established a global reputation for high-quality off-road accessories and become Australia’s largest manufacturer and distributor of 4×4 accessories. The company has international offices in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, with an export network that extends through more than 100 countries around the world.
