If absence makes the heart grow fonder, then make mine a Billy Ray Cyrus Achy Breaky Heart. I’m referring here to my sadness at not being able to buy certain 4X4s from around the globe. Left hand drive 4X4s to be more specific. The 4X4s that we can’t have in Australia are many and varied. The Ford F-Series trucks, the Toyota Tundra, and the deliciously well-proportioned dual-cab Nissan Titan, which will soon be available with a 5.0-litre Cummins turbo-diesel engine.
The thrust here is of course for large turbo-diesel utes, which are fuel efficient, and can also haul a serious load. After all, if you’re a successful plumber who is currently driving a $60K Nissan Navara ST-X 550, what do you upgrade to? You could get a HSV Maloo Ute, but that can’t scoot around the work site or take the family up to Fraser Island at Christmas. A left hand Nissan Titan, however, would probably land in Australia at around $80,000 – a perfect upgrade. And the same example goes for the ever-popular HiLux and Toyota Tundra.
The current market has these large right hand drive converted vehicles sitting between $100,000 for a base F-Series all the way up to $160,000 for an up-spec Dodge RAM. An F-250 from a high-end conversion company, like Performax in Gympie, will set you back around $130K. It’s a great service that they offer, but it also renders the vehicle unattainable for all but the very loaded.
We’re constantly reminded that car companies need to operate global platforms to make profitable businesses. Parts commonality is important, so making a right hand drive version for a market the size of Australia is patently ridiculous. It would take hundreds of millions of dollars to tweak the production line, and Aussie companies just aren’t prepared to take the risk.
Sure, you could argue that Ford already tried bringing in F-250s in the 90s, and this failed due to a lack of volume. It was Ford Mexico who actually engineered the right hand drive conversion, because when Ford USA learned of our volumes, they couldn’t be bothered. But in the 90s, dual cab 4X4 sales were measly to say the least. Now dual cab 4X4s amount to one of the biggest market sectors. So particularly now that we have a free trade agreement with the U.S., the time is right to embrace the left hand drive vehicle.
Even safety could be a bonus, as when a vehicle has to make an emergency stop on the side of the road, and the driver needs to exit the vehicle, they’ll be stepping directly to the shoulder, without having to dodge traffic. It’s strange, if you buy a caravan or fifth-wheeler from the ‘States, you need to engineer a new left hand drive door so it’s safer for roadside stops. Yet when it comes to the vehicles we actually drive all the time, we’re happy to get out of the car and walk directly into traffic. Recent horrific roadside deaths should be considered as a pretty good reason to consider a left hand drive option.
And then there is the bleedingly obvious. We live in a big country, and we like to tow big loads. Caravans, horses, goose necks, dirt bikes, camper-trailers and fifth wheelers. For that, you need large 4X4s with meaty engines. And not everyone likes cruising around in boxy vehicles like Toyota 70 Series which, quite frankly, look like you’ve just gone on safari.
It’s a compelling argument, and one which I can’t quite understand why it hasn’t been made before. Am I missing something? Is there a reason why we aren’t getting these awesome vehicles? The cynic in me says that it’s because our governing bodies are dining out with the car companies, not with Joe Public, who would plainly love to see a left hook 4X4. But hey, perhaps you disagree.
REASONS FOR LEFT HAND DRIVE:
More choice
of vehicles
Capable and
fuel-efficient 4X4s
Much cheaper
than right hand drive conversions
Emergency stops
on road verge much safer (as driver is protected from flowing traffic by vehicle)
Superior tow vehicles
Consumer-first decision making
REASONS AGAINST LEFT HAND DRIVE:
Drive-thru at Macca’s becomes a gymnastic challenge
Overtaking may take some getting used to
100% Agreed. Maybe you should send to some of the newer emerging parties, to give more Aussies a reason to Vote for them….