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Why is the Ute so popular in Australia?
by
Vincent A Rogers
If you were to ask anyone to name an Australian car, the Ute will be high up on anyone’s list. Not just amongst Australians, but people all over the world name the Ute as being synonymous with Australian culture. In this article from Cars4Sale, we will discover how and why Australians have come to love the old fashioned utility vehicle, and how they have turned it into what it is today.
The ‘Ute’ is short for utility vehicle, and in Australia it is defined as any commercial vehicle which has an open carrying space, yet only requires a passenger license to drive. Whilst this is quite a broad definition, the classic Ute is easily identifiable. Whether it’s a coupe or a pickup truck, as long as it has a tray ready for carrying cargo, then it’s a Ute. In 1932 engineer Lewis Bandt was tasked with the job of designing a new vehicle for Ford. The story goes that a Gippsland farmer’s wife wrote a letter to Ford and requested them to create a revolutionary new car design, citing that she wanted a car to go church in on Sundays, but also one that could carry her pigs to market on Mondays. How could someone design a car with such versatility? Well 22 year old Bandt stepped up, and 2 years later, the first Ford Ute was unveiled to Australia. The original Ute was a huge success, being able to carry 1200 pounds (550kg) on a five foot tray. It was so successful that Ford went onto export the vehicle to the US market. Here the car was known as the ‘kangaroo chaser’. Whilst the Ute gave way to the more traditional pick-up truck in North America, its legacy lives on in Australia and New Zealand, and is now considered a vehicle of cultural significance. So why is this popular in Australia and New Zealand? Well, it may have something to do the fact that Ford Australia was the first company to manufacture them. Not only that, but their versatility worked so well in Australia providing users with an excellent motor vehicle to transport goods and still be used as an everyday run-around. Today, the two most popular makes of Utes are Holden and Ford, and their best selling models are only sold in Australia. Whilst Ford has the Falcon Ute, it is the Holden Commodore is probably the most famous type of Ute. Since its inception, the Ute has evolved and gone onto bigger and better things. Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) who specialise in performance have produced the world’s fastest Ute, the HSV Maloo R8. The latest version of the Maloo can hit 280 km/h in just under 4.8 seconds – pretty quick and pretty powerful, I’m sure you’ll agree. There are now a multitude of different makes and models that can be found worldwide. From Peugeot to Volkswagen and Fiat to Skoda, there’s a number of Utes that have been and gone. Even in 2011, BMW decided to get in on the action to develop the M3 Pickup, however this was a prototype. The hunger and need for Utes is evident worldwide, but they will live long in the memory down under, where they are hailed as the nation’s car. Competitions are held regularly in Australia, involving the best designs, fastest engines, and in the case of one small town in Western Australia, the largest number of dogs in the back of a Ute. This strange honour goes to the town of Corrigin who boast the world record of ‘the most dogs in a Ute’. As you can see, the Ute has made its way into the hearts of Australian’s, simply because of its durability, versatility and general functionality. Long may it continue.
Vincent Rogers is a copywriter for the online car sales industry and he recommends Cars4Sale Australia for
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Why is the Ute so popular in Australia?