The great Aussie ute has evolved

Mark Schneider | 22/11/2016 8:21:46 AM

The impending demise of Australia’s domestic vehicle manufacturing has also heralded the end of an original Australian contribution to the motoring world – the traditional Aussie utility or ute. But the great Aussie ute isn’t dead, it’s simply evolved into something a little different and even more practical. The genesis of the Aussie ute dates back to a letter written to Ford by a farmer’s wife in 1933. Sadly her name’s been lost to motoring history, b...

Ford Falcon has come a long, long way

Mark Schneider | 4/11/2016 9:12:33 AM

The last Ford Falcon to roll off the production line at the Broadmeadows plant put an end to 91 years of manufacturing history for Ford in Australia. It also ended the remarkable 56 year run of the Ford Falcon, which began with the American designed XK in 1960 and ended 3,578,689 Falcons later with the FG X Falcon XR6. Falcon sedans and wagons were family favourites for generations of Australians, selling in huge numbers and locked in a battle with Holden for market dominance. For many of...

Ford's Australian Influence is Here to Stay

Mark Schneider | 15/07/2016 9:33:44 AM

The end of Ford Australia’s car production may be just months away but Ford Australia’s Research and Development and Product Development team will be playing a major role in developing new products world-wide. In doing so, the company will become Australia’s biggest automotive sector employer from next year, according to Ford. After its last cars have left the production line Ford’s Broadmeadows, Victoria plant will be transformed into its Asia-Pacific Product Deve...

Americans can't get enough of their big utes

Mark Schneider | 24/03/2016 9:07:14 AM

Everything’s big in America – especially those utes. One of the myths about the collapse of the American auto industry in the global financial crisis is that it was largely brought about by manufacturers sticking to huge gas-guzzling dinosaurs that no one wanted. The sales figures for 2015 should go a long way to dispelling that idea. The top three places are filled by the Ford F-Series, the Chevrolet Silverado and Dodge’s Ram 1500-3500. They’re all crew-cab utes (or p...

How cost competitive are cars in Australia?

David Michie | 18/02/2016 9:09:33 AM

How much do motor vehicles cost in Australia compared with other countries? Is it true that luxury cars are much more expensive than in other countries? Or is that just a pre-mining boom urban myth? The Fleetcare team decided to investigate these questions on your behalf. Using the most reliable new car price guides we could find for five different countries – Australia, USA, UK, Germany and South Africa – and armed with exchange rates courtesy of the Reserve Bank of Australia...

SUV’s a hit in the wilds of Europe

Mark Schneider | 16/02/2016 8:00:00 AM

Australians love their SUVs. We’ve taken to them with gusto, with SUVs now comprising approximately one-in-three new car sales across the land. Whether it’s the promise of getaways in the outback or their sheer family-friendly practicality, it seems Aussies can’t get enough of them. But we’re not alone. Europeans have also taken to them with relish, finding 4WD’s the perfect choice for tackling the great outdoors of London, Berlin, Paris, Rome and beyond. In ...

Forced marriages, bits on the side and strange couplings - anything goes in modern motor manufacturing

Mark Schneider | 1/02/2016 8:00:00 AM

Vehicle manufacturing used to be such a polite, staid and straightforward affair with particular brands flying the flag for their home country, competing against one another and exporting to the world. Well times have changed – and how! Modern vehicle manufacturing is all about forced marriages, shifting liaisons, polygamy and other unlikely couplings between the manufacturers. Take Fiat, for example. The hot-blooded Italian, is now part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, an unlikely...

Wheeling in the years series - Ford Falcon flew high in the 80s

Mark Schneider | 27/01/2016 8:00:00 AM

It took Ford 22 years to knock Holden off the perch as Australia’s top selling car, but in 1982 the Falcon edged out the Commodore and retained top spot for the next seven years. Between them the Falcon and the Commodore shared a quarter of the market for new cars in 1982. That may sound impressive, but it was a huge drop from the early 1960s where six-out-of-10 Australian cars were either Holdens or Fords. Ford and Holden executives today, however, would probably kill for the s...

Record car sales defy slowing economy

Mark Schneider | 21/01/2016 8:00:00 AM

Australia’s economy may be slowing but you wouldn’t know it from the new car sales. In 2015 we bought new cars in record numbers – 1,155,408 of them in fact. Australians are really taking to the range of new models with their features and comforts in one of the world’s most competitive car markets. The high level of choice in the Australian new car market is delivering Australian consumers’ access to high-quality vehicles at record affordability levels,&r...

Ford Falcon XR8 vs Santa’s sleigh

Mark Schneider | 15/12/2015 11:53:32 AM

Christmas is looming and the excitement is building around the world with children eagerly anticipating Santa’s arrival with presents for all. He’s been doing the job for centuries now, using the same old faithful sleigh with Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen putting in the hard yards with the reindeer power up front, with occasional help from young Rudolph. Perhaps after all those countless Christmas deliveries it’s time for Santa to ...

Wheeling in the years series - American Giant, Ford, enters the market during the 1960's

Mark Schneider | 14/12/2015 10:31:24 AM

If Holden reigned as the undisputed king of the 1950s Australian car market, the 1960s saw the start of real competition when that other American giant, Ford, entered the market with the Falcon. It was the start of a protracted battle for the hearts and minds of Australian motorists that was to last for decades, sparking many bar room debates. Ford Falcon First Released November 1960 Ford released the Falcon in November 1960 but its first offering, the XK, was blighted with reliab...

Wheeling in the years series - Holden and Ford still top of the pops in the 1970s

Mark Schneider | 27/10/2015 8:00:00 AM

In the 1970s Abba were top of the charts, the kids were glued to the new colour TVs watching Countdown every weekend and Holden was telling us that “we love football, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars” in one of the most annoying advertising jingles of the decade. It was largely true, however, with Aussies remaining loyal to General Motors until 1977 when the Ford Falcon finally knocked Holden’s Kingswood/Premier combination off the top of the perch. The battle be...

Australians still love their SUVs

Mark Schneider | 2/09/2015 3:08:10 PM

Australians’ love of SUVs shows no signs of cooling if the latest new car sales figures are any indication. While sales grew by around 3% overall in July 2015, SUV sales were up by no less than 13.4% for the month, contributing to an overall increase of 13.7% year-on-year. Where once sedans such as the Falcon or Commodore, or perhaps their station wagon equivalents, were the natural choice for the family’s set of wheels, today the SUV seems the natural choice. So what&...

Most searched car brands in Australia for 2014

Jess Wallace | 9/01/2015 1:48:29 PM

When in the market to purchase a new vehicle, and you are looking up vehicle specs and prices, the easiest and most efficient way to find this information is to Google it. When we need information about a topic, turning to Google is now embedded into us as a way to find information quickly. Searching Google for the most popular cars can be a great way to start your new car research. Do you know which car brands were the most searched in 2014 in Australia? We decided to compa...

Geneva Motor Show 2014 Highlights

Kirsten Brent | 24/03/2014 3:45:56 PM

The famous Geneva Motor Show just wrapped up in the Swiss city, running from the 6th to the 16th of March 2014. Geneva is one of the biggest events on the automotive calendar, with many major car makers unveiling new models and concept cars. We take a look at some of our favourite cars from Geneva, and some of the new cars that will be shaping our driving future. Audi TT Update and TT Quattro Sport Concept One of the most anticipated debuts from Geneva was undoubtedly that of the new ...