FORD FALCON UTE XR8 TICKFORD

Ford makes this slick Falcon Ute in Australia. No, it has nothing to do with the old Ford Falcon available in the US back in the 1960’s. It gets the “Ute” designation because with the pick-up bed in the back it offers more utility than the sedan version.

This two-seat, rear-drive car is powered by a 5.0 L V-8 with 268 hp, and it’s fast! It will run from 0-60 mph in 7 seconds. It’s a blast to drive. It corners like it’s on rails. And it turns heads everywhere it goes.

This is the XR8 Tickford model. The XR designation is the nomenclature that Ford of Australia uses to indicate its highest performance models. The “8” in XR8 indicates its powered by a V-8. Tickford is a private company that races Falcons in Australia and provides Ford with performance parts. Some of the notable performance-related items on this car include:

·          roller rocker arms

·          high flow exhaust extractors

·          4-wheel disc brakes

·          17-inch alloy wheels

·          low profile P235/45 ZR17 tires

·          limited slip differential

·          “Adaptive Shift” strategy with 4-speed automatic

·          leather Momo steering wheel

·          quad halogen headlamps

·          chrome roll bar

In Australia this package, complete with air conditioning, AM/FM/CD and power everything costs about US$25,000. That’s quite a bargain, especially considering there’s nothing like it in the American market.

Ford says it can’t import the Falcon Ute because it’s a truck-type vehicle that would get hit with a 25% import tax. But Toyota got around this tax on its pick-up truck for years by making the pick-up bed in California, importing the truck from Japan, and assembling the two in the U.S. Since local assembly was involved, it avoided the import tax. We think Ford could do the same thing.

So, what do you think? Would you want to buy a car like this? Should Ford import the Falcon Ute to the US? Let us know of your opinion!  Email us at viewermail@blueskyproductions.tv