The Long & Colourful History of the Ute in Australia

It all started way back in the 1930s, when the coupe utility design was born; a style of vehicle that quickly took on the name ‘ute’, which every Aussie would know. There are differences between a ute and a truck, which we outline in this short blog, while also relaying the history of this classic vehicle. 

The birth of the ute

It was said to have started in 1932 when a farmer’s wife wrote a letter to Ford asking them to make a vehicle that could be driven to church on Sundays and be used to take pigs to the market on Mondays. In those times, Sunday service was an important social event, and farmers needed a vehicle that was neither a car nor a truck and was suitable for a range of purposes.

The first ute

It only took 2 years from receiving the letter for Ford to create the first ute in 1934; 500 units were built, and it didn’t take long for GM to join the party. By 1948, GM introduced the Holden, a model that sold close to 50,000 units, and the next major change came in 1971, when Holden created a vehicle with a longer wheelbase, which was designed to accommodate heavier loads. Of course, this was far removed from what we have today, with an aluminium canopy and all the other modern features.

Opel Commodore

In 1978, Opel introduced their Commodore, which used less fuel, which was their answer to the global oil shortages that occurred during that time. Holden kept their HZ and WB models in production until 1984.

In 1990, Holden returned to the ute market, while Ford never left and kept making utes to service the growing demand for this unique vehicle. At this time, the Holden Commodore came with many options, with V6 and V8 engine options and longer wheelbases. If you are looking to enjoy a camping holiday in Australia, check out this informative blog.

In 1999, the AU Falcon model was finally launched, which was an instant hit, although it was no longer a ute, as it had a separate load bed, making it technically a pickup. The Falcon ute continued in production until 2016, with many different variations for engines and chassis.

Ford Australia made their final ute in July 2016, after 84 years of producing this iconic vehicle that is exclusively Australian. They made close to 500,000 units up until 2016, and there is a huge ute market even today, where vehicles are customised, making them classic cars.

Aussie farmers grew a firm attachment to the ute, and this iconic vehicle quickly became part of Australian culture, where it will always have a special place in Australian history. You can still see utes on the road in Australia, and some are simply stunning; the classic car world found a place for the ute, and there are shows all over the country.