An Aussie Icon- The UTE

A national flag, a national anthem, a national plant:  symbols that can fill a patriot’s heart with pride. Every country has its national treasures. Australia has a nationwide love affair with its national vehicle, the ute.

The ute is as Australian as a Didgeridoo and the Hills Hoist and you can count the Australian towns without one on one hand. What are the origins of the ute and where did the classic utility vehicle come from?  How did it become the ‘Vegemite’ of the Car Industry?

Smart And Practical

The original coupé utility was designed by Ford in 1934. In legend, it was created by Ford in response to a letter from a Victorian farmer’s wife for a vehicle suitable for traveling to church on Sunday and taking sheep to market on Monday. If you are also using UTE and facing any kind of problem with it, then you can purchase your commodore UTE performance parts from goblackops.com.au/collections/holden-commodore-vx-vz/products/holden-commodore-vx-vz-5-7-6-0l-v8-header-kit.

The origin of the Holden SS Ute

Although the original ute inspired by this letter was designed by Australian Lew Bandt, pick-up trucks (which are somewhat similar) had been sold around the Pacific for about a decade beforehand.

Holden got in on the act in the 1950s. It wasn’t long with Holden and Ford competing that the two-door passenger car with a tray at the back become commonplace, particularly in rural areas.

As a result, Australia’s ute has become a legend, celebrated in country songs and hundreds of ute musters. BMW recently even got in on the act creating a spoof ute vehicle, to celebrate April Fools’ Day.

Ultimate Practical Utility

Driven by everyone from plumbers to pineapple farmers, utes are the great workhorses of the Australian motor scene. Taking out a car loan to buy one can be a great investment for small business owners, as they combine flexible transportation with a comfortable ride.

Holden’s HSV Maloo with its powerful V8 engine has broken the speed record for a utility vehicle at 271 km/h.