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First it was the Sherrin footy, then the Akubra hat. Now it's the turn of the iconic ute to lose its local identity.
Weeks after it was revealed Sherrin had dumped its Victorian leather supplier, and Akubra was ditching Australian rabbit skins, News Corp Australia can now reveal no local car company will produce a vehicle called a "ute" when the Falcon ute finishes production next year.
Ford will instead opt for the term "pick-up" for its Ranger replacement, while Holden, although not keen to comment, appears to have resisted labelling its Colorado a ute, instead calling it a "truck" in marketing material.
Ford invented the utility vehicle in 1934, giving the world the term "the ute"
Japanese, German and Chinese makers have no qualms in calling their vehicles utes.
The move is all the more drastic for Ford, which invented the utility vehicle in 1934, giving the world the term "the ute".
Ford brand communications manager Neil McDonald said the traditional Falcon "ute" and its successor, the newer Ranger "pick-up" were different vehicles.
"As far as Ford is concerned, a ute in the traditional sense has a monocoque chassis, where the body is part of the chassis," he said.
Mazda, Volkswagen and Great Wall use the term ute, despite their vehicles being the same style as the Ranger and Colorado.
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