1971 Ford F250 Reviews

The ‘it’ in the question is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute, with this week seeing the confirmation that the BYD Shark 6 will become the first PHEV ute available in Australia starting in October. But it’s likely to be followed relatively quickly by the Ford Ranger PHEV and GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV in 2025, giving Australia’s very large ute-buying population a new choice.

It may be the first of the more focused Mustang variants but the Dark Horse won’t be the last. Sitting somewhere between the old Mach-1 and GT350, it's the perfect place to start.

Has Ford’s global CEO just confirmed the new Bronco four-wheel-drive for Australia?

With many little tweaks and changes, the seventh-generation ‘S650’ Mustang is the most complete and refined ever. In GT guise, you get the 5.0-litre ‘Coyote’ V8 which remains the engine to take over the EcoBoost if you have the extra $13,000. 

Ford didn't clean-sheet the new Mustang, it shares a platform and many basic hard points with the previous model. But the EcoBoost's engine is allegedly 'all new' and, if you can get over the lack of V8, there’s plenty to like.

The rising popularity of jumbo pick-up trucks has caught the attention of the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).

“Jim, this is nothing like before…these guys are ahead of us.”

If there was any time Mustang should fall from relevance it's now. Yet Ford has invested in the seventh-generation car with more technology, more safety and fresh looks all without sacrificing the signature V8.

The Puma is now extinct in Australia, with Ford expected to cancel the battery electric vehicle (EV) version of the European small SUV for this market, at least for the foreseeable future.This is despite announcing plans nearly 18 months ago to release the Puma EV (dubbed Gen-E) by the end of this year, as part of five new EV models for Australia by the start of 2025.At the time, Ford also revealed that the regular petrol-powered versions of the Puma would be discontinued after stocks of the current model depleted.As only a handful of these remain in dealerships to date, it was thought that Australian consumers would only have to wait for a few months before given the chance to buy a new, cheaper electric Ford.However, a reader tipped us off otherwise earlier this week, after being told of the fate of the Puma Gen-E by a Ford dealer.Since then, it has also come to our attention that Ford’s public website has deleted all references to the electric Puma, prompting us to reach out to the company for clarification.While Ford Australia has declined to comment about the Gen-E’s future, a spokesperson did email CarsGuide the following statement:“The Puma page on the Ford website was removed as we clear the last remaining stock of the current model. We will share more details on Puma Gen-E later in the year,” it read.Given the Gen-E does not officially exist in production form anywhere in the world (the facelifted Puma that it is based on has only just had a European press launch), it seems Ford Australia may have to wait until after the EV version's global debut before announcing the series' now-uncertain future in this country.With stalling EV sales globally, the decision to drop the Puma altogether in Australia would not be a surprising one.We also understand that meeting anticipated European demand first – especially in markets that have punitive carbon-related taxes – may also play a role in the decision to back out of the Gen-E locally, should that happen.The electric Puma's expected cancellation here does also raise concerns over how Ford plans to meet next year’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (known as NVES).With the diesel-powered Ranger and Everest combined accounting for about 90 per cent of total volume, the Blue Oval may face some very heavy fines moving forward.Today, the only electrified vehicles in the local artillery are the slow-selling Mustang Mach-E and full-sized e-Transit, though the smaller e-Transit Custom is still set for a 2025 launch, alongside one more mystery EV if the company's 2023 announcement comes to fruition.But all, along with the Ranger plug-in hybrid EV (PHEV), will likely only be niche sellers at best.Speaking of the latter and its powertrain, Ford did offer the Escape PHEV midsized SUV for a brief period from 2022, until the whole series was shockingly dropped towards the end of last year.Should Ford import the Puma Gen-E to Australia? Do Blue Oval fans deserve an affordable and accessible EV? Let us know in the comments below.

Ford has debuted its ute of the future.