Ford News

Ford has just had a huge artificial intelligence (AI) reality check.AI is taking over everywhere, but Ford has just learnt the hard way it’s not here yet.The Blue Oval has performed a serious backtrack in the United States, rehiring many of its engineers than were supposed to be replaced by AI.A report in Bloomberg states the company has rehired more than 300 of its former quality inspectors."Artificial intelligence is a fantastic tool, but it's only as good as the information you use to train it," Vice President of Vehicle Hardware Engineering Charles Poon told the media."Over prior years, we didn't pay as much attention as we should have to the experience of our most knowledgeable engineers that have been with us through many product cycles.”Ford recently introduced 900 AI-powered cameras in its factories to detect quality issues at source, but it appears these haven't worked out as planned."Mistakenly, we thought that by just introducing artificial intelligence and ingesting the design requirements that we had, that would produce a high-quality product," Poon said.The rehired staff will improve AI technology and provide mentoring for younger workers.Ford is placing more emphasis on the experience of its engineers to assist in the inevitable AI transition.Chief Executive Officer Jim Farley recently said ‘expensive’ Ford Australia engineering jobs were at risk amid impending vehicle emissions fines.“It's amazing to me that no one notices that Toyota has like 10 engineers in the country, and Ford has got thousands,” Farley said earlier this year.“ needs to decide if they want to help us equalise the cost differential … because this is among the most expensive places to have engineers on the planet.”Ford reported its worst financial performance since the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, losing more than $11 billion in the fourth quarter of last financial year.It said electric vehicle asset value depreciation was at the heart of these heavy losses.

CarsGuide’s mission is to provide in-market car buyers with the independent information they need to make an informed purchase decision.Keeping enthusiasts up to date with the latest new model and industry news is also a key focus, as is providing advice across everything from technical and mechanical issues to legal questions and maintenance tips.  And after providing all that info, we have cars listed for sale on the site. Getting up towards 100,000 of them, each appearing on carsguide.com.au, as well as Gumtree and Autotrader.Every conceivable configuration across a million different brands. New vehicles as well as used cars, the latter category often including ‘pre-loved’ classics.And if you’ve ever thought about getting into the collector car hobby there’s a smorgasbord of interesting options in there.You can go all out and spend eye-watering sums on a special vehicle but there’s plenty of fun to be had on a relatively modest budget.Here are our top five classic collector car options currently available across our three-site portfolio for less than $50K.The original owner of this imposing sedan strolled into H.R. Owen’s South Kensington dealership in West London and drove away in a 6.75-litre V8-powered gentleman’s club on wheels. Lustrous Brooklands Green finish, tan Connolly hide and “flawless” burr walnut veneer trim. Maybe best not to think about maintenance and potential repair costs.More infoAt just over 5.2 metres long Ford’s fourth-gen Thunderbird is a big beastie, but the standard 6.4-litre (390ci) V8 keeps it flying at a decent clip. This left-hand drive US import arrived here in 2020 and its Tropical Turquoise finish with two-tone green trim makes for a sure-fire stand-out. Those vast tail-lights are peak 1960s US automotive styling decoration.More infoAs its name implies this BF Falcon-based MK II Boss 290 GT is powered by a quad-cam, naturally aspirated 5.4-litre V8 producing 290kW/520Nm. Number 244 of close to 1800 BF GTs produced, it features the ZF six-speed auto transmission rather than the Tremec T56 manual gearbox. A lot of modern muscle car for the money.   More infoThe V2 Series 3 Monaro is propelled by the 5.7-litre Gen III LS1 V8 originally delivering 245kW/465Nm to the rear wheels, in this case via the four-speed auto option. The black (full) leather trim looks to be in good shape with the car in standard condition (which isn’t always the case) including the stock 18-inch five-spoke alloy rims. More infoNeed a bit of V12-powered Japanese limousine luxury in your life? How about an impeccable Toyota Century for less than $40K? This second-gen (GZG50) example is fit to ferry an Emperor with rear seat heating, recline and massage functions as well as soft-close doors and hectares of ultra-soft leather trim. So much indulgent bang for the buck!More info

Fifty years ago, on July 1, 1976, the worst new Holden up to that point was released, the HX series. And everything changed.Not coincidentally, it was also the date that all new internal combustion engine vehicles except those under 850cc in capacity or with liquid petroleum gas had to comply with stricter emissions standards known as Australian Design Rule 27A (ADR27A).This law proved to be a nightmare for parent company General Motors-Holden’s (GMH) Ltd.With fuel consumption up, power down and prices jumping to cover the extra technology necessary to meet the new regulations over the preceding HJ series, Holden’s engineers struggled to make its 1960s-era engines cope with the required updates in what was the country’s best-selling car line since the early 1950s.Critics and road testers alike savaged the HX as a result, accusing Holden of being cynical and out of touch, though it managed to hang on to the top spot for 1976.“Perhaps we would be better off with dirty engines and improved driveability,” quipped Wheels magazine editor Peter Robinson.Unfortunately for GMH, three unexpected things also happened right around that time that led to fundamental shifts in consumer tastes.Firstly, Japan was ready to launch its next phase of world-beating passenger cars that could easily meet ADR27A, headed by the original Honda Accord that almost single-handedly elevated that country’s entire industry overnight.Others followed in its footsteps, including the Mazda 323 and Datsun Skyline.Yet it was the shock success of the Chrysler Sigma, supplied by Mitsubishi, that became GMH's second big setback, shooting up the charts to a podium finish soon after its 1977 launch, and stayed there for half a decade.The Sigma lured many former and would-be Holden owners away in droves, particularly from the brand's waning Torana and Sunbird models it competed directly against, and even cannibalised Chrysler’s own Valiant in the process. Sigma was an automotive phenomenon that led directly to the iconic Australian-developed Magna later on.And last but not least, arch-rival Ford, which had been nipping at the Holden’s heels with the Falcon since the XB Falcon snatched number one for just one month in late 1973, had pulled out all stops in making the succeeding XC series demonstrably superior. GMH certainly wasn't expecting that.While the change from HJ to HX was little more than a fussier grille, revised instrumentation and several other, mostly minor, alterations, Ford expensively reengineered its engines to make them better than before, not worse. And it also redesigned the Falcon's nose, tail, back doors and dashboard, for a far-fresher look and feel.Plus, the XC launched the Fairmont GXL sports/luxury flagship. In the spirit of the legendary Falcon GTs, contemporary reviewers declared it as one of the greatest Australian-made family cars to date.In stark contrast to the basting the HX endured, XC sales flourished, with the Falcon becoming Australia’s best-selling car in 1977, period – an achievement it managed again from 1981 through to 1989, signalling the start of Ford Australia’s halcyon days.Half a century after the HX’s painful birth, perspective shows us a company grappling to deal fast enough with rapid change – something that Holden would pay the ultimate price for by 2020.Yet, to GMH’s credit, the more-comprehensively changed HZ series that followed in October, 1977, addressed most of the HX’s issues, whilst leap-frogging the Falcon in both sales as well as a driver’s car, thanks to chassis tweaks marketed to great effect using a tagline borrowed from Pontiac in the US called Radial Tuned Suspension.A stunning turnaround, it restored the Holden to the top spot for 1978, in time for the smaller, Opel-based VB Commodore to turn the market on its ear leading into the 1980s.A brief hiccup then largely due to ADR27A, a total of 110,669 HXs were built. And though the series has long lived in the shadow of the massively popular HQ/HJ models before it and the beloved HZ afterwards, 50 years later, its appeal is palpable. Who wouldn't have one?As a colourful piece of Australian motoring history, recognition is deserved. If nothing else, the garish Monaro LE two-door coupe runout edition remains one of the most 1970s things ever to happen in local motoring folklore!And it was the first Holden that actively attempted to minimise its emissions impact. That’s got to be worth celebrating. Happy 50 birthday, Holden HX!

Ford’s utes are about to undergo one of the biggest changes ever with the brand’s boss turning to Formula 1 for help in competing with Chinese rivals. Ford’s global boss Jim Farley believes the key to his company's success lies in Formula 1 know-how, according to an interview with British motoring publication Autocar.“One of the biggest gifts that Formula 1 ever gave Ford was our skunkworks team in California. Almost every one of them either comes from Formula 1 or is a huge F1 fan," Farely told Autocar. Ford made a return to F1 in 2026 with a technical collaboration with Red Bull racing. The partnerships sees Ford co-develop hybrid powertrains for both the primary Red Bull and junior Racing Bulls teams.  That gives Ford access to the experience and know-how of the pinnacle of motorsport, and this has led to the formation of Ford's top-secret skunkworks - Universal EV.Based in California’s Silicon Valley, Universal EV has developed an electric vehicle platform that can be fitted into a range of vehicles from pick-ups to sedans, hatches and vans.While Ford hasn't confirmed all of the vehicles that will use the Universal EV platform, yet, it has released a teaser video of its design and engineering teams working on sketches of its upcoming small pick-up that’s expected to revive the Ranchero name.The missing piece of the puzzle, according to Farley, is aerodynamics which will allow smaller batteries to be used. And this is where he wants more F1 input into the skunkworks program. But, it's not proving easy."It turns out that finding people who love motorsport who want to 'build a buffet in Vegas' – a $30,000 EV that's nice-looking and fun to drive - is hard," he told Autocar."A lot of people want to stay in F1 and the challenge is picking people from motorsport who can actually design a breakthrough product. But when people see what we did with this skunkworks, they will say: 'Wow, that's cooler engineering than a hypercar. They will be shocked."The reference to a $30,000 EV by Farley hints at the small pick-up which Ford says it hopes to sell for the same price.The pick-up will be a smaller sibling to the F-150 Lightning Ford and will likely use the Universal EV platform, with a possible 2027 launch.Whether it makes it to Australia is another question. That might only be possible if the vehicle is produced in right-hand drive for markets such as the United Kingdom.We might not see the Ranchero arrive in Australia anytime soon but the Universal EV platform will likely underpin other Ford models to be sold locally.This is not the first time Farley has pivoted Ford's direction in the hope of surviving the threat posed by the popularity of affordable and high-tech Chinese vehicles.In 2024, Farley declared to British publication Car Magazine that Ford was ”getting out of the boring car business and into the iconic-vehicle business”.Although in the same year he also told the Guardian, “We have to start to get back in love with smaller vehicles. It’s super important for our society and for EV adoption.”In 2025 Farley announced that he wanted Ford to be "the Porsche of off-road”, referencing the brand's involvement with off-road racing and applying that skill and engineering to its adventurous vehicles.Currently Ford has a limited number of models in its Australian range, with the Mustang sports car, Ranger ute and Everest SUV bringing in the lion's share of sales.

Fuel prices in Australia are about to rise again. The federal government has announced the Fuel Excise cut will continue at a lower rate until the start of August.The original 50 per cent discount equated to 32 cents per litre off fuel prices, but this was due to end on the 30th of June.The government will now extend a smaller discount of 16 cents per litre until the 2nd of August. This announcement means fuel prices will increase across the board in addition to any other fluctuations from external factors. A 16 cent increase will see diesel fuel prices increase back above the $2 per litre mark across the country, having been more than $3 per litre at times over the past few months. The diesel-powered Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux utes remain two of the best-selling cars in Australia.E10 petrol will also creep up towards the $2 point as a result of this decreased discount. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has not ruled out further extensions to the Fuel Excise discount in the future if circumstances require it. "Of course we do live in a volatile world. Were there to be a massive global shock, my government will always respond,” Mr Albanese told Sky News. The news comes as rumours of an end to the Iran war heat up, with the conflict being the key driver of high fuel prices. There is still no freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz - the key gateway for many ships carrying oil globally.It has seen electric vehicle uptake in Australia soar, with budget Chinese options like the Jaecoo J5 EV and Geely EX5 growing by more than 200 per cent between May and June 2026. Tesla experienced a record-breaking month in May, shifting 6433 units - its highest sales number since the Electric Vehicle Council started collecting data. The government will also increase the Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge to 16 cents per litre, with it being free since April. 

Ford has launched a teaser site for its upcoming electric ute, a smaller sibling to the F-150 Lightning.Due in 2027, the apparently mid-size ‘truck’ has been spied testing numerous times, and a QR code on some versions of the new model’s camouflage can be scanned, leading you to a site called ‘You Spotted a Unicorn’.The section of Ford’s US website shows behind-the-scenes footage of the new model’s development and planning, with links to be kept in the loop when more information comes to hand.US outlets have been spending time trying to discern what the new ute’s interior might look like based on the exterior footage, or how closely related the new model will be to the existing Ford Maverick ute.It will be built on the Universal Electric Vehicle platform, and Ford gave a possible hint to its name in the statement that said “the herd arrives next year” on the site alongside “we’re testing this prototype early”.Use of the word ‘herd’ could suggest an animal name. The first one that often comes to mind for ‘herd’ is ‘Buffalo’ but that’s also the name of a car in the Grand Theft Auto universe - conveniently one that mixes influence from the Ford Mustang and Dodge Charger.Rumours also abound that Ford will revive the Ranchero name, which had previously been used on a car-based ute. and generally applies to someone who works on a cattle ranch.What is expected of the new model is a more affordable entry point into Ford’s EV ute family, with the F-150 Lightning being much larger. The new ute is expected to be smaller than the Ford Ranger.The development of the new model is so different to previous undertakings by Ford that there’s even a new team dedicated to its planning.“We recruited the most technically skilled and creative professionals from inside and outside Ford to drive a radical change in how we develop an electric vehicle,” said Ford boss Jim Farley last year.“The work of this highly talented team has evolved into a critical enabler of our electric vehicle strategy. These electric vehicles will be lower cost, and not compromised in any way.”Ford is aiming for a starting price around US$30,000, or just over A$40,000 when directly converted.

Ford’s revolutionary ute is coming closer to a reality as prototypes have been spotted testing.Ford’s new electric ute has been spotted testing by US outlet Autopian in California.The dual-cab ute is heavily camouflaged, but it is believed to be smaller than the Maverick, which is an SUV-based ute in the US a size under the Ranger.The new ute is ditching a ladder frame chassis for a new EV platform that will be more SUV-like. This means it won’t be a heavy-hauler or rock crawler, but an urban workhorse designed to carry logs and timber rather than a boat.Images of the tray show a small cargo area, closer in size to what was available in a Holden Commodore or Ford Falcon ute.The new brand-defining ute is likely to be called Ranchero, with the name trademarked in Australia for use on a pick-up truck. It’s also a throwback to an old car-based ute from the US discontinued in the late 1970s.Ford is so serious about its new electric ute that it has assembled an entire “skunkworks” team in California to develop the new low cost electric vehicle platform which will underpin it.“We recruited the most technically skilled and creative professionals from inside and outside Ford to drive a radical change in how we develop an electric vehicle,” said Ford boss Jim Farley last year. “The work of this highly talented team has evolved into a critical enabler of our electric vehicle strategy. These electric vehicles will be lower cost, and not compromised in any way.”The upcoming ute is believed to be the first vehicle to be built on this platform, with a launch date set for 2027. Other bodystyles will also be spun-off from it.Ford is aiming for a circa-US$30,000 (A$42,600) price tag.These small SUV-based utes are the must have item overseas right now.Ford’s Maverick is a smash hit in the US, BYD is preparing its Mako to sit under the Shark 6 and Toyota’s Corolla Cross-based ute has been seen testing in South America recently.

Utes are the biggest segment in the Australian car market and have been for years.Among those utes have been some consistently successful ones, but there is a new era emerging to threaten the established pack.Fleets and private buyers are more closely considering the running costs of a predominantly diesel-powered segment.Electrified alternatives are increasingly, but will we see the established pack dislodged this year? With five months worth of sales data to look at, here are the best-selling utes in Australia predicted for 2026. There will be no surprises the Ford Ranger is still sitting at the top of this list. It continues to hold the title for the best-selling ute in Australia, despite a year-on-year decrease. Ford has already shifted more than 20,000 units, which is more than any other rival so far.The Ranger recently saw the popular 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel variant phased out, with Ford providing a cheaper single turbo unit as well as wider availability of the popular 3.0-litre V6 engine, and the brand has also added a range of unique Super Duty variants to bolster its line-up.The HiLux has also held onto its second-place spot up to April and will be expected to carry on this momentum, despite it, too, experiencing year-on-year drops. It still holds a clear lead over the rest of the chasing pack, with more than 17,000 sales so far this year, no doubt helped along by the arrival of the new-generation version late last year. Toyota will launch an electric version of the HiLux later on this year, to complement the current diesel-only range.BYD’s plug-in hybrid ute has well and truly garnered the attention of buyers, especially in a market where fuel prices are a primary consideration.The Shark 6 was one of the only utes to experience growth in 2025 and it has carried on this form into this year, and is on track to surge past the Isuzu D-Max in the coming months.With more than 6000 sales already in 2026, the ute is BYD’s second-best selling model, highlighting its importance to the brand’s top-two spot for April.BYD has added two new variants to the Shark 6 in 2026. A cab-chassis, and a new performance variant, which pushes towing capacity up to 3500kg.These new variants could open up new buyers for the ute Down Under, and push it up the standings further.The D-Max ute has sold steadily compared to April 2025, 4x2 variants picking up a solid boost so far, while the 4x4 variants are down. Based on its more than 8000 sales so far, we can expect the D-Max to stay on track for a finish in the top five, even though the Mitsubishi Triton is fast approaching. An electric version of the D-Max is also not out of the question for the brand, with it recently launching in Thailand alongside mild hybrid variants.The Triton has experienced a resurgent run on the sales charts so far in 2026, with more than 8000 sales, compared to around 7000 up to May 2025.Based on this start, you can expect the Triton to be in around the top places again come the end of the year. Mitsubishi recently unveiled a hardcore version of the ute called the Triton Raider, which has received specific tuning from Aussie engineering company Premcar. It is not a limited edition, and the brand is no doubt hoping it will help continue its renewed push up the sales charts.

The evolution of the current T6.2 Ford Ranger continues with the introduction of a two-seat version of the Double Cab in the UK.According to Ford, “The Ranger Double Cab 2-Seat features a robust bulkhead behind the seats, aluminium panels in place of glass windows, a new loadspace liner and heavy-duty floor with anchor points — creating an ideal storage area for toolboxes and work equipment.”It appears to be a work around for those who want more load capacity and might otherwise choose a single-cab ute from a competitor.And significantly, in April 2025 British tax law changed to classify double cab pick-ups as ‘cars’ rather than ‘vans’ which meant they became ineligible for a benefit-in-kind (BIK) concession.Ford said this new, even more commercially focused model is “engineered for the carrying of goods” which will allow customers to claim 100 per cent plant and machinery allowance and apply the flat rate company van BIK.And Ford isn’t alone in the creation of such specialist variants for UK consumption.Commercial ‘Hard Top’ versions of the Land Rover Defender are taxed at the heavily discounted flat van rate, as is a similar version of the Dacia Duster LPG Bi-Fuel.The Ranger Double Cab 2-Seat has launched in the UK in Wildtrak specification, which Ford UK said is “by far the most popular with customers” in PHEV and diesel form.It’s worth noting Ford claims Ranger has been Europe's best-selling pickup for 11 consecutive years and a launch statement added, “We have plans to broaden the (2-seat) offering later this year and beyond.“This new model is testament to our dedication to provide a Ranger for everyone and every use case, and our commitment to keep evolving the Ranger line-up to provide solutions that work hard for our hard-working customers — including models specifically configured for carrying goods,” it said.CarsGuide contacted Ford Australia for comment on whether the Ranger Double Cab 2-Seat is a prospect for local sale and a spokesperson confirmed it is a UK-only model.

Not all utes are created equal, with some better suited to the city and some destined for the wild, but all are suited to a life of hard work.A monocoque chassis based ute, which uses the same underpinnings as an SUV or sedan, delivers more responsive and comfortable driving dynamics and can carry a load, but aren't suited to heavy off-roading. The iconic Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore utes are prime examples.A ladder framed ute, which underpins the utes of choices these days such as the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux, are better suited to off-roading and hard work, but can be a chore to drive around town.These utes have become the predominant ute on sale in Australia, but over in the US conventional car/SUV-based utes are thriving.Ford has shown just how popular these vehicles can be with its Maverick SUV and it has got other brands dreaming up competitors.Australia could be the perfect target market for these lifestyle-focused vehicles. They also open the door to more electric or hybrid options.KGM's electric Musso is one example of a monocoque ute already here, but let's look at some of the ones that could be on the way next.Ford MaverickThe Maverick has proved so successful in the US, it even outsells the bigger Ranger ute, which has dominated the Aussie sales charts for years.It sits on the same platform as Ford’s Escape SUV, which left Aussie showrooms a few years ago. It is powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and hybrid set-up, producing 142kW, while there is also a slightly more powerful 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine option.There remains limited prospects of the Maverick’s arrival in Australia, with its huge popularity causing a backlog of orders, meaning there is insufficient supply to launch it globally.Toyota RAV4-based uteToyota has been plotting to introduce a monocoque-based ute for some time, but new details have just been revealed about what shape the ute could take. It was recently confirmed that it would be based on the RAV4, which is one of the best-selling small SUVs in Australia. “But for the compact truck? Definitely, we have such demand,” Toyota’s North American Chief Executive Officer Tetsuo Ogawa said in a recent overseas interview.“A RAV4-based pickup is an opportunity for us, and the dealers are waiting.“Maybe they say we need today or tomorrow, but it takes time.”As has been the case with this ute, it appears to be a matter of timing for Toyota, but regardless the launch of a potential monocoque ute for the brand remains several years away.  Chery T1TP ConceptMomentum for a monocoque ute from Chery has gathered steam since the brand unveiled its P1TP concept late last year. While there are no official details on how the ute will look, or what will power it, when it launches, we know the local Australian division of Chery is eager to bring it onboard. “There have been some type approval documents and that sort of thing that people have found, which has the monocoque chassis P1TP ute,” Chery Chief Operating Officer Lucas Harris told CarsGuide. “It is absolutely something we are interested in. I think there is an interesting market for that.”Any launch of this ute will come after the arrival of the much-anticipated diesel plug-in hybrid ‘KP31’ coming later this year, before a petrol PHEV variant next year. BYD monocoque uteBYD’s monocoque ute is further along the line than many of its rivals, with it already being spotted in spy shots just last month. It is expected to use a plug-in hybrid set-up, but differing from the one on the game-changing Shark 6 ute, which has been a resounding success in Australia so far. The PHEV set-up is not going to be the same one as on the Shark 6, but it is anticipated to mirror the Sealion 6 mid-size SUV.The global branch of BYD previously poured cold water on the prospects of a smaller ute Down Under to sit under the Shark 6, but its success might have changed minds.The Shark 6 is built on a ladder frame, so this ‘Baby Shark’ could compliment nicely especially if it could get in ahead of approaching rivals.  Ram RampageRam has confirmed production and timings for a compact pick-up, rumoured to ride on a monocoque chassis. It is expected to be based on the Rampage currently on sale in South America, coming petrol and diesel variants. There is no official news on whether this ute would ever be on the cards for Australia, but we know the local branch is keen on adding a ute to its portfolio. Geely RadarGeely is another Chinese with a monocoque ute, and its already on sale in New Zealand, but don't expect to see it Australia any time soon.The ute is available with plug-in hybrid and fully-electric set-ups, producing up to 315kW.Geely Australia Chief Executive Officer Alex Gu recently told CarsGuide while the brand will introduce a ute Down Under, the Radar was not the solution.“So Geely, we fully study the customer demand, and provide exactly or even beyond what the customer is expecting of them otherwise," Gu said“For the ute, just like Ranger or HiLux or Shark 6, these have a different character, so we must benchmark those ‘star’ models."