Queensland company Performax International has secured the rights to convert and distribute Ford F-Series pick-up trucks to Australian Design Rule standard, beginning with the F-250 from this August. And its general manager Glenn Soper told me by phone from the company's headquarters in Gympie (roughly a two-hour drive north of Brisbane) that buyers in New Zealand are … [Read more...] about Right-hook Ford pick-ups for Oz – but ‘Kiwis are welcome’
Ford
Ford future: rebadged Ranger SUV to challenge Holden Colorado
Ford Australia has begun to wind down car production at its plants in Melbourne, 28 months out from ending its long-time manufacturing role across the ditch. It is now making 83 Falcons and Territory SUVs a day, a line rate down 50 vehicles since January. The departure of workers taking the volunteer redundancy packages is matching that of lower production at its … [Read more...] about Ford future: rebadged Ranger SUV to challenge Holden Colorado
May sales: Suzuki Swift the most popular new car
The Suzuki Swift was the best-selling new passenger car in New Zealand in May, trumping long-time front-runner the Toyota Corolla. There wasn’t much in it, the Swift (above) and Corolla each sharing four per cent of the segment but Swift recording 272 registrations to Corolla’s 241. In third place was the Mazda CX-5 with 230 units, a continuing reflection of the strong SUV … [Read more...] about May sales: Suzuki Swift the most popular new car
New Mustang gets special brake function for ‘burn-outs’
The new Ford Mustang will come with a special ‘burn-out’ feature when it arrives in New Zealand next year. But the so-called electric ‘line-lock’ function (above) is not for use on public roads, says the Ford marketing people, but for racetrack or dragstrip use only. (We can’t wait for the Tui billboard). The push of a button locks the car’s front brakes, enabling the … [Read more...] about New Mustang gets special brake function for ‘burn-outs’
Salute to famous Falcon GT: NZ to get 50 Final edition models
One of the most iconic names in Downunder motoring returns later this year with the special-edition Falcon GT, the last car from Ford’s go-fast arm before the carmaker shuts down its production plant in Australia in 2016. It will be called the GT-F – the F denoting Final – and Ford Performance Vehicles has limited production to 550 units, of which 50 are destined for sale in … [Read more...] about Salute to famous Falcon GT: NZ to get 50 Final edition models