MUSTANG MACH-E: FORD OPENS THE BOOKS

Forget Tesla. Forget MG EV. Ford’s Mustang Mach-E is almost on the boat. Due to arrive in Australian showrooms late this year, you can reserve your Mach-E now. Reservations, rather than orders, for the five-seat electric SUV can be made online from Wednesday this week – we’re not sure what the difference is? Although it shares a name with Ford’s famous pony car, that’s where any similarities end, we’re afraid. Mach-E is a completely different beast and sits on Ford’s Global Electrified 1 (GE1) platform, a heavily reworked version of… Read more

FORD EVEREST 2015 – 2021

Ford Everest is a large, rugged 4WD / SUV that’s been around in other countries since 2003 but didn’t arrive in Australia until the release of the third-generation model in late 2015. It’s built on the same platform as tough Ford Ranger making it a serious off-roader, unlike many in this class that look tough but are relatively soft. There are four variants: Ambiente, Trend, Sport and Platinum. The first two come with the choice of rear- or four-wheel drive the other two are RWD only. The entry-level Ambients have… Read more

NEW FORD F-150 – PRICING & SPECS

Ford Australia has announced pricing and specifications for the highly anticipated F-150 due to go on sale here in the second half of 2023. The F-150 will be remanufactured to right-hand drive by the Melbourne-based company RMA Automotive. It will come with the standard Ford five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty later this year and will be sold through the Ford nationwide dealer network. The new F-150 range will comprise four variants: XLT and Lariat each with the option of short (3683mm) or long (3987mm) wheelbases. The tray in the SWB models… Read more

FULL-SIZE F-150 UNDERGOES LOCAL TESTING

Ford continues to spruik the virtues of its ‘full-size’ utility cum pick-up F-150 due around the middle of next year. But you have to wonder whether Australia needs another hulking American pick-up on its roads, indeed whether it would be better off without any of its ilk? GMC’s Silverado and the Ram range of full-size trucks are already here and have been for some time. In fact, the F-150 itself is already, privately imported and converted to right-hand drive by Victoria’s Harrison F-Trucks as well as Queensland-based Performax International. Performax… Read more

FORD EVEREST SPORT V6

Ford recently updated its Everest with improvements to safety and comfort, so it was a good opportunity to carry out another road test and see what this popular model is like now. There are four variants: Ambiente, Trend, Sport and Platinum. The first two come with the choice of rear- or four-wheel drive the other two are RWD only. Our test vehicle was the Everest Sport with four-wheel drive. It has a recommend retail price of $69,090, to which on-road costs have to be added. STYLING Everest is a great… Read more

FORD MONDEO 2011 – 2020

Ford Mondeo is a European car aimed very much at the family market. They were sold as five-door hatches (also known as five-door sedans) and five-door station wagons. The wagons were popular as they are good load haulers. Ford Mondeo from the period being examined here had the Ford Sync infotainment systems. So even the base Mondeo LX has voice activated controls at a time when only upmarket European cars had the feature. Sync2 is installed from the 2015 models onwards. Ford also added Bluetooth connectivity as it was trying… Read more

RAPTOR FLIES IN FACE OF KEEN RIVALS

Driving the Ranger Raptor can give you a sore throat. Pull up, climb down and most likely someone will be standing there wanting you to fill them in on the workings of Ford’s super ute. There again, probably it was the sunset Sedona Orange duco of the test vehicle that had caught his or her eye. Generally, a long list of questions had to be answered before parting company with the onlooker of envious eye. Hence the driver’s dry throat. The last time this happened was years ago when a… Read more

FORD ECOSPORT 2013 – 2019

Ford EcoSport is a small SUV based on the Ford Fiesta, but with a taller body, added ground clearance and a trendy shape. The latter is a pleasant feature in this class of small SUVs, that sets it aside from the somewhat bland bodies of larger SUVs and 4WDs. As often happens on traditional 4WDs the EcoSport has its spare wheel mounted on the rear door. Which is handy on a smallish SUV because as boot volume is larger because the spare isn’t taking space under the floor. Poor design… Read more

NEW FORD MUSTANG

Ford has announced details of the upcoming new Ford Mustang. Saying that “The seventh generation is the most exhilarating and visceral yet, from its fighter jet-inspired digital cockpit to advanced turbocharged and naturally aspirated engines to its edgier yet still timeless exterior design.” Whether convertible or coupe, V8 or turbo-petrol four cylinder, manual or automatic, Mustang has options for multiple prices and performance levels. Ford Australia will add a special edition nameplate to the Mustang stable, Dark Horse. This is a street and track-capable performance Mustang with striking visual cues… Read more

FORD MUSTANG 2015 – 2021

Ford Mustang has been a big success on the Australian market and I see them pretty well every time I’m on the road. We will cover the Mustang from December 2015 when a new model was introduced in this Used Car Checkout. It comes in two versions, coupe and convertible, powered by either a 5.0-litre V8 or four- cylinder 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine, the former is typical 20th century gas guzzling muscle machines, the latter Ford’s provides environmentally conscious modern motoring. The 5.0-litre V8 featured lessons learned in developing the special-edition… Read more