Ute. What is? Well, first, Ute is short for utility cutoff. Basically it is a car in the front and a truck in the rear. Apart from a few models in the United States, these vehicles have only been produced and driven in Australia.

In the early 1900s, the first trucks were open cabs along with an open bed. This first truck was like a rectangular ship on wheels. Banks at the time lent money to farmers for trucks, but not for cars with a roof. On rainy days, the farmer and his family got wet. In a famous letter from a Victorian farmer’s wife to Ford of Australia, he expressed his need for a “vehicle that can take the family to church on Sunday and the pigs to market on Monday.” Since automobiles were a luxury item for the wealthy, the farmer’s wife wanted a vehicle “for the rest of us.” Thus was born the Ute.

In Australia and the United States, cars like Audi, BMW, and Mercedes are part of the dress code for bankers, directors, salespeople, and all kinds of top managers. The Ute continues to be the vehicle for the rest of us. From the late 1950s to the late 1980s, Utes were produced in the United States. The Camino was built in the United States from 1959 to 1987 and the Ford Ranchero from 1957 to 1979. Although the Ute is no longer available to Americans, they are still very popular in Australia. From street machines to off-road rally cars, owners customize, race and display their Utes. The popularity of the Ute for “all men” in Australia is very similar to the popularity of the Mustang in the United States.

New utes are still being manufactured in Australia. Holden, a car producer in Australia, makes a Ute named Maloo, who happens to be Aboriginal for “thunder”. Ford of Australia still produces the Falcon, which also comes in a Ute version. Toyota of Australia also makes a new Ute called TRD HiLux. These vehicles have the front and cab of a sports sedan and the rear of a station wagon. The Ute is the best of both worlds.

When you think of a pickup truck, you may think of slowing down from 0 to 60 times and most of the time it’s not that much fun on the road. That is not true for Ute. Think of the Ute not as a “utility” but as a “sports truck.” The Holden Maloo R8 has over 400 horsepower and will go from 0 to 60 in about 5 seconds. The Ford Falcon XR8 Ute makes about 350 horsepower and 0-60 in about 7 seconds. Instead of comparing the Ute to a pickup, try comparing it to a muscle car.

For one of its 2010 models, GM planned to introduce a Ute version of the Pontiac G8 for Americans. Unfortunately, GM went bankrupt and, through a series of reforms, Pontiac was phased out along with plans for an American sports truck. Perhaps there is hope for a new El Camino in the years to come. I emailed GM regarding my interest in the Ute and asking about an American sports truck. In the response I received from the email to GM, the marketing representative told me that decisions regarding vehicles depend on the market. With more interest in these vehicles in the United States, we could have ours. We already love our trucks and we love our cars, I think America is ready for the two to come together. Why not America?

To learn more about Ute and what it can do, watch this video from the BBC’s Top Gear show. Start watching in 4 minutes just for Maloo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07qAY6eyMOM