The Blue Oval doesn’t really have a comparable model to import, so it will leave a big gap in its range
Ford had made it clear that it was significantly trimming its domestic manufacturing operations in Australia before it finally shut everything down on October 7, 2016. The announcement was made three years ago, and now that we’re mere months away from it, they’ve started ceasing model assembly.
According to Motoring, Two days ago, the last Falcon pickup or ute rolled off the Melbourne plant production line, marking the end of a model nameplate that had been present in the country since the ‘80s; the company itself has actually been manufacturing cars in Australia since 1925!
The Ford ute was a kind of hero car for the Aussie public, so chances are the last one ever made, a white XR6, will become sought-after collectible over time.
Ford will not directly replace its Falcon lineup with models manufactured elsewhere, but speculation suggests North American market models may be imported to fill the newfound void in the range. It will be interesting to see how the market reacts, as local buyers undoubtedly appreciated the fact that Ford made these cars in Australia and also the long history the company had in the country.