Aussie V8
The whole concept of a sports or premium ute seems to have had an inbuilt contradiction, but there’s no denying the idea has been a huge success in this country.
You can trace it back to Sandman and Drifter, while the 2000s-on saw an explosion in the local offerings.
Tickford-branded XR8 utes were well and truly in the mix, offering sparkling performance in what started life as a humble workhorse.
Cliff Chambers notes in our buyer guide: “Immediate good news for AU II XR8 buyers was a boost in power – initially up from 185kW to 200kW in the sedan, then rising a further 20kW from mid-2001. Utilities were stuck with the 185kW engine until March 2001 when their V8s also received a 15kW power increase. The AU III ute also had space for a touring-friendly 82-litre fuel tank.”
This example is a manual with a little shy of 265,000km on the odo and looks complete. It’s with Pennant Hills Auto for $24,990.
Unique Cars auction results listing