Record price paid for last Sprint, and the money goes to good causes
Auction house Manheim sold off the last Falcons and Territory to come off the production line today (15 October).
The auction took place at Avalon Airport where Ford held its ‘Ford Fan Day’; an event designed to give the brand’s most loyal fans the opportunity to farewell the Falcon and manufacturing in Australia.
Jeff Sakellaris and the team from Manheim took the stage to auction four models, the final XR6, XR6 Turbo, XR6 Sprint and Territory.
The first car to be sold was an FG X XR6 Turbo ute, a rivalry between bidders ensued early which pushed the final price to $81,000.
Next up was the Territory SZ Titanium. Bidding started at $50,000 and the price quickly leapt in $500 increments. The auction settled at $68,500.
Before the much-anticipated sale of the Falcon Sprint, the last standard XR6 Sedan was auctioned. Bidding again started at $50,000 and sold for $81,500.
Then the 500/500 Sprint’s turn was up. Bidding opened at $80,000 and was up over $110k within minutes. Both online and on-site bidders battled it out until the car was sold for $122,000.
The proceeds were donated to charity, with both Steam Education and Give Where You Live foundations accepting the novelty-sized cheque. A total of $353,000 was raised throughout the day.
Other than the auction, the Ford Fan Day showcased a huge collection of Fords in pristine condition.
Fans had the chance to get a free professional photo taken in front of some iconic models, a Q&A took place with various Ford engineers and designers, and Ford Australia CEO Graeme Whickman spoke on his feelings towards Ford’s future in Australia.
“I want to commemorate with you, the end of 91 years of manufacturing and also celebrate the living legacy — the Falcon and the Territory” Said Whickman.
“To be clear, today is not a funeral, it’s a celebration of our fantastic past which has opened the door for what we think, is an even brighter future.”
“We’ve had to make some tough decisions to return Ford to its proper place in Australia. It’s going to take some time, and it’s going to take a significant investment — but you can be guaranteed in terms of our performance offerings, things will only get more exciting”.
See our quick video from today’s show.