Coinciding with Ford Australia’s centenary, the 2025 All Ford Day was held at Sydney Motorsport Park over the weekend, with more than 1800 cars gathering from all corners of the nation and over 8000 guests walking through the gates.
There was something on offer for all kinds of enthusiasts, from vintage Prefects, Anglias and the original Coupe Utility to a plethora of Capris, Cortinas, Falcons and even a Festiva or two.
Being a long time fan of Australian Fords, I could not resist the opportunity to see some of the coolest Fords in both original and highly modified trim. It was a feast for the eyes with rarities ranging from bog stock, early utes with three-on-the-tree and 200ci sixes, retired V8 Supercars, a P5 Landau, TE and TF Cortina Ghias with factory tape decks and Falcon power, two-tone ED Sprints, TSS EAs and the most obscure, unloved-in-their-day configurations that are worth a mint now.
One such example was the 1-of-3, FTE AUIII TL50 – a HSV Grange rival from 2001. Its exorbitant price tag of over $110k on the road made it a bit rich for those back in the day – even with 250kW and 500Nm. According to the owner, the Koni suspension makes it very stiff for a luxo barge without compromising on long-wheelbase comfort, while the (nearly $6000 option back in their day) 355mm Brembo brakes still pull the big ol lug up with authority.
One of this author’s favourites was a supercharged EL GT – a car we featured in a past-blast review, albeit in standard form).
Owners were all too happy to share their stories, with a friendly and inviting atmosphere showing how much cameraderie there is in Australia’s automotive enthusiast community. Ford Australia also showed off some of its wares including the Mustang Dark Horse and the Ranger Super Duty.
While we don’t have attendance numbers at the time of publication, the overall vibe from the crowd was that it was less than previous years. Perhaps as more time passes since Ford closed manufacturing operations in Australia, less and less people feel connected to the brand.
I will be back next year, hopefully entering my FG MkII G6E Turbo. Keep an eye out for a review and performance test of that vehicle soon.
