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Random # 267: Mk II Austin 1800 Ute


I'd like American readers to understand that we Aussies invented the ute (ute being short for utility, by the way).  And, while we're at it, I think that it would be useful for them to understand that they're pronouncing the name of our beloved automotive icon all wrong.  We say the word as if it were spelled yoot and it rhymed with root, boot and bandicoot, but most definitely not pick-up, which is how the yanks erroneously believe it's pronounced!    


Anyway, I digress.  The Austin ute shown here in a late 1960s' version and, as the more astute of you may know, the company that made it is actually British.  However, such is our love of the ute that when the Poms didn't offer one as part of the range, we made our own right here in the Land Down Under.  According to Wikipedia (which would be spelled Wikipaedia if our Stateside friends could spell!), we manufactured more than 2,000 of them and some cab-chassis versions, too.  (Please see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMC_ADO17).


The ute shown here was in great nick but, other than that, it's really featured as a vehicle to ram home the fact that Aussies invented utes, utes are pronounced yoots and the term pick-up is as bad a speech impediment as I ever heard.  And if that doesn't speak to the ute's utility, nothing does! 











U M P H

(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

All iPhone images.

Comments

  1. I was quite keen to get my hands on a Land Crab ute a few years ago, but it seemed that quite a few others were too, so prices were particularly high.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think this one may have sold only recently. I had seen it before but, when I did, it had a local engineering company’s logo on it.

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  3. biopaic_wo Caitlin Thomas click
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