A Rare Ford EL Falcon XR8 Tickford Ute

This is a Ford EL Falcon XR8 Tickford Ute from 1998, it’s believed to be one of just 25 examples made, with very few of them being exported out of their native Australia.

High-performance utes like this were some of the most desirable vehicles made in Australia back in the 1990s and early 2000s. There was a ute arms race of sorts between Holden and Ford, and they are all now considered highly collectible.

Fast Facts: The Ford EL Falcon XR8 Tickford Ute

• The Ford EL Falcon XR8 Tickford Ute was produced in extremely limited numbers in 1998, with most estimates suggesting only 25 examples were built. Designed during the twilight of the EL series, it was never widely marketed, making it one of the rarest Australian performance utes of its era and highly desirable among collectors today.
• This model combined Ford’s 5.0 liter Windsor V8 with upgrades from Tickford Vehicle Engineering. By 1997, power output reached 248 bhp and 304 lb ft of torque thanks to improved heads, a revised camshaft, and better airflow through the heads. Buyers could opt for a manual T5 gearbox or a 4-speed auto, with a limited-slip differential as standard.
• Externally, it featured Tickford-specific bodywork including custom bumpers, side skirts, a rear wing, and unique alloy wheels. Inside, the ute offered a sportier layout than standard work models, with XR8 branding, and sport seats.
• The example featured here is believed to be the only one in the UK. Originally exported from Australia in 1999, it has had just two UK owners and covered only 33,351 miles. Recently refurbished, it retains its factory interior and is currently offered for sale via Car & Classic out of the Netherlands.

History Speedrun: The Ford EL Falcon XR8 Tickford

By the late 1990s, Ford Australia was in a period of transition. The company had been refining its Falcon platform for decades, and the EL series – introduced in October 1996 – marked the final chapter of the fifth-generation Falcon lineage before the arrival of the all-new AU.

Among the various EL ute derivatives was a little-known and now highly collectible variant: the EL Falcon XR8 Tickford. Built in very limited numbers in 1998, it is remembered today as one of the rarest performance utes in Australian automotive history.

The EL Falcon was developed as a substantial improvement over the earlier EF, which had drawn criticism for its somewhat twitchy handling. Ford addressed those concerns with revised suspension geometry front and back, and improved steering feel. Visually, the EL featured a more cohesive front-end design, but it remained largely conservative compared to the bold styling of the AU Falcon that was soon to follow.

Beneath the surface, however, Ford and Tickford Vehicle Engineering (TVE) were still hard at work refining the XR8 line, including the ute variant – long a favorite vehicle architecture in Australian performance car circles.

At the heart of the EL XR8 Tickford Ute was Ford’s venerable 5.0 liter Windsor V8. Early EL XR8s delivered 228 bhp (170 kW), but by the time the Series II rolled out in late 1997, the engine had been upgraded to 248 bhp (185 kW) and 304 lb ft of torque (412 Nm).

This power increase was achieved through the use of revised cylinder heads, an upgraded camshaft, and an improved intake system. Though modest by today’s standards, the engine was tractable, reliable, and delivered the broad torque curve that Australian buyers wanted (and expected) from a V8 ute.

While XR8 sedans were a staple of Ford’s performance lineup, the Tickford Ute was never officially cataloged in the same way. Instead, it was more of a special-order or limited-run build, using the ute platform with XR8 running gear and Tickford styling elements.

The sources that we’ve found indicate that as few as 25 of these Tickford XR8 utes were produced, and they remain difficult to verify due to limited documentation and the overlap between private builds and factory-original conversions.

Each vehicle had Tickford’s signature body kit, complete with unique bumpers, side skirts, and a subtle rear wing, paired with distinctive “shark-fin” alloy wheels and the Tickford “wings” badge. Buyers could choose between a 5-speed Borg-Warner T5 manual or a 4-speed M97LE automatic.

Power was sent to the rear wheels via a limited-slip differential, and despite the Ute’s cargo-hauling roots, handling was surprisingly good thanks to the XR suspension package.

Inside, the cabin was relatively spartan but sportier than the base utility models. XR8-branded instrumentation, sports seats, and optional upgrades like air conditioning and cruise control hinted at its dual-purpose nature – half workhorse, half weekend sports car. Though payload capacity and tray specs mirrored the standard utes, the real draw was its ability to deliver V8 performance in a surprisingly functional, usable package.

At the time, Holden’s SS Ute held the commercial performance spotlight, but Ford’s response in the form of these Tickford-upgraded utes was targeted and precise, aimed at loyalists who appreciated them for what they were.

The 1998 Ford EL Falcon XR8 Tickford Ute Shown Here

The 1998 Ford EL Falcon XR8 Tickford Ute you see in this article is thought to be the only example currently in the UK. It started life in Australia, as they all did, and was exported to Britain in 1999 when it was still in almost-new condition.

It’s had just two registered owners in the UK and it has amassed 33,351 miles, very low for a vehicle of this vintage. In 2023 the car was shipped to a specialist in Malvern for £4,000 of bodywork repairs, and it now presents in remarkably good, original condition throughout – right down to the original interior and stereo head unit.

This 248 bhp ute has the desirable 5-speed Borg-Warner T5 manual transmission and it’s finished in red over a black and gray interior, the cloth seats, a center console, air conditioning, and a large rear cargo area with few indications it has ever been used.

This ute is now being offered for sale on Car & Classic out of the Netherlands. If you’d like to read more about it or place a bid you can visit the listing here.

Images courtesy of Car & Classic