Must be stuck in third!
A blue streak rockets across the barren landscape, its two fully ignited jet engines spewing flame as it accelerates to warp speed. Onboard, the pilot struggles to read the gauges as his body is buffeted by extreme g-forces.
You can imagine his surprise, then, when a couple of cool, calm and collected Aussie blokes arrive alongside in a black Ford AU Falcon XR8 ute.
Ford Falcon XR8
The rocket-car and ute run in parallel for a few seconds before the passenger in the Falcon quips dryly: “Must be stuck in third,” and they accelerate off, leaving the bewildered land speed record attempter contemplating the meaning of life.
It was a brilliant and iconic Australian advertisement at a time when Ford’s main product needed all the positive publicity it could get.
Given the subject matter, it would be reasonable to assume that Australian speed addict Rosco McGlashan had some involvement, but the opposite is in fact true.
McGlashan demanded Ford stop showing the ad, telling Fairfax’s Drive newspaper supplement that the depiction of a rocket car like his being passed by a humble ute was detrimental to his ambition of achieving the world land speed record.
Furthermore, the fact that the depicted rocket car featured prominent Shell branding did his negotiations with Ampol/Caltex no favours, according to McGlashan.
Whether or not Ford intended to imitate McGlashan is unclear, but somebody in the creative team clearly had an intimate knowledge of land speed record history.
The name “ThunderBolt II” can be read on the side of the car. While having no Australian connection, it is clearly a nod to Thunderbolt, a mighty seven-ton monster powered by a pair of 1750kW 36.5-litre supercharged Rolls-Royce V12 aero engines, that Captain George Eyston piloted to 575.34km/h in September 1938, which remained the world land speed record for almost a year.
Scott Newman
More inRetro Rides Originals
Celebrating 75 years of the Volkswagen Bus
The iconic Volkswagen Bus has been moving people and goods worldwide since 1950. The success of the VW Bus is unique in automotive history, standing as a symbol of the ‘economic miracle’ that was post-WWII Germany, of the hippie movement, and to this day of reliability, freedom and adventure.
How the Modern Classic Cars Foundation is addressing the classic car skills shortage
As the automotive industry looks to include more technology and computer-controlled systems in cars than ever before, the nature of mechanics’ jobs is changing. As a result, the skills required to work on old cars are at risk of dying out, although one Sydney-based charity is looking to change that.
Top Tips for Buying a Used Datsun 1600 (1968-72)
When it arrived in the late ’60s, the Datsun 1600 boasted strong levels of standard equipment, a grunty four-pot engine, front disc brakes and independent rear suspension, positioning it closer to a BMW on paper than any of its Japanese contemporaries.
More inAussie
Australian motorsport world mourns the loss of Bathurst winner John French
The world of Australian motorsport is mourning the loss of 1981 Bathurst 1000 winner John French, who died on 11 March 2025 aged 94.
2025 All Aussie Auto Show set to highlight Australian classics and unknowns
When you think of what a car show for Australian vehicles might look like, a sea of Holdens and Fords will likely come to mind, with maybe the odd Mitsubishi or Chrysler. However, the 2025 All Aussie Auto Show is set to challenge that presumption by creating an event which opens attendees’ eyes to the depth and breadth of the Aussie automotive industry.
Classic TV: Mitsubishi Magna AWD
In 2002, Mitsubishi made history by releasing the first all-wheel drive series production car built in Australia, the Magna AWD. Soon after, it also changed history with the same car's advertising campaign.
Get The Latest
Sign up for the latest in retro rides, from stories of restoration to community happenings.