Dealers privy to Ford’s launch plans claim the coming of spring will bring about the reveal of two Bronco-badged vehicles. One of those public debuts is the moment Blue Oval aficionados have waited decades for.
According to dealers who spoke to Automotive News in the wake of last weekend’s NADA Show in Las Vegas, Ford plans to reveal the Bronco and lookalike unibody Bronco Sport in March and April, respectively, assigning the two nameplates a considerable amount of projected volume.
With a new generation of F-150 expected to land later this year, the first half of the calendar will be taken up with retro off-road goodness. Ford execs who spoke at a meeting held alongside the National Automobile Dealers Association meetup say they expect Bronco and Bronco Sport sales to hit 200,000 units or more in 2021, dealers claim.
The latter model, though it debuts last (probably at the New York auto show), will be the first on the market, going on sale later this year. True Bronco diehards, on the other hand, will have to wait until the beginning of next year to get their hands on the reborn utility vehicle.
Sporting two or four removable doors, a roof similarly capable of disappearing, and considerable off-road chops, the Bronco serves as a muse for a second vehicle that shares little DNA with its bigger brother. Bronco Sport is what happens when Ford executives decide that one compact crossover is not enough. As such, the Bronco Sport will slot next to its Escape platform mate in the Ford lineup, drawing in a more rugged (or wannabe rugged) clientele who might not be enamored with the Escape’s Focus-on-steroids appearance.
Another Ford dealer meeting revealed the “baby Bronco” last year.
The automaker’s projected sales for the two models would see the nameplates add as much volume as the Explorer or Escape, bolstering the company’s bottom line and off-road cred. Until now, Fiat Chrysler’s Jeep division held sway over the domestic off-road SUV scene.
According to dealers, Ford has a massive raft of Bronco accessories ready to go, further boosting the model’s money-making potential. The model itself won’t be allocated to select dealers, either. Participants at the Vegas meeting were told that all dealers will get to share in the Bronco-y goodness.
[Images: Ford]
Prepare for disappointment.
Judging by the Baja truck I’m already disappointed.
But I’m still looking forward to there possibly being another SUV on the market, 2 is not enough.
“Prepare for disappointment”
You know it :(
Prices, trim levels, standard equipment v options…
The first day the “build and price” tool goes live it will likely crash the Ford website.
Competition in this segment is exciting. Hopefully, all these off-road oriented trucks will be successful. I miss the FJ Cruiser and wish Toyota would bring it back.
Bronco?
This is one long and overhyped vehicle introduction. My bet is that many looking forward to the new Bronco will be very disappointed.
Can’t be worse than when GM approved production of the 5th Gen Camaro in August 2006 and then didn’t build the first one until Spring 2009. Or when the 6th Gen Camaro was just talking the previous design and shrink wrapping it.
Um, 3-3.5 years is the typical product development cycle. The only difference in these cases is the companies talked about them when they *started* the programs. Usually you don’t see or hear anything until about 2 years into development when the first prototypes start rolling out.
That’s my point. I was pointing out a case where GM was as annoying as Ford in teasing teasing teasing until “nobody cares” by the time the real thing is released.
“Ford execs who spoke at a meeting held alongside the National Automobile Dealers Association meetup say they expect Bronco and Bronco Sport sales to hit 200,000 units or more in 2021, dealers claim.”
I’ll have what they’re smoking.
That’s almost as laughable as sales claims made by that fraud Elon Musk.
yes…YEESSSSSSS….Let the butthurt flooow through you. Give in to your butthurt, for that leads to the DARK SIDE!
Considering he included both Bronco and Bronco Sport in that 200,000 total I don’t see a problem with those projections. The old Escape alone sold 272K in 2018 and 241K in 2019. And that’s an old model that’s basically the same as the 2013 model.
Maybe those Ford executives were having a joint meeting with Elon Musk.
A joint meeting like that would really stir the pot, but how else would you weed out the problems?
Had to be. Only way we could reach this level of sheer incompetence.
Gm screwing up BADLY but hey theres a Ford story to crap on over there? WELLLL lead me to it! Mad?
Like Cheech and Chong up in smoke.