Posted on 07/14/2020 5:44:49 AM PDT by Red Badger
Key Points
Ford unveiled its new “family” of Bronco SUVs Monday night, including two- and four-door Bronco SUVs as well as a smaller Bronco Sport SUV.
The Bronco models are squarely positioned against Fiat Chrysler’s Jeep brand.
The Bronco, according to Credit Suisse, would contribute nearly $1 billion to Ford’s North American operations if sales reach 125,000 units.
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Ford Motor is taking a run at the nation’s No. 1 off-road seller, the Jeep Wrangler, with its highly anticipated relaunch Monday night of the Bronco SUV — a boxy utility vehicle that developed a cult following after it was discontinued in 1996.
Ford is pricing the new Bronco starting at $29,995, including destination charges, just $205 above a base Jeep Wrangler. Top-end models with additional features and equipment can top $60,000. A limited “First Edition” Bronco model starts at $60,800, according to Ford’s website.
The two- and four-door Bronco models, according to Ford, are similar in size to the Wrangler, which is regularly among Fiat Chrysler’s best-selling vehicles in the U.S.
Ford originally confirmed its relaunch in January 2017, but fans had been awaiting the return of the Bronco for years before then.
“It’s a long time coming. The market is waiting and ready,” said Jeff Schuster, president of the Americas and global vehicle forecasts for research firm LMC Automotive. The Bronco is the Jeep Wrangler’s first direct competitor since General Motors’ Hummer, which is being relaunched next year, was discontinued in 2009. “We expect this to stack up nicely compared to the Wrangler.”
The Wrangler was seventh in sales last year among all compact SUVs and crossovers, according to LMC.
Like the Wrangler, the new Bronco models feature removable roofs and doors as well as more than 200 factory-backed accessories. All Bronco vehicles, Ford said, also will come standard with four-wheel drive.
“With Bronco, Ford is making a clear push into the off-road segment of the [North American] SUV market,” Credit Suisse analyst Dan Levy wrote in a note to investors Monday. “While we expect Wrangler to remain the leader in the off-road segment, we nevertheless see attractive opportunity for Bronco given its heritage.”
The Bronco, according to Levy, would contribute nearly $1 billion to Ford’s North American pretax earnings if sales reached 125,000 units. That’s based on profits per vehicle of about $7,500. That would make the Bronco one of Ford’s most profitable models, according to Levy.
Kumar Galhotra, Ford’s president of the Americas & International Markets Group, has said the company projects it will sell hundreds of thousands of new Bronco SUVs a year.
“They’re going to add substantial volume to the company, and they’re going to be growth volume because none of the vehicles exist today,” Galhotra previously told CNBC. “It is a net-add to the portfolio, net-add to volume and profitable volume.”
Ford unveiled its new “family” of Bronco off-road vehicles, including a smaller Bronco Sport SUV, online with a video narrated by actor Bryan Cranston.
“This time it’s not just one horse. It’s a whole family,” he said as the vehicles scaled rocks and drove through treacherous terrains. “Built with the toughness of an F-Series and spirit of a Mustang; built to be the future of off roading.”
The vehicles were also revealed through a partnership with Disney on ABC, ESPN and National Geographic during their 8 p.m. broadcasts. Each ad was unique to the channel and featured a special guest. Family of Broncos
The Bronco Sport is expected to begin arriving in dealerships by the end of this year, followed by the Bronco next spring. Ford began taking $100 refundable deposits for the vehicles Monday night.
Ford compared the Bronco Sport, which will be built on a different vehicle platform than the Bronco, to a Jeep Compass, a less truck-like compact SUV. The vehicle is expected to be more mainstream than the Bronco but still have off-road capabilities, according to Ford.
“This absolutely belongs in the family of Broncos and will surprise and amaze people,” said Dave Pericak, Ford’s director of icon vehicles such as the new Bronco models. Ford, according to officials, expects the Bronco and Bronco Sport to appeal to different buyers.
The Bronco, like the Wrangler, features a removable roof as well as doors that can easily be taken off, Ford said. Four-door models come standard with a cloth soft top. Two-door vehicles come with a standard three-section removable roof system.
The Bronco Sport will be powered by a 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine with a targeted 181 horsepower and 190 pound-foot of torque or a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine projected with 245 horsepower and 275 pound-foot of torque. Both engines are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The Bronco will come standard with a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine expected to deliver 270 horsepower and 310 pound-foot of torque. A 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine projected at 310 horsepower and 400 pound-foot of torque also will be available. The engines are combined with a seven-speed manual transmission or 10-speed automatic transmission.
The Bronco Sport will be produced at the automaker’s factory in Hermosillo Sonora, Mexico. The Bronco will be produced at a plant in Michigan. Year of icons
Using the Bronco name on several vehicles is part of a larger plan by Ford CEO and President Jim Hackett to leverage the company’s most recognized and iconic brands to lead its $11 billion restructuring.
“It’s a really big product year. I would say an unprecedented product year,” Galhotra said. “We are building on products that are iconic.”
Ford last month unveiled the next generation of its F-150 pickup, including a new hybrid model, and announced plans to resurrect a well-known performance model of the Mustang called the Mach 1. It’s also using the “Mach” name for the Mustang Mach-E, an all-electric crossover that’s expected to go on sale later this year. An all-electric version of the F-150 also is scheduled to be released in the next two years.
Mark Grueber, Bronco consumer marketing manager, declined to comment on any potential all-electric or hybrid versions of the Bronco.
Ford’s Pericak said one of the biggest challenges for his “icons” team is balancing out the history of such well-known vehicles with more modern design elements and new tech-savvy features.
“The pressure is immense. It’s huge,” he said. “It’s a constant battle to find the balance between leveraging the fantastic and rich heritage that we have with a lot of these nameplates but not living in the past. That would be a mistake.”
For the Bronco, that included keeping classic design elements but adding useful features such as a new off-road navigation system, large interior screens and up to seven driver-selectable modes: normal, eco, sport, slippery and sand as well as mud or rock crawl modes for off-road driving.
“We’re going to separate ourselves a bit,” Pericak said regarding Jeep. “We’re not afraid of competition. It’s about time we shake this up a bit.”
“”””1.5 liter engine in an “off road” vehicle? Seems very wimpy to me.”””””””””””””
The motor on my lawnmower is bigger than that.
The Sasquatch (yes, really) package looks to be the real off road add.
“I had a 2003 Ranger XLT and it did good by me.”
I’ve got a 2002 that I still run. The interior smells like like someone left a dead squirrel in there but otherwise I haven’t ever had any trouble.
FYI, I have had three Tacoma’s.
1988, 1999 & 2012
The 88 was $11K brand new. 2.4 liter 4 cyl. Probably still running somewhere like Afghanistan. These were the trucks where all the beds rusted out.
The 1999 was $22K brand new. These were the Tacoma’s that were part of the 800K buy out because of the rusted frames. I sold mine back to Toyota in 2012 for Kelly Blue Book Full Retail x 1.5(14K for a 13 year old truck).
The 2012 was $30K. I still have. It was just recalled for frame inspection. It was fine, so they undercoated the frame for free. Some 2011’s are having the frames replaced.
I would not buy a 2015-2020. They are having major transmission problems with these trucks after the redesign in 2015. They are not recommended by Consumer Reports now just because of that. Also, they are so close in price now to a Tundra. I would buy a Tundra.
Toyota stopped making the FJ Cruiser. They were the used vehicle that had the best resale value of ANY automobile made. They just never sold very well. Although they were better than other vehicles in the same class. When I bought my 2012 Tacoma, they had about 25 Tacoma’s on the lot. They had ONE FJ Cruiser. I think they should have called it the Landcruiser I(like they were in the 1960’s-1970’s) Of course, they came with GM V8 engines back then.
The Rangers were great little trucks. The newer F-150s seem pretty solid. The 2010 was junk.
I had a Bronco II for ten years ,loved it
My personal history with them is as follows: 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee - I owned for appr. 10 years and put over 300K miles on it. At that point, the transmission was beginning to slip, and I traded it in for a 2004 Grand Cherokee.
2004 Grand Cherokee - Put just under 200K on it. Only major repair was replacement of the water pump about 9 years into ownership. One of the most comfortable rides I've ever had, and was a pleasure on annual drives from Louisiana to Pennsylvania and back. Traded it in after 10 years for a 2014 Wrangler Rubicon.
2014 Wrangler Rubicon - Absolute off-road beast. This was a JK series Wrangler. Mine was stripped down with minimal electronic suites, and the only comfort item was satellite radio. I was very impressed with the 6-speed manual and the Pentastar V6. Other than regular oil changes, no maintenance was ever needed. The Rubicon is the package optimized for off road use, and I made regular use of its capabilities. I went through two sets of tires in about four years. Due to a change in my family circumstances, I needed to get something with a little more interior room and comfort and this was the saddest, hardest vehicle I ever had to give up. Traded it in in 2018 for a Cherokee Trailhawk.
2018 Cherokee Trailhawk - I've been driving this for two years. Early models of the Cherokee had some bad reviews, but by 2018 they seemed to have worked out the issues, as I've had none. Last October, I had a HUGE oak tree fall on the vehicle. It dented the roof and bulged the headliner into the interior 3-4 inches and compressed the vehicle all the way down on its springs. None of the glass shattered, and it occurred to me that anybody sitting in the vehicle at the time would have been uninjured (apart from soiled pants). GEICO took care of the damages and I've had no issues with it since. It has an elaborate electronics suite, more so than I would care for, but that said, I make use of them. The Trailhawk trim of the Cherokee is made for off-road, but is still not as capable in this area as the Rubicon. The 9-speed automatic transmission is a little quirky, but you get used to it. All in all, I'm happy with it.
If you're looking for a Wrangler, or Wrangler Unlimited (four door), know that Jeep is now producing the JL series, which superseded the JK. As an upgraded design, I've heard/read that there are still some bugs being worked out, so if I was in your position, I would look to see if I could find a later model JK from a dealer that will sell it as certified pre-owned.
Also do a little research. The Wranglers/Wrangler Unlimiteds come in a few different trim levels
Sport - is the basic trim level. Fun, but limited options, and a good running around vehicle (with limited cargo/passenger room).
Sahara - probably the widest array of options and creature comforts.
Rubicon - optimized for off-road use, with upgraded axles, front and rear locker, and electronic anti-sway bar disconnect. Unless you plan on doing a lot of offroad in very difficult terrain, it's probably an unnecessary expense. Also, the other trim levels are perfectly adequate for most basic off road situations that most people will generally need. The Rubicon is just a little better at it :-)
My grandson has a 2005 Ford F150 sitting in a Ford garage waiting for a replacement computer. It’s going on its 2nd month sitting there.
1.5 liter?
The Toyota Corolla has comes with a 1.8 liter engine 4 cylinder standard
A Fiat 500 has a 1.5 Liter engine and it is a two door Spec
1.5 Liter in a SUV just seems under powered for that size of vehicle
Jeep is owned by FIAT
Probably the worse car company to sell in the United States
Fiats are so bad, they stopped selling them here in the US this year, very unreliable cars
Jeep Renegade and the Jeep Compass are Fiat Vehicles with a Jeep stamped on them, they are not “real” Jeeps
Wranglers and the Cherokee are the two that are “real Jeeps”.
However even their quality has been going down hill since Fiat has owned them.
Fiat=Fix It Again Tony
Oh, you’re talking about the “Getaway Edition”.
I'll stick with my Grand Cherokee vs. going with a 4-banger Bronco.
If that’s the case, and I’m not saying it isn’t, than the overall quality to price from 1966 was by far the better deal than 2021.
Lazy, woke workers building a “new” Bronco with cheap plastic, computer chips and cheap Chinese steel?
And it will include driving gloves that don’t fit...
Same here, if I wanted to watch big screen TV, i'll do it in my living room. lol.
You can see the commercial now - a bloated and aged OJ leaning out of the window with a smarmy, sheet-eating grin on his face and a thumbs-up gesture.
Awesome! Thanks for the review.
Kinda reminds me of an old Ford Falcon / Fairlane.
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