Subliminal marketing?
Posted on 01/09/2017 6:57:55 AM PST by mandaladon
DETROIT – The Bronco is back!
And so is the Ranger.
Ford announced on Monday at the Detroit Auto Show that it will launch a new Ranger small pickup in 2019, followed by a Bronco SUV based on it in 2020.
The news comes several months after the plans were unofficially revealed through comments made by UAW workers who will be building the trucks at Ford’s Michigan assembly plant -- home to the original Bronco from 1966-1986.
That's not all: Ford F-150 Diesel coming in 2018
The factory was at the center of controversy recently when President-elect Donald Trump criticized Ford for moving production of its Focus cars built there today to a new facility the automaker planned to build in Mexico. Ford has since decided to scrap the new plant, and will instead expand an existing one in Mexico to accommodate the Focus production.
The Ranger was last offered in the U.S. in 2011, but a new version of it has been sold overseas ever since. The Bronco was put out to pasture in 1996, two years after one took part in the infamous O.J. Simpson low speed police pursuit through Los Angeles.
Ford didn’t offer any technical details or images of the vehicles, but suggested that the Bronco will offer serious off road capability.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
FJ Cruiser clone?
That's certainly news to me, and very useful.
Thanks
Not the best, but I wouldn’t call them a POS.
http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Ford_Ranger/Safety/
The only thing the Ranger needed was more room in the cab! I have driven the Colorado and it has plenty of room for someone my size, six four and two fifty, the Ranger was built for people five eight or shorter. I work part time at a huge auto auction and old Ranger pickups bring amazingly high prices there.
“I wondered if the weight loss would be entirely positive.”
Just keep a few cinder blocks to put in the rear when it snows, or pile it full of snow and it will melt out when you no longer need it.
Go OJ, go!
You are mistaken, Chevrolet Colorado, similar GMC Canyon.
Mistaken about what?
HUH??
What mid-size SUV does Ford now have that can actually do the job that the old (2010 and older) Explorer's could: Ie., be a real SUV? The present Explorer is nothing but a mall-finder... Subaru Outback owners laugh at them.
If Ford can give the new Bronco serious towing capacity, and good ground clearance, I might consider buying one used, in several years, assuming I have the $$, and assuming I'm still in good enough shape to still be going to "iffy to get to" fishing spots, campgrounds, and such...
Your post #17 said “unless I’m mistaken no one makes small pickups for the U.S. markets anymore”.
Winner!
Had one of the Bronco II’s some years ago not all that bad
For getting to “iffy” spots now have a 97 Jeep Wrangler.
I’ve must have had six Explorers over the last 30 years. Some years were better than others. I had a 2003 Explorer that I loved and a 2006 Explorer that I hated. Currently I have a 2015 Explorer that I like a lot. They wouldn’t sell me a V8 (big downside) with the features I wanted.
Ford has the Edge, Escape, Flex, Explorer, and Expedition. While each of these is slightly different in size, weight, towing, etc., they’re all variations of the same thing. I can’t see the Bronco being much difference than anything else they have or where the Bronco will wind up in this line-up.
Ford’s new Eco-Boost engine, which is in my Explorer and Mustang, has a lot of zip but I wonder if it’s durable. I suspect this is what will go into the Bronco. The max you’re going to get in the Bronco is a V6 is my guess. I long for the V8.
Well... I went to a site that has a great comparison of the 2015 Explorer vs. the 2015 Outback:
http://www.thecarconnection.com/car-compare-results/ford_explorer_2015-vs-subaru_outback_2015
The Outback’s AWD is FAR superior in dicey conditions, it has over an inch more ground clearance, and it can tow 700 lbs. more! (2700 lbs. vs. 2000 lbs.)
Ford just flat out has nothing, presently, in the way of a mid-size SUV, that I’d take on a camping trip, or out in 10+ inches of snow. So, even though it’s blocky, nearly throws one out of the vehicle making the turn onto the road my Mom used to live on (paved, but a rough surface), and has more things poorly executed than I have time to list, our 2008 Explorer IS a better SUV, for SUV purposes, than is the 2015 Explorer. The latter is really just a big “crossover”.
The Expedition kinda “gets you there”, but it’s huge and inefficient. (I did say “mid-size SUV”.)
If I was Ford, I’d go after Jeep (and to some degree the Toyota Sequoia), give the new Bronco AT LEAST 5000 lbs. of towing capacity (in at least one version focusing on “utility”), at least 10” of ground clearance, and get as close to the performance of Subie’s AWD as they can.
BTW, it looks like Subaru intends to strike 1st:
http://www.businessinsider.com/subaru-viziv-concept-suv-la-auto-show-2016-11
“I had a 1986 4WD Ranger Extended Cab which I drove for about 20 years.”
Still have an 86.5 Nissan Hardbody, 102k, bought new. Never once wished I had a larger pickup for cargo, well I guess an Extended Cab would have been nice for passengers. Just put in first clutch replacement which is also the first major repair. It hasn’t been back to a Nissan dealer since 1986.
Subliminal marketing?
The older pickups I own have sandbags, blocks and steel plates spread out in back.
Snow, ice and 65 mph winds here just before Christmas.
Well, you’re probably right but my brother-in-law works for Ford, my wife likes Ford, and they give me a good discount. I’m stuck with Fords. (sigh.... )
:-)
We can see what Ford does with the resurrected Bronco. One of the articles I read (I don’t recall which) did indicate 5000 lbs. towing capacity. Hopefully that’s right.
As you said, it does not make sense for Ford to come out with another vehicle so close to what they already have multiple models of.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.