Could the Next Bronco Make Its Debut in 2016?
We reported earlier this week that sources close to the UAW contract negotiations with Ford confirmed that by the year 2020, there’ll be an all-new Ford Bronco in production and on sale in the United States. Of course, many of you all are Bronco fans, and are excited to see Ford making this decision. We’ve long speculated that a new Bronco is on the way, but this is the closest we’ve had to official confirmation from Ford of the existence of the project. But Ford is clever, and what we think we know might not be what is actually happening.
Last year, we all wanted to see Ford do a new Ford GT supercar. I personally remember mentioning it both to other journalists and to representatives within Ford. Heck, who doesn’t want a Ford GT? But the thing is, there was no sign that it was ever going to happen.
Stricter fuel economy and emissions standards seem to make the modern-day supercar obsolete except for the few companies already entrenched in the market. Quite frankly, Ford doesn’t need the Ford GT to promote sales. They are already a dominating force in trucks, and the Mustang sells pretty darn well. Their utilities also sell well, and they have solid performers in cars.
Leading up to the fall of last year, there was maybe one automotive journalist who said that there was going to be a new Ford GT. This wasn’t an “I want to see the GT.” Rather, it was “I know the GT is in development.” But one journalist out of the thousands worldwide is hardly enough evidence to go on.
Then, shortly before the 2015 North American International Auto Show the floor plan leaked. Even then, as we were staring the Phoenix project right in the eyes, some doubted the existence. “It’s just the Shelby GT 350 R,” they said.
Until Bill Ford and Mark Fields revealed the car on stage at Joe Louis Arena that bitterly-cold morning we had no confirmation that the car was happening. It was one of the best-kept secrets in modern automotive times.
And a good secret it was. It was developed in the basement of a building that often houses many press events. There were times I personally was in that building for a product briefing or press event and was just feet away from the clay model. It’s very possible that minutes before I was ushered into one of their virtual reality labs that engineers and designers were working on the Ford GT.
The point is, even in modern times of the Internet and spy photographers and everything else, Ford is still able to keep a secret. So even though we’ll continue to write about the Ford Bronco in the coming weeks and months (because most of you want all the Bronco news and rumors you can get), it’s possible that we will no absolutely nothing until the cover is pulled off the Bronco at an auto show. Assuming, of course, it’s actually in development.
What do you think? Let us know over in the forums!
Bronco header rendering by Joseph Yoon for Ford Truck Enthusiasts.
