10 Ways Ford Could Screw Up the New Bronco
Ford officially announced the return of the Bronco finally, and the internet is abuzz with what it should and should not be, according to fans of the brand. A Ranger is just a truck smaller and cheaper than the F-150, but what should a new Bronco be?
1. Make it Too Much Like the Wrangler
In Brazil and a few other places, Ford sells a small SUV they call the Troller, pictured above, based on Ranger mechanical bits. Try to sell that truck here and even if Jeep doesn't accuse you of copying them, the buying public is going to think that way. Anyway, Jeep has found that buyers want at least a slightly longer vehicle with room for 4 and cargo as well, if not 4 actual doors, which is the most popular Wrangler configuration these days.
2. Make it Too Big
Ford already makes several good, big, off-road oriented trucks. At the top of the heap you have the Raptor, but any F-series truck, or even the Expedition, can be used off-road with 4-wheel drive. The Bronco should be smaller to go where only Jeep Wranglers and Toyota FJs are typically welcome.
3. Make it the Escape
The Ford Escape debuted in 2001, and if you compare it to the Bronco II, it is actually very similar in size, but the Bronco II had almost everything right to be a Bronco and the Escape was all wrong. If you live where it snows, and want to carry 3 friends and their luggage, the Escape is a great choice, but don't try to take it beyond a groomed dirt road. The marketing department butched up the first generation Escape from the Alpe Limited concept pictured, the current Escape makes has no truck pretensions.
4. Make it Too Hard
Ford learned with the Raptor that guys who never venture off road will buy an awesome truck even if it means a few compromises to look badass. But Jeep has learned with each new Wrangler generation that they can sell more units if they sand off all the hard edges of their 4x4s. The Bronco needs to hit that sweet spot that made the Nissan Xterra and Toyota FJ Cruiser a hit with both rugged trail drivers and folks that just wanted to look cool, and avoid being the next Hummer H1.
5. Make it Overly Complicated
There is a reason the Jeep Wrangler is so popular with off-roaders, besides the compact size, it is simple. Some trail enthusiasts even think the last few Wrangler generations are too complex and prefer the leaf sprung YJ and earlier models for serious off-roading. The more complicated it gets the harder it is to fix when it inevitably breaks 100 miles from the nearest Ford dealer and 20 miles from the nearest paved road. Solid axles or twin I-beams are too much to ask, but at least stick with the leaf spring rear and stout A-arm set up the Raptor uses.
6. Make it Front Wheel Drive
We all know that serious off-roading types look down their nose at the new Jeep Renegade, Cherokee, Compass and Patriot because of their FWD car roots, right? Audis and Subarus may kick ass on rally courses and through the snow on the road, but you can't expect their light duty transaxles and low ground clearance to get anywhere when the trail turns technical. If the Bronco is based on the Ranger sold overseas, there is not much to worry about, it is a real truck, just a little smaller.
7. Make it Expensive
The Jeep Wrangler starts at just $23,500, but the 2017 Ford Raptor starts at nearly $49,000. For the Bronco to be a success it needs to come in at an MSRP much closer to the Jeep than the Raptor. Sure, 4x4 buyers will throw outrageous amounts of money at a rig over time to make the ultimate off-roader, but they like a reasonable buy-in and the ability to upgrade it themselves.
8. No Removable Top
If Ford is going to try to sell yet another SUV/CUV with no removable top, why bother? The Bronco II is not warmly regarded these days because it was just another passenger truck, same with the Dodge Ramcharger, but the original Broncos and the full sized second generation are hugely popular. Topless 4-wheelin' is one of the core values that make the Bronco a Bronco!
9. Make it a 4 Door
The Bronco has always been a 2 door truck, with 2 rows of seating, so it should not be a 4 door or a 7 passenger mom mobile. Perhaps the best configuration would be the typical extended cab truck model of a larger front door and smaller reverse-opening rear door for the back seat? You know what a 4 door Bronco is? A Ford Explorer.
10. Make it Too Cutesy
You can sell something so ugly it is cute to female buyers, that is one of the reasons the Jeep Wrangler, and French bulldogs, sell well. But you will have a hard time convincing men to buy something cute even if it does everything they want it to do, which is why many stay away from the Mazda Miata. Make a truck that looks too much like a toy and ironically you are going to alienate they very people who are going to turn around and treat it like a toy in the mud.
To keep your truck in tip-top shape, click through the how-to section of Ford-Trucks.com