A Bronco "could" fit into Ford plans this way...

Sell more SMALLER (I.E. Fuel efficient) vehicles. A capable (no gimmicks) base Bronco with an EcoBoost 4 cylinder and enough gears to be fuel efficient. A tall order to fill for sure. To live up to the Bronco legacy AND be fuel efficient? It could be done after all they seem to have done it with the latest Ford GT.

 

The pics of the renderings are absolutely insane. But I can't help but wish they would make more of a throwback. That's just me though.

 

Have always swung towards the idea of not bringing it back, as to just let it rest in peace. It will be a far cry from the older Broncos of course, after so many years. I figure in this case, a V6 or less will end up in the new Bronco. That's sorta like having the top engine in a Mustang being a turbo V6, aside from practicality, just morally wrong; even though transitioning to twin turbo V6 engines from some V8s is in the works, which is a powerful setup. It'll also not have a removable top like the old stuff. There's a chance it ends up being more like the early Bronco anyways, even though they are nice in their own regard. Either way, still hoping to be surprised a bit and maybe it turns out great for what it is.

 

Tigerhawk,

I would not be so sure that it WON'T have a removable top - there has never been a Bronco that didn't have a removable top at least partial if not full. With foam filled A and B pillars it would be rather easy if they decide to go that way. I really think they NEED to do so in order to maintain the Bronco mystique.

Some of the stuff I've been reading out here on the internet sounds like people have no idea what they are talking about.... Should be based on a F150... Should have four doors...

What are you even talking about? They apparently aren't paying attention to what the Bronco ever was or even where it is going now! Just blathering to fill space?

 

Many people have spoken about the bronco purely from a wishing standpoint, as to say they hope the bronco will have this or that. perhaps "blathering". However others have made statements based on legitimate reasoning such as what the market is calling for right now. For instance, "mystique" doesn't sell vehicles, therefore Ford WILL-NOT make any decisions about the bronco based on that. after all sales is the 'bottom line'. Also, being that there is a federal mandate saying the fleet average fuel economy rating must be 55 mpg by 2020 (I believe that is the year) we can infer that the bronco will not have a V-8. This inference is supported by the fact that Ford has already shifted to v-6s replacing v8s as standard options in most applications already. not "blather". On the same note as sales being bottom line, by examining which vehicles have sold best in the last 10 years we can see that the demand for 2 door vehicles has declined and 4 door has increased greatly. think about it, the explorer sport trac was even introduced as a 4 door alternative to the ranger while it was still around. even Jeeps wranglers now come with a 4 door version, how many trucks now adays do you see on the road with 4 doors? so based on that we can infer that it would not be in fords best interest to make the new bronco with only 2 doors. and perhaps most definitively, we can gain a large insight into what the bronco will be like because it will be built alongside the ranger at the same factory, meaning based on the ranger not F series. No, nobody knows FOR SURE, but really what the bronco is going to be is pretty well spelled out for us already. Just look at what is selling well, and what will be selling well years to come.

 

All I would like to see is the option for 2 doors and a removable top. I'll line up for that and yell at Ford to "Take my money NOW!"

 

I heard the new Bronco will be based off the Raptor...

 

These rumors have been ongoing since they introduced the 2004 concept.

 

I, as well, was stoked to see the actual (sorta) confirmation about the Bronco. That should be right around the time that I will be looking for something to replace my current SUV...

But...

1. Good luck. Current crash standards are highly restrictive and the presence of a convertible top makes those more difficult to attain. It's possible, but it adds weight. Weight is killer on economy. I don't think it's going to happen.

2. Also won't happen. I have a current model Wrangler as a wheeler/DD/toy. Two solid axles (D44's at that), a manual transmission (more on that in a second) and a 4:1 low range in the tcase and E-lockers front and back makes it pretty capable out of the box. BUT, the potential REALLY is attained when you start throwing aftermarket parts at it. Stock, my Jeep came with the metric equivalent of a small 33" tire on 17" rims. Now, I have very aggressive 36" tires on 15" rims, suspension that scores over 1100 on the RTI ramp (Ramp Travel Index), winch, bumper and all the plating underneath to take care of almost any trail I want. All were almost completely bolt on. The aftermarket DRIVES the Wrangler. Now, the Bronco, on the other hand, will more than likely come with an odd-ball rear axle (lack of support for gearing/lockers + making them expensive) and an IFS front. The IFS front is going to be the ultimate killer. All the popular automotive resources (Edmunds, some publications within the TEN group, that stuff) will tell you the Wrangler handles like garbage on the street, at speed, and is prone to steering quirks because it uses an actual steering box still. Based on other Ford products, the Bronco will probably have an electric rack and IFS. The aftermarket support just won't be there and it'll make lifting/modifying them silly expensive.

3. Nothing is simple in modern automotive examples. Even my Jeep, the most archaic looking thing that you can still buy on a dealership lot, has an electronic sway bar disconnect system. When it failed, it caused my Jeep to not run correctly, almost to the point that you'd think the fuel pump was dying, because of the CANBUS integration. Even my Jeep is overly complex. The 2012+ Jeep Wranglers with the Auto transmissions are even worse... they are not very friendly unless you cover all the bases when you put bigger tires on. Some guys have had their Jeep thrown into Limp Mode just cause they didn't correct for tire size right away. My manual doesn't care... but the Bronco will NEED to have a manual option.

4. Gearing is going to have to do if they offer an enthusiasts model. There is one model of Jeep sold with a 4:1 tcase, that's a Rubicon. Everything else gets a 2.72:1... but the aftermarket support is so prevalent, as long as you can pay, you can get low gearing. Advanced Adapters makes their Atlas cases JK specific, to tie into the computer, and function properly. Thing is, 90% of the consumer population doesn't need or necessarily want that 4:1 case, cause it's too slow.

The ONLY way this truck is going to survive is if it hits a homerun in the first 2 years. Jeep Wranglers are driven by enthusiasts (I've had this conversation before). 5% of the people that buy them are going to use them offroad...but they sell a s***load of them to people that want to LOOK like they go offroad. Also, Jeep NEVER stopped (or really even changed) the SWB Jeeps, so organizations like Jeep Jamboree USA, The Easter Jeep Safari and hundreds of regional Jeep clubs are still very active. The Bronco is almost starting from scratch. Think of the FJ Cruiser that Toyota tried a few years back... they took an enthusiasts vehicle, revived the moniker and then proceeded to water it down enough that where they thought it would appeal to the masses. All that was left was a mediocre offroad vehicle that "normal" people thought was kinda miserable to drive. When people get into a Wrangler, they EXPECT a different kind of drive. The Bronco will either appeal to the masses and flounder with the enthusiasts, or land somewhere around where the FJ did and be popular for a little while then die off.

Ideally, I'd LOVE to see solid front and rear axles, 2 doors, a manual transmission and a manual transfer case. In reality, I think the most we're going to see is a refreshed, 2 door explorer from the 90's.

Also, the JK Unlimited's outsell the 2 door JK's by 4 to 1. That's a lot. People want extra room for their kids, groceries, wheelbase, whatever. The Bronco is probably going to come as a 4 door in some way. Hopefully a 2 door model is available, but that would require retooling and stuff... which is expensive. But it's still a hopefully.

...but I'll probably still buy one, so long as they have a manual option. The Ford engines are probably some of the best on the market right now, and to have something a little more civil compared to my Jeep with a manual trans, an Ecoboost engine AND something I can drive all year round, I'm in.

 

Thunderhorn, I have to disagree with you a bit - it's not all about selling vehicles, or at least it shouldn't be. Every used car lot in America is about selling vehicles. Ford should be about selling a BRAND. The Raptor, the new Ford GT, the Mustang GT-350R - these are brand builders. These are vehicles with far more influence than pure sales numbers.

Will Ford continue to build the brand by making the Bronco what the enthusiast wants or will they market a "refreshed and rebadged Explorer" under a Bronco badge? Who knows....

 

Well, further confirmation, and being tested in Australia it only means it will be derived from the global Ranger... or they REALLY wanted to keep it a secret: We Hear: Ford Bronco Development has Begun in Australia - Motor Trend

 

I've read some crazy stuff about the "new Bronco" and I'm quite certain it's NOT going to have a supercharged V8 powerplant! If HALF the stuff I'm reading is true - it will be a disaster. No Bronco enthusiast is going give a crap about interior "premium materials"... LOL! Like it has been for the last 20 years - "news" outlets using Bronco stories to generate traffic with completely bogus stories.

If Ford isn't going to do the Bronco right, and I mean right by ME and at least 80% of other Bronco enthusiasts, leave it DEAD.

 

Agreed 200%. But unfortunately us enthusiasts are NOT who would be the market they are targeting

 

Well of course not, they are targeting the yuppie SUV crowd. It will be a status symbol for those that don't know any better

 

So, now finally this thread is correct, official straight out of Fords mouth today. Now we wait and see just how they actually execute and all hope that it will live up to the name! It looks like they might know what it will take to be a success!