Lack of a straight front axle wouldn't be a deal breaker for me. My 92 Bronco doesn't even have one.

 

T-H-I-S

 

Horrible idea to not have the Bronco with a straight front axle. The whole reason Jeep Wranglers are so popular is that they are modifiable. Straight axle rigs are historically the easiest to lift and modify, and offer much better articulation than any form of stock or mild IFS. Lifting solid axle vehicles is also easier and cheaper. Solid axles also have stronger differential cases and tie rods. That crappy aluminum clamshell design is failure prone the instant you wheel hard or add larger tires.

Major fail to the off-road enthusiasts and win to posers everywhere if the thing has IFS. Not a Bronco in my book...

 

To COMPETE with a Wrangler
like Ford stated, it needs a solid front axle

 

Jeep offers BOTH.....if Ford wants to compete why wouldn't they ?

 

I guess 1980-96 Broncos aren't real Broncos

 

I'm willing to bet that the few parts this mule will have in common with the Bronco are the ones they bothered to hide with skirting in the back.

The front and end body are just placeholders, or convenience. They clearly just hacked the back end of a current gen Ranger up and slapped a new solid axle config in the back.

It is too tall and too heavy to be a Courier which is supposed to share a car platform. The vinyl wrap is too expensive for someone other than a big entity like Ford to bother putting it on this frankentruck.

 

Not the greatest certainly. But at least they have actual knuckles and iron dana 44 differential case. The ttb is also difficult to modify and not as desireable as a straight 44 up front.

 

It makes for a much better on road driving experience than a straight axle, which is about 90% of my driving.

 

Not much better; actually worse if the radius arm bushings are worn. I'm glad it works for you though.

Regardless, nobody is looking for road manners in a Jeep Wrangler. They care about OFF road manners. And there's plenty of them too. Over a quarter of a million people bought Jeep Wranglers last year with their clunky solid axles.

If Ford says this supposed Bronco will compete with Jeep, then it better have the roots and running gear to prove it. I can tell you no offroad enthusiast is going to be enthusiastic about yet another ifs 'suv' with a Bronco shaped body on it.

 

Ford specifically said Wrangler. Not Renegade and not Cherokee. We have enough of these pavement princess vehicles as is.

I'd also like to see that 7 speed manual. The Wrangler has a manual option. What will you have Ford?

 

I hope you are correct, and it seems you know your information well based on the 6g forums. Now if we could get that carmaker1 guy on here to answer some questions.

 

99% of wrangler buyers have no idea what a solid axle is or care as long as they can take the doors and top off

 

You get it. I think Ford won't go the solid axle route just out of fear of being seen as copying the Wrangler.

Wrangler is tops in the segment for every reason you mentioned. No chance of the Bronco competing if it has IFS.

 

Can you verify this factoid? I think your percentage is off about 70.