Have you seen this monster? What do you think?
2005 bronco concept.

http://autoshow.edmunds.com/news/aut...6/page012.html

 

Yep............. old post

 

Sorry, just seen today... didnt know it was old news.

 

A 2.0 give me a break....

 

but how would an optional 4.6 look in that? Just like the old bronco's with the 289, I'd buy that.

 

Um, guys the 2.0 is a turbodiesel...hello... a diesel that size will have no trouble in that "Escape-in-pseudo-bronco-clothing" Remember we aren't talking about something that weighs in like our trucks and in truth probably wieghs considerably less than the original 66-77 models since the weight of the solid D30 (later the D44) and 9" axles are gone and the body-on-frame design has gone out the window. Worry more about the fact that this little "Cute-ute" won't even be able to follow it grandpa (66-77 models) fifty feet onto the trail before it breaks something because of the useless suspension under it.

 

This is only a concept vehicle at this point, very few of which come to production as they are in concept.

My point is that Ford could still do what they wanted with this. If they did build it to take a V8, then it would have the stronger axles as needed for the power, are there any V8 option vehicles that Ford has made in the past ten years that don't have at least an 8.8 rear end? I can't think of any.

I do agree that they probably won't, but I'd still like to look at the glass as half full instead of already spilled on the floor.

 

It looks cool to me. I would not kick one out of my driveway!

I don't know why people are putting it down, this is 2004, not 1980 - technology moves on.

I personally would love a _reliable_ auto locking hub feature on my Bronco; I would also like standard locking axles on both front and rear. I'll bet that this new Bronco has both available. Over 20 mpg? That's nice too. Plus it looks cool, and appears to have good ground clearance. Somebody said something about the suspension - how de we know what that will be? I didn't see much refernce to full specs on the suspension. I like those wheels and tires, if they do produse this, I wonder if the tires will make it to the showroon floor?

I love my 1990 Bronco, but I drive it because I cannot afford my Harley _and_ a new truck at the same time. I have nothing against new vehicles. A new Bronco would feel right at home in my driveway!

 

JBronco, the underpinnings are production line items from the Escape. That was the information given at the new auto shows around the country this past year.

 

I still like it.

 

it looks very good as a vehicle but isn't what I would want the new bronco to be.

 

We are not going to get that. The market for gas-guzzling, rough riding, two-door true 4X4 SUV's is miniscule (just us, primarily!).

Although you and I would think that the market is at least as big as that for a Dodge Viper, a Chevy SSR, a Ford Thunderbird, or any one of a number of concept cars that became reality and sold enough to stick around (perhaps not the T-Bird for long).

Someone already made a "true" 4X4 for the new millenium - the ridiculous Hummer H2!! Would you rather have that bloated monstrosity, or the "new" Bronco? At least Ford kept from going overboard. That Hummer is a joke. I would not want to bee seen in one. It's a composite of just about everything not to do when building a truck. I like the interior, though.

For any conceivable future that I can see, if you want a real 4X4, you will have to buy a pickup truck.

But I do think that we here are selling some of this new AWD stuff short. I had a 2000 Chevy Tracker 4X4 for a little while, laugh all you want but it off roaded like nobody's business and was real easy to push or pull out if it got stuck. And the whole canvas top came off real easy and fit rolled up in the back, which was nice on sunny Florida Keys days (that's where I lived at the time). It was part-time 4WD though, not a full time AWD. The point is that some of these vehicles can go off road pretty well. I had to stay out of the big boy's ruts, though. Sometimes I miss that little Tracker!

 

you could think of it in a good way, say..its good that no newer vehicles would be as good 4x4ers and/or tougher than our broncos. I like to ride around knowing my vehicle is unique and is a "BRONCO"

 

Yep that part is fun! Sometime people compliment me on it too - it's nothing out of the ordinary but I take good care of it and it looks really nice.

 

If that were true, then Jeep would not still be making money hand over fist with the TJ and Toyota wouldn't bother building bigger, 4WD trucks and SUVS to say nothing of the H2 and the new convertible version on the horizon. These vehicles are not only STILL making the manufacturer's money, they are being equipped with REAL trail and off-road equipment like lockers and lower geared transfer cases and rear ends for larger tires etc. right out of the factory.

The simple truth of the matter is that Ford's concept has missed the mark. Ford already has FIVE suv's (more if you count the Lincoln and Mercury versions of the same vehicles) all geared toward the soccer moms and the people who have absolutely no idea what a real 4WD vehicle is for or HOW to use it. An Escape with a nostalgic retro-Bronco body slapped on it will do nothing but ruin the formidable reputation that the Bronco name has gained over the years. The 1966 Bronco could be trail run right out of the showroom with no modifications. I dare ANYONE to try it with an Escape and not have something broken before they get 100 yards.

Oh, and the arguement about the V8 being necessary, remember folks that such vehicles as the Ford Bronco, Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette, Camaro, and a host of others didn't have a V8 in them when production began. The original '66 Bronco had ONE engine option... 190 c.i.d. inline 6.