Why Next Bronco Won't Beat Wrangler
 

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The Ford Bronco has simply been out of the game too long.

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First off I think we can be pretty sure that Ford has no intention at this point of trying to pick off the Jeep as the top seller, they're looking to chip away at it. Remember Ford has had the top selling pickup spot forever and if one doesn't think that will rub off on the Bronco thats just a bit foolish. What you can be assured of is that the Bronco will be a hit with Ford fans and those who reveal in what the original Bronco was in its day and what Ford has proven to do with its vehicles of today in quality. If Ford can make the Bronco more comfortable, roomy and adaptable that will also help to pull away those who only buy a Wrangler because its the only option. No it won't ever out sell a Wrangler, I agree with that and it won't ever have the history, the iconic recognition or mass appeal of the Wrangler but hopefully it will finally force FCA to make better strides at improving its quality which we all could appreciate. Not that I would buy a Bronco but I'm pretty excited to see if Ford can get it right because I think they missed it a bit with the current F150 that looks like a station wagon with a bed added to it.

Agreed. I think the first iteration of the Bronco will be very important to Ford. There will be those that were looking for that platform moving into the 'Wrangler' market and those that were considering a Wrangler that may go with the Bronco. If Ford gets this right (solid axles is a good start) then they will certainly chip away. Ford taking over the market just isn't reality until there's aftermarket support equal to Wrangler. That'll take time and even then it's a long shot.

I also like (and am interested) in the Ranger being a solid axle truck.

Competition improves the breed. The demise of Hummer (okay, quit laughing), Xterra and the FJ Cruiser really took the pressure off of Jeep to provide a worth off-road vehicle. Not saying they haven't been, just that there was less pressure to do so. I welcome the Bronco and wish it success in the market.

As for the Ranger, I could see one of them in my driveway parked next to my Jeep. During one of my overlanding trips, I spent some time with an Aussie who was the now retired Director of Asia and Pacific Operations for Ford Motor Corp. He was high enough in their hierarchy that every year Ford loans him his choice of a new car to drive--gratis. I asked about the Ranger returning to the U.S. and he said it would never happen, and explained why Ford executives wouldn't allow it. Of course, the success of other small pick-ups has a way of influencing those decisions over time. I hope that the next time I see him I learn that his latest Ford loaner is a new, Ranger pick-up. :-)

Ford needs to bring the Troller T4 from Brazil. It is already a popular 2 door wrangler clone built on the Global Ranger platform. Throw a small ecoboost in that vehicle, update the safety to meet US standards and they'd have a sales winner (probably not, that thing has all the utility of a Suzuki Jimny).

The Global Ranger is probably too big for Ford to bring in against their F150 (yes Ford buyers would cross-shop) and if they're bringing a Ranger back to market it will probably be a new truck just for the NA market so they could put it where it won't compete with the F150 as much.

Bingo! And that is exactly why the Ford exec said they wouldn't bring the Ranger back to the U.S. Along with a lot of background on the history of Miata and Ford that led to that decision at that time.

Its what GM should have done with the new Canyon and Colorado, they're too big.

I'm not sure what the Bronco will have in regards to suspension and axles but I'm pretty certain what it won't have.

A removable roof with soft and hard top capabilities. The Wrangler has that market monopolized.

I just hope they use some the same design team responsible for the '05 mustang redesign. If it has a modernized look of the 66-77 body style and solid axles I'll be buying one for sure.

It needs to be instantly recognizable as a Bronco, for sure. If they just try and rebrand the next Explorer as a Bronco it will probably not be very successful. It's not just a nameplate, the brand actually means something. Like Jeep. If they can rediscover that, it has a chance.