Ford USA - Ranger and Bronco Return?

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Depends what you call offroading, any kind of crawling that would be expected of a Wrangler involving rocks is risky for CV failure on IFS 4WDs, and it's that sort of stuff this car looks marketed too.

I think you are hugely overestimating what the majority of owners (including Jeep owners) will ever attempt.

 

[mustafur]

I think you are hugely overestimating what the majority of owners (including Jeep owners) will ever attempt.

Its not that majority will attempt it, but it's capability as an offroader(which it's being sold as), there is a clear advantage to a solid axle for offroading and buying a front solid axle is incredibly expensive when it could have it to begin with.

 

[CodeRedR51]

I think you are hugely overestimating what the majority of owners (including Jeep owners) will ever attempt.

Top states for preorders right now are CA, NJ, TX and FL. Three of them are not really considered an "off road" destination.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Its not that majority will attempt it, but it's capability as an offroader(which it's being sold as), there is a clear advantage to a solid axle for offroading and buying a front solid axle is incredibly expensive when it could have it to begin with.

To each his own, but the type of off roading I would subject my brand new $30k+ vehicle to is never going to approach the off roading that necessitates a solid front axle. I'd expect 95% of prospective Bronco/Wrangler crosshoppers feel the same. And if I'm not getting value out of the solid axle, then I'm always paying the penalty for it:

1. On road performance
2. High speed off road performance
3. Efficiency, refinement and comfort

Provided it's not a complete bag of garbage (with so much riding on it, I doubt it will be) I think the Bronco is shaping up to be a grand slam for Ford. This thing is awesome. It's the first new car since the BRZ/FR-S that I've actually been excited about. It takes everything I like about the Wrangler (size, simpleness, off road ability, manual gearbox, convertibleness), eliminates everything I don't like (FCA, SFA, Jeep baggage) and offers it for the same price and with, to me, better design.

If rock crawling or traversing extreme obstacles is your jam, then the Wrangler is still available. Though I'd rather buy an old Samurai for that.

 

[VXR]

A Black Diamond 4-door in Cactus Gray for me.

 

[05XR8]

I’m sure Ford did their market research and saw the sales numbers on them. Wouldn’t be surprising if they make up less than 5% of all sales for them. Ford probably concluded it wasn’t worth the effort, at least not at launch. The Wrangler and Colorado are both sold internationally in markets where diesels have a much larger market share.

A work foreman has a fully aftermarket sponsored Wrangler. He wants the Bronco, but can't wait if it ever shows up, however it shows up here(2023?, maybe?). He prefers Jeep, but is getting the Ford Everest. It's pretty much a Ranger with back on it. It has a diesel, but his Wrangler doesn't. If Jeep sold Wranglers with diesels, it'd be a bigger market here.

The research on Ranger sales here, should translate to a diesel being offered. Look at HiLux sales.

Anyway, it'll be interesting if a conversion company get a Bronco contract and if so, would they offer a diesel option.

 

[Populuxe]

I'll take a base Bronco 2-door with the 4-cylinder and 7-speed manual. Make it blue or red and I'm good.

 

[Slash]

Welp, that didn't take long. Straight axle swap kits are already being offered, with a warranty through a joint effort from Fox Racing and BDS Suspension (you had to figure with Fox being used on everything Ford's built as of late that this was coming), sold direct drop-ship from Ford to allocated shops/dealers for installation. So basically if you put a $500 deposit down at the time of purchase of your Bronco you can option it with a dealer installed straight axle swap backed by Ford warranty. Wow.

Also, Ford has 200+ factory backed accessories available for add-on for the full size.

1 last thing. Don't rule out the 5.0 just yet. Trust me...

 

[Darla Starch]

How much longer until someone gets REALLY bold and spicy and offers an angry eye front-end?

 

[Frank McGank]

Welp, that didn't take long. Straight axle swap kits are already being offered, with a warranty through a joint effort from Fox Racing and BDS Suspension (you had to figure with Fox being used on everything Ford's built as of late that this was coming), sold direct drop-ship from Ford to allocated shops/dealers for installation. So basically if you put a $500 deposit down at the time of purchase of your Bronco you can option it with a dealer installed straight axle swap backed by Ford warranty. Wow.

Also, Ford has 200+ factory backed accessories available for add-on for the full size.

1 last thing. Don't rule out the 5.0 just yet. Trust me...

Called it. People have been solid axle swapping half ton Silverados and F150s ever since they went IFS on the 4x4s, no way in hell they wouldn’t do the same for the Bronco. I give it 3 months before someone’s devised a Coyote swap for it.

 

[Slash]

Called it. People have been solid axle swapping half ton Silverados and F150s ever since they went IFS on the 4x4s, no way in hell they wouldn’t do the same for the Bronco. I give it 3 months before someone’s devised a Coyote swap for it.

Might not have to devise a Coyote swap. Theres some rumor swirling at work that says factory 5.0 but with space confinements and for torque I have heard 7.3 as well.

We will see but I would not be surprised to see the 7.3 end up in this thing in the near future.

Remember, what we have been told is the initial launch stuff. Theres more coming.

Also this thing is massive

 

[ScottPuss20]

I can tell that this car will be an absolute hit. People will know that it's Bronco because it stays true to the original design, unlike the Blazer...

 

[GTboyz]

I'm going to assume the door with the large cutout is part of the aftermarket offerings.

People have been calling the one with the large cutout "Bronco Badlands". I don't know performance difference other than the doors and few aesthetic differences.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Might not have to devise a Coyote swap. Theres some rumor swirling at work that says factory 5.0 but with space confinements and for torque I have heard 7.3 as well.

We will see but I would not be surprised to see the 7.3 end up in this thing in the near future.

Remember, what we have been told is the initial launch stuff. Theres more coming.

Also this thing is massive

View attachment 940767

Damn...it is quite big. I'm curious to see how big it is compared to a Wrangler. Was hoping it would be on the smaller/nimbler side of things...

 

[Frank McGank]

Damn...it is quite big. I'm curious to see how big it is compared to a Wrangler. Was hoping it would be on the smaller/nimbler side of things...

According to Ford’s website, the two door has got a 100 inch wheelbase. The JL by comparison has a 96 inch wheelbase. Considering the original Bronco was a fair bit larger than a CJ5, it’s not that much of a deviation from the classic.

 

[05XR8]

Imagine that turbo four in the new Jimny. Rebadge it a Scout and collect the dough.

 

[Slash]

Damn...it is quite big. I'm curious to see how big it is compared to a Wrangler. Was hoping it would be on the smaller/nimbler side of things...

I think it's a bad photo. Looking at the specs its identical in size to the 2 door Wrangler just wider.

 

[Joey D]

A work foreman has a fully aftermarket sponsored Wrangler. He wants the Bronco, but can't wait if it ever shows up, however it shows up here(2023?, maybe?). He prefers Jeep, but is getting the Ford Everest. It's pretty much a Ranger with back on it. It has a diesel, but his Wrangler doesn't. If Jeep sold Wranglers with diesels, it'd be a bigger market here

Wait, they don't sell the diesel Wrangler in Australia? That's a pretty big oversight on FCA's part since they have a diesel and it's capable of conforming to America's emission laws, which are fairly strict.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

I think it's a bad photo. Looking at the specs its identical in size to the 2 door Wrangler just wider.

Yeah I looked up the dimensions. It's about compact car dimensions (Mazda 3ish) just a little wider and obviously taller. Which means I could park it in the city!

 

[mustafur]

A work foreman has a fully aftermarket sponsored Wrangler. He wants the Bronco, but can't wait if it ever shows up, however it shows up here(2023?, maybe?). He prefers Jeep, but is getting the Ford Everest. It's pretty much a Ranger with back on it. It has a diesel, but his Wrangler doesn't. If Jeep sold Wranglers with diesels, it'd be a bigger market here.

The research on Ranger sales here, should translate to a diesel being offered. Look at HiLux sales.

Anyway, it'll be interesting if a conversion company get a Bronco contract and if so, would they offer a diesel option.

They do sell Wranglers with diesel here, but only in the 4 door.

 

[Keef]

Damn...it is quite big. I'm curious to see how big it is compared to a Wrangler. Was hoping it would be on the smaller/nimbler side of things...

Here's your answer.

I'm surprised nobody posted this yet.

And here is the 4Runner including the TRD Pro.

Overall yeah it's a few inches bigger than the Wrangler in almost every dimension except height. Note that Wrangler owners who install 35s and bigger actually make their truck just as big is this though, if not bigger. The difference will be that a Wrangler on big tires will be all tire at its extremities while the Bronco will have a bigger body more prone to damage on a trail. But not as much body as the 4Runner, which has a very similar size to the 4-door Bronco (but it still skinnier thanks to those flares) and the 4Runner doesn't have a problem with trail damage or anything.

Also I'm pretty sure that guy in the photo is just really short. I've driven Wranglers and 4Runners and neither of them are exceptionally large and certainly don't look disproportionate like that photo.

EDIT: Also we don't know what tire size they mounted on those Method wheels but they look like 37s to me. Fitting 37s under the factory fenders is a real benefit because ever Wrangler owners have to swap their fenders to do that.

 

[05XR8]

Wait, they don't sell the diesel Wrangler in Australia? That's a pretty big oversight on FCA's part since they have a diesel and it's capable of conforming to America's emission laws, which are fairly strict.

Yep, it's just now getting a diesel.
Plus, the pricing is ridiculous. Jeep are pricing it out of market. I think he mentioned about $5000 above competition.

They do sell Wranglers with diesel here, but only in the 4 door.

 

[Panoz]

According to this thread on the Bronco 6G site.

The Bronco in the photo above is on 37s but also with a 2" inch lift kit from the factory.

 

[Keef]

According to this thread on the Bronco 6G site.

The Bronco in the photo above is on 37s but also with a 2" inch lift kit from the factory.

It's rad to know that's all it takes to fit 37s with stock fenders. Looks like it didn't even necessarily need the lift to fit but just to clear for articulation.

EDIT: Also people still aren't talking about the 35 inch tires on this thing. They're a brand new tire that Goodyear still doesn't have listed on their website, the Wrangler Territory MT. Somehow, throughout all the spy shots for the past year, nobody has been interested in the fact that this Bronco is the only vehicle in the world using these tires, and you can't even buy them off the shelf yet. Am I the only person who caught this?

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

It's rad to know that's all it takes to fit 37s with stock fenders. Looks like it didn't even necessarily need the lift to fit but just to clear for articulation.

EDIT: Also people still aren't talking about the 35 inch tires on this thing. They're a brand new tire that Goodyear still doesn't have listed on their website, the Wrangler Territory MT. Somehow, throughout all the spy shots for the past year, nobody has been interested in the fact that this Bronco is the only vehicle in the world using these tires, and you can't even buy them off the shelf yet. Am I the only person who caught this?

I've noticed it and been sorta impressed but at the same time my dream bronco is the base model on the little tires. Shrug.

 

[Jezza819]

It's rad to know that's all it takes to fit 37s with stock fenders. Looks like it didn't even necessarily need the lift to fit but just to clear for articulation.

EDIT: Also people still aren't talking about the 35 inch tires on this thing. They're a brand new tire that Goodyear still doesn't have listed on their website, the Wrangler Territory MT. Somehow, throughout all the spy shots for the past year, nobody has been interested in the fact that this Bronco is the only vehicle in the world using these tires, and you can't even buy them off the shelf yet. Am I the only person who caught this?

Could this be the reason?

https://www.motor1.com/news/434165/ford-bronco-goodyear-wrangler-tires/

Ford told Goodyear to remove the name "Wrangler" from the outer sidewall of the tire. So this will be the only Goodyear Wrangler tire without "Wrangler" in big letter on the outer sidewall. It will only be in smaller letters on the inner sidewall.

 

[Keef]

That's really interesting @Jezza819 but the prototypes have had "Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT" emblazened on them throughout development. What I'm interested in is that the Territory MT as seen on the Bronco isn't available on the market yet. Perhaps this is a late decision by Ford, or all their prototypes were also running first-series prototype tires before Goodyear had the chance to make any more of them. Ford and Goodyear were clearly co-developing, so it's interesting that this decision to remove "Wrangler" from the name wasn't made before testing and tire production even started.

 

[Joey D]

It's rad to know that's all it takes to fit 37s with stock fenders. Looks like it didn't even necessarily need the lift to fit but just to clear for articulation.

EDIT: Also people still aren't talking about the 35 inch tires on this thing. They're a brand new tire that Goodyear still doesn't have listed on their website, the Wrangler Territory MT. Somehow, throughout all the spy shots for the past year, nobody has been interested in the fact that this Bronco is the only vehicle in the world using these tires, and you can't even buy them off the shelf yet. Am I the only person who caught this?

Some of the models have BFG KO2's on them, which makes me wonder if the whole "Wrangler" name is a thing, why didn't they just use KM3's for the M/T?

 

[Keef]

Some of the models have BFG KO2's on them, which makes me wonder if the whole "Wrangler" name is a thing, why didn't they just use KM3's for the M/T?

Like I said it looks like Goodyear used the Bronco to develop a completely new tire. And judging by the tread pattern and block size, it's designed to be much quieter for street use than a typical M/T. KM3s are still one of the better driving options out there but I notice these new Goodyears have many more sipes in the tread blocks to help with noise and snow traction. Almost seems like it'll be a hybrid M/T, trying to get the noise, comfort, wet and snow performance of the K02 but the mud performance of the KM3.

Pretty sure those K02 trucks were showcasing some aftermarket upgrades because they're 37 inch K02s on Method Racing wheels on the 2-door and Fifteen52 wheels on the 4-door.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

I think you are hugely overestimating what the majority of owners (including Jeep owners) will ever attempt.

Does driving into the Burger King parking count as offroading?