"new" early bronco (concept)

[Digger196]

if it was solid axels and had lockers, i'd buy it. as the state it is now i would not.

 

[james t]

update

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=107202


It looks like they are going to build it. It is still going to be a compact car, and i would be willing to bet the diesel wont be available. It will compete with the Scion XB.

 

[Rick]

Ichh Pewwwyyy.... I've got a bad taste in my mouth!!

" it will likely be based on the next-generation Ford Fiesta subcompact platform, which is likely to arrive in 2008."

Yeah sounds like it will really live up to the Bronco name :thumbdwn:

 

[Stic-o]

Ford is a moron if they do this! Make your truck/car or whatever but don't give it the Bronco name.

Unless they make a Bronco with a front axle and a lo-range, i don't want to hear or see it.

 

[snocross1985]

I've lost all faith in Ford. I think I am going to go throw up now.

 

[wired_af]

I kinda like the looks of it, but the independent suspensions and AWD completly ruins it. Throw some solid axles and a manual transfer case under it and you've got a nice vehicle.

edit: they are building it off of a subcompact? Wow that is pathetic! :thumbdwn:

 

[Silver X]

very disappointed! It had potential.

 

[Robb]

It is a problem with all the manufacturers these days. Everyone is trying to "reminisce" about the good ol' days by renaming POS vehicles with old names. After the reinvented tBird disaster, you would think that Ford would be the most sensitive and cautious about this...............but apparently not. Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad idea on Ford's part.

 

[terdrocket]

It is a problem with all the manufacturers these days. Everyone is trying to "reminisce" about the good ol' days by renaming POS vehicles with old names. After the reinvented tBird disaster, you would think that Ford would be the most sensitive and cautious about this...............but apparently not. Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad idea on Ford's part.

I think the new tbird was a great new car, but with its price tag should have had a lincoln emblem on it. The original tbird was an icon, but its name was tarnshed in the late 70s / early 80s with the 4 door and then the fairlane/zephyr level styling. I don't think it had enough status or good will left to its name to warrant the 40k+ price tag.

 

[mekcanix]

eeeeewwwwwwww well maybe this will bring down the prices of the originals or push it through the roof
that is just so wrong how can they royally screw up a icon like the bronco i mean they damn near killed it with the BII

 

[loboga]

I doubt Ford is that stupid. They tend to do stuff like this to creat/test interest. i.e. if no one complains there ain't much interest. Send Ford and email, I've done it several times and they always answered me, it will be a lot better use of your time than whining to each other here.

 

[Rick]

This Bronco prototype was first introduced in 2004. Since they are putting out more press coverage on it now, I have no doubt they decided to run with it.

 

[james t]

I doubt Ford is that stupid. They tend to do stuff like this to creat/test interest. i.e. if no one complains there ain't much interest. Send Ford and email, I've done it several times and they always answered me, it will be a lot better use of your time than whining to each other here.

They are building it. Go back and check the link i put in post #102. Its slated to be out in 07-08. I agree with the complaining... i sent one email a day and rounded up a few others to do the same. All my complaining about the original prototype and it looks like the production version is going to be worse.

As someone who owns two early Broncs, i hang my head in shame.

 

[Jefe]

Did they hear us at all? Or did they run the other direction on purpose?? :fire:

At long last, Ford is reviving the Bronco. After teasing small truck lovers and brand devotees with the sublime 2004 NAIAS concept vehicle shown above, it would appear that the Blue Oval has relented, and is now set to revive the storied nameplate.

According to Edmund's Inside Line, the rough-and-tumble offering will be screwed together in Mexico using engineering from Mazda of Japan and Ford of Europe. The model will have a production twin under the skin as well, in the form of a sub-Focus five-door hatchback.

In news that will give hard-core offroaders reason for pause, the Bronco will be built on Ford's current Fiesta subcompact's mechanicals (a replacement chassis is already under development, but the Bronco will get today's greasy bits due to cost issues) in Ford's Cuautitlán factory, which presently builds the Latin-American market Ikon sedan (which is likewise Fiesta-based). For reference, the auto show star of 2004 was based on Ford's Fiesta-based EcoSport crossover.

The good news? Ford feels that it can bring it all to market for under $10,000 in an effort to burnish the Blue Oval with a little of Scion's swagger.

So... is Ford making a mistake by recasting the storied Bronco brand as a softroader, or will a discount price and retro-studded strutter bring in big dividends for Dearborn?

Ford looks back
Ford, meanwhile, continues to pursue its retro tack, building on the Bronco concept that was revealed at the 2004 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The neo-Bronco and a companion five-door hatchback are to be aimed, like the Dodge Hornet, at Gen-Y buyers who have been drawn to the Scion xA and xB and are expected to be the primary audience for such recent and upcoming entries as the Honda Fit, the Nissan Versa and the Toyota Yaris.

Like DaimlerChrysler, Dearborn searched around the globe for the right combination of platform and production sourcing, rejecting one proposal to import a small Fiesta-based utility vehicle called "EcoSport" from its Brazilian subsidiary.

Ford's Japanese affiliate Mazda already is doing the engineering development work on the next-generation Fiesta for Europe, Asia and Latin America, but the new B-segment platform was deemed too expensive for the '09 baby Bronco, which Ford hopes to price from under $10,000.

So two strategic decisions have been taken — one, to base the Bronco on the current Fiesta to keep costs down and, two, to assemble the car at Ford of Mexico's Cuautitlán plant, which currently makes the Fiesta-based Ikon sedan for Latin American markets. Originally, the Bronco was to have gone into production in fall 2007, but the program recently was delayed by a year and a second model added.

 

[Stic-o]

This is just sad

no wonder they are having trouble

They can bring this thing out, but for god sakes, don't make it look like and call the "Bronco" Even O.J. would be upset.

 

[Jefe]

This is just sad

no wonder they are having trouble

They can bring this thing out, but for god sakes, don't make it look like and call the "Bronco" Even O.J. would be upset.

Yup. Its all about the name. I don't mind them bringing in Fiesta based vehicles, but WHY call it a Bronco?? There are plenty 'E' and 'F' words left to use. If they're going after Scion, I think it would be more apropriatly named the Exbee. They wouldn't get sued over that would they?

 

[james t]

I just threw up a little bit inside my mouth.

 

[wired_af]

That is horrible news.

 

[Stic-o]

That is horrible news.

Which part? the bronco? or James T throwing up in his mouth

 

[410Fortune]

I might just have to remove all references to bronco from the Ranger based truck I built when this thing comes out........Just friggin call it an Escape II, at least it would keep with tradition!! The FSB and EB were monsters, the BII, um not so much, but at least it had POTENTIAL!

I vote Escape II, FORD Xterra's, Wranglers, and H3's are going to keep getting better, You are going to SUCK if you call this a Bronco.

I would rather have an Escape however, from what they are planning the Escape I seems a tougher platform, and thats hard to do!