Ford Bronco and Ranger Are Coming Back!

[afx]

 

 

 

Bronco6G.com

By Chris Perkins

Oct 3, 2016

Last year, a proposed contract between the United Auto Workers (UAW) and Ford hinted that the automaker would introduce brand-new versions of the Bronco 4x4 and Ranger pickup truck. When Donald Trump seized on Ford's decision to move small car production to Mexico during a Presidential debate, the UAW countered with some fact-checking—and in the process, confirmed the return of the Bronco and Ranger.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

 

Shown above, a fan's imaginary rendering of what a 2020 Ford Bronco could look like, originally published on Bronco6G.com

Bill Johnson, a UAW rep for Ford's Wayne, Michigan plant, confirmed to the Detroit Free Press that the Bronco and Ranger will begin production once Focus and C-Max production shifts to Mexico. Johnson felt the need to clear the air after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump falsely accused Ford of cutting U.S. jobs during the first Presidential debate.

Most Popular

 

"I think Trump needs to get his facts straight," Johnson told the Freep. "He is absolutely beating up on Ford for doing what everybody else has already done."

"We hate to see the products go to Mexico, but with the Ranger and the Bronco coming to Michigan Assembly, that absolutely secures the future for our people a lot more than the Focus does," Johnson said, emphasis ours.

Ford's decision to favor truck production in its U.S. facilities makes sense. Small cars aren't as profitable as trucks, and building them in the U.S. is vastly more expensive. As Johnson explained, switching U.S. facilities over to high-margin truck production ensures that those manufacturing jobs will stay in the U.S.

Ford has teased a 21st-century Bronco for years, and with fuel prices down and truck sales up, now is a great time to bring it to market. And with the Jeep Wrangler dominating the two-door off-roader market, Ford definitely wants a piece of the action.

As for the Ranger, the mid-size pickup truck market has seen a revival with the new Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, as well as the Toyota Tacoma and perhaps even the Honda Ridgeline.

We've daydreamed about a new Bronco and Ranger for quite a while now, so Johnson's confirmation is great news. Frankly, 2020 can't come soon enough.

Edited October 4, 2016 by afx

[Jordan White]

Assuming that the Bronco will be based on the Ranger platform, then consensus is saying that they will most likely be building a version of the Ford Everest. Of course, they could very well be creating something different, though I have doubts about a 2-door model resurfacing.

[iamsuperdan]

As someone working in the industry, I definitely took notice of this announcement.

On a personal side, I'm excited. I'm not a Ford guy at all, but I've always liked the Bronco. And from my view, there is a definitely shortage of "real" SUVs. I'm in the minority, in that I need a vehicle that can go off road. And by offroad, I don't mean a gravel road. I go camping, I overland. I need real offroad capability. And right now, without adding mods to the vehicle, the only real option in North America is the Jeep Wrangler, of which I've owned a few over the years. Yes, there are Land Cruisers and Range Rovers, but those can be prohibitively expensive. If Ford can introduce a new Bronco, and keep the pricing around the same as a Wrangler, I'd give that serious consideration.

On the business end of things, I have concerns. I don't think the final product will look like the renderings. And if it does, it won't have real offroad capabilities. It would be too cost prohibitive for Ford to create a new platform, so I think if you look at the Ranger the rest of the world gets, there's your basis. Which means the above pic of the Everest is your basis for the Bronco. Which makes it just another SUV with aggressive tires. I'd like to think that the styling will be close to the rendering, but I'm not holding out hope. From a business point of view, a two door makes no sense. Even Jeep doesn't sell that many two door Wranglers when compared to the four door. Toyota's FJ Cruiser would have sold a lot more had a four door version been available. So realistically, a new Bronco will be a four door. And it will be small. All previous Bronco models (not the Bronco II) were F150 based. This new one is Ranger based. The new Ranger is a minitruck; think Chev Colorado for sizing. So keeping that in mind, this will be roughly the size of a Ford Edge or Jeep Grand Cherokee. Which isn't a bad thing, it just isn't what I would want.

The other direction I could see Ford going, is to make the Bronco a limited performance machine. Something like the new GT. It would be a separate platform, limited production, very retro, very cool, very expensive. Done right, that could work out well for Ford.

[espo]

While I'm not a Ford buyer, you have to appreciate the products that they have brought to market in the last few years. I think Ford would do well to bring both of these models back. They both have a good reputation and if the photos shown here are even close to what they will look like they should sell very well. I'm glad to here that they will be built in the USA were they belong. Chris mentioned the Jeep Wrangler pick up. This June we were at the Jeep Jamboree  in southern Missouri, there were two prototype Wrangler pick ups on the trail drives. They looked to be based on the Unlimited (four door) chassis with just the front half of a Wrangler cab and then the rest was a pickup bed. They were both lifted and had full off road suspension modifications so trying to lift something over the side to put in the bed may require a step ladder but other than that they looked very serviceable. In standard unmodified condition I'm sure they would be much like any other truck in the market.   

[unclescott58]

If it looks anything like the first picture, good. If the Everest or something like that, let the name rest in peace.

As far as Rangers go, I've always disliked them. But, I respect them. Working at the auto parts store you see more them come in, held together by bailing wire and crewing gum. They maybe slow, uncomfort, ugly little turds. And I will not drive our Ranger parts delivering truck unless I absolutely have to. I take one of the two Nissans first. And I'm not a far Nissan either. But, those little Rangers do keep on going. And that says a lot.

 

[afx]

Never understood why Ford quit selling the Ranger in the US.  I have owned (3).  My first was an '85 I bough used.  It looked good but I hated the 4-cylinder engine. My second was a '93 extended cab which I bought new with a 4.0 V6.  Drove it for 225K miles before selling it on.  My current is a 2010 4x4 extended cab again with the 4.0 V6.  Great trucks in my opinion and happy to see them returning.

Edited October 5, 2016 by afx

[slusher]

Never understood why Ford quit selling the Ranger in the US.  I have owned (3).  My first was an '85 I bough used.  It looked good but hated the 4-cylinder engine. My second was a '93 extended cab which I bought new with a 4.0 V6.  Drove it for 225K miles before selling it own.  My current is a 2010 4x4 extended cab again with the 4.0 V6.  Great trucks in my opinion and happy to see them returning.

I owned a 94 I bought new it was Electric Red and was a 4cyl 5 speed. I agree the 4 was not as strong as I expectected it was a really good truck. Sold mine after years of good service and it still looked new as I only grove it to work and some some small out of state trips...

[cobraman]

I had two new Rangers and loved them both. I had a black 87 Ranger GT and then a 92 Ranger Supercab. The reason I heard Ford did not sell the new Ranger in the US was because the price was going to be too close to the F 150. Not sure what countries the new Ranger was/is being sold in but I think Australia was one.

[kurth]

i recently acquired a 99 ranger XLT with the 4 litre v6 and 4 wheel drive. I really like that truck.  I will probably nurse it along as long as I can since I like small pickups, and todays small pickups are almost the size of past full sized pickups.

I sure hope they offer the Bronco as a 2 door.  If so, I will be very likely to march down to the local ford dealer and be the first in line to get one. I just like two door vehicles better, but sadly they are becoming exceptionally rare. 

[crazyjim]

Had a Ranger Edge with the semi stepside box that looked really good.  Needed a small block in it though.  Next year I plan to buy a new truck and that 2 door Bronco could fit the bill.

[JTalmage]

298,xxx miles. Next oil change right before 300,000. I've owned this thing since December 2009. 

I wish they still made these things. My truck is the best purchase I have ever made. It's not a rocketship and it's not the most comfortable, but it just keeps going. 

 

However I've seen these kind of articles before. Remember those gawd awful "torino" and "chevelle" posts that keeps popping up from time to time? Plus, the concept Bronco at the top of this article came out around the same time I was in high school... so that's been like 12 years! Just the same old recycled internet garbage. 

Ford did say they regretted halting production on the Rangers though, and had considered bringing them back but had made no set in stone statements. To me the EU Ranger is too "car-ish" and not nearly enough of a truck. Yes it has a little baby diesel, yes it has 4wd. I think they're ugly and the bed is too short.  They did to the Ranger what they did w/ the Explorer on it's platform redesign, and took the "truck" out of it. 

As far as the Bronco thing goes again, there's been many many rumors of it being based on the F series trucks... there's been some homemade well done renditions made that made it look like an F150, an F250/350, and even the one at the top that looks like a futuristic first gen Bronco. But there again, almost every picture I've seen of it is just a recycled, re-photoshopped picture of the same thing we've been seeing for years.

Ford has said, that they do NOT build orphan vehicles. The only 2 exceptions to this now, are the F150 and the Mustang, because they are their "flagship" vehicles. All other vehicles share platforms between Lincoln and Ford. Hence the death of the Ranger pickup, the Crown Victoria/Town Car, and the E series fullsize van, to name a few. 

So either they're really bringing the EU Ranger here, and then basing an SUV type vehicle off of it, to keep it from being an orphan, or it's just internet bench racing. 

I'll believe it when I see either of them rolling next to my Ranger on the highway. 

[iamsuperdan]

Never understood why Ford quit selling the Ranger in the US.  I have owned (3).  My first was an '85 I bough used.  It looked good but I hated the 4-cylinder engine. My second was a '93 extended cab which I bought new with a 4.0 V6.  Drove it for 225K miles before selling it on.  My current is a 2010 4x4 extended cab again with the 4.0 V6.  Great trucks in my opinion and happy to see them returning.

The big three all stopped selling their small trucks at the same time. The Dodge Dakota, the GM Colorado/Canyon, and the Ranger all died within a year of each other.

i don't know for sure, but I think they looked at the costs of updating the platform to something not designed in the early 90s, compared to the cost of just convincing people to take a half ton. The half tons cost the same to build, but have more capability, more towing, more room, and get similar fuel economy. Especially in the past 5 years. And I know for me (because of what I do for a living,) I look at fleet concessions for a half ton to an equivalent mini truck, and I can lease someone a half ton for at least $5k less than the full size equivalent. GMC Sierra to GMC Canyon, or go back a few years and compare Ranger to the F150 Supercab V6. Minimum $5k savings by going to the full size.

 

But the manufacturers are now putting money back in to small trucks. The Colorado/Canyon sell well, but nowhere near the Silverado/Sierra 1500. The new Tacoma almost equals the Tundra for sales around here. The Ranger is back next year, and Ram will have a small truck by 2019. And Jeep will finally have a new truck in 2018. So they all must have done research and determined a need.

[iamsuperdan]

 

Ford has said, that they do NOT build orphan vehicles. The only 2 exceptions to this now, are the F150 and the Mustang, because they are their "flagship" vehicles. All other vehicles share platforms between Lincoln and Ford. Hence the death of the Ranger pickup, the Crown Victoria/Town Car, and the E series fullsize van, to name a few. 

So either they're really bringing the EU Ranger here, and then basing an SUV type vehicle off of it, to keep it from being an orphan, or it's just internet bench racing. 

I'll believe it when I see either of them rolling next to my Ranger on the highway. 

It is the Ranger they build for the rest of the world. Only produced here. Just like the Escape, Focus, Fiesta, and Fusion. Those were all available in Europe, Asia, and Australia for at least a couple of eyars before showing up in North America. We get fewer and different engine choices, and less options and trim levels, and fewer body styles, but it's the same platform. Ranger will be the same. Same platform, same basic architechture, no diesel options, fewer gas options, no manual transmission, fewer trim levels, etc. Because apparently, that's what consumers here want.

Same reason we can't get a diesel Jeep Wrangler, or a manual transmission Mercedes.

[dartman]

The Bronco in the op looks like an International Scout II.......

[1930fordpickup]

The Ranger was let go because of two big reasons. One was the age of the truck design. Two was the gas millage requirement by the government. 

I have been told if you liked the old Ranger you will Love the new one coming back. 

If the new Bronco does not have the option of the same off road capabilities as a Raptor, Ford is wasting their time. 

Edited October 9, 2016 by 1930fordpickup

[DrKerry]

OOooo I like that Bronco!!!!!!!!!!!

[charlie8575]

The Ranger was let go because of two big reasons. One was the age of the truck design. Two was the gas millage requirement by the government. 

I have been told if you liked the old Ranger you will Love the new one coming back. 

If the new Bronco does not have the option of the same off road capabilities as a Raptor, Ford is wasting their time. 

With that point, I wonder if it would make sense to simply shorten an F-150 frame and build a new Bronco off of that?

Coyote V-8 standard to minimize off-road complications, at least the option of Raptor-type suspension and four-wheel-drive standard.

Charlie Larkin

[1930fordpickup]

Yes Charlie I think it is going to be a Truck derived Bronco again. They already have car like SUV'S so it would be just another version taking away sales from those.

If it is going to be derived from the new Ranger or the F150 line remains to be seen by us. Ford may not even know what they are going to do as far as that. I do not recall if the Photos released are from Ford or someones idea of what it should be. 

[martinfan5]

Yes Charlie I think it is going to be a Truck derived Bronco again. They already have car like SUV'S so it would be just another version taking away sales from those.

If it is going to be derived from the new Ranger or the F150 line remains to be seen by us. Ford may not even know what they are going to do as far as that. I do not recall if the Photos released are from Ford or someones idea of what it should be. 

The photos are just artist renderings right now, only Ford knows what it is going to look like( according to Road&Track)

 

[Longbox55]

I'll believe it about the Bronco when I see them at the dealerships. This isn't the first time they said they were "bringing the Bronco back", this has been going on for over 10 years. GM has been doing the same thing with the Blazer/K5 concepts that they've been doing since '02.

[Bill J]

I like the look of the red one in the OP, I hope that is what they actually sell. The one thing that would turn me off though is independent front suspension. If they do the independent suspension, they are just making another station wagon with a little extra clearance.

I had a really nice 1970 Bronco that I had completely painted, custom seat covers and wheels. Great little vehicle. Would have been better with a 4 speed transmission instead of a 3 speed but that aside, it was a great off roader. The problem with independent suspension is articulation. Independent cannot climb over obstacles like a solid axle. Independent does ride better on the road but if you're wanting cushy ride buy one of the many so called "SUV's" on the market, everyone makes one or two, few are any good on real off roading. The Range Rover is decent but has air suspension that raises the ride height for off roading. Besides not having 6 figures for a vehicle, I could never take one in serious back country, too pretty.

So hey Ford, it you want me to buy a Bronco, live axles please

My current is a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

Edited October 10, 2016 by Bill J

[iamsuperdan]

For those who haven't seen it, this is the 2016 Ranger the rest of the world gets. The one that will be built in the US next year, and the one that the new Bronco will be based on.

 

And here's the Wildtrak trim level. The "offroad" version, casually photoshopped onto some rocks.

 

Disappointed yet?

 

 

 

Edited October 11, 2016 by iamsuperdan

[stavanzer]

Thanks for the photo, Dan. Not much of a truck is it? All Cab, No Bed. And those huge, very stylish wheels that require $500.00 tires when they wear out. I'm not liking it much.

[Jordan White]

They do offer regular and extended cab versions as well, the former available with a long bed. As par for the course, the stylish wheels are on the higher trim levels. Lower models have steel wheels or smaller diameter alloys.

[martinfan5]

Thanks for the photo, Dan. Not much of a truck is it? All Cab, No Bed. And those huge, very stylish wheels that require $500.00 tires when they wear out. I'm not liking it much.

The one pictured is the Wildtrak, the top model offered, maybe you might these

Lest start with the XL model, your choice single cab, ext cab, double cab, note the smaller steel wheels and the longer bed

And here is the next model up, the XLT, only comes in ext/double cab

and now, the Limited, which is limited to ext and double cab