Earlier in the month, Bill Johnson, the UAW representative said something which he should not have. The Ranger and the Bronco are making a comeback. For fans of Ford who are looking for midsize pickups or off-roaders, this is spectacular news. It also makes sense. Americans cannot get enough of SUVs and trucks right now because of low fuel costs attributed to oil shale development, which makes it the perfect time to expand Ford's lineup.
Experts are still waiting for a confirmation officially, but there is no reason to doubt what Johnson is saying. So let's look at what we already know.
Ford Ranger
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Ranger
Technically, this car is not dead. The current generation of Ranger is being built in Argentina, South Africa, and Thailand. It is sold almost everywhere in the world except North America. But Ford is now planning to build a new Ranger in Michigan and sell it in North America. Will people buy this instead of an F-150? Time will only tell.
Looking at the present Ranger, it is clear that pickup trucks have changed quite a bit since the last US version in 2012. The new Ranger will be a direct competitor of midsize trucks which are as big as full-size trucks that were being pushed onto the market fifteen years ago.
But even though the present Ranger gives us a sound idea of the size of the upcoming truck, just one of the engines, a 3.2 L 5-cylinder turbo diesel is likely to make it into the next generation. There will also be a couple of gasoline engines, an EcoBoost, and a V6. The diesel engine will most probably beat all the competitors in terms of fuel economy in this segment.
Based on the leaked contract, it seems that the Ranger will be manufactured in 2018 for the 2019 model year. Do not be surprised if this gets postponed to 2020 though. One thing that is confirmed is that Ford will begin manufacturing it before the Bronco.
The Ranger looks awesome, no doubt about that! That is a smooth looking pick-up truck.
Ford Bronco
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Bronco
There is less certainty when it comes to the new Bronco. The last generation was produced in 1996, and it was based on the F-150. While some fans say it could be based on the 2017 Ford Raptor, right now, that doesn't look likely. According to the pictures, the new Bronco looks incredible! It is something out a Christopher Nolan batman movie! The new Bronco is badas- to say the least, hopefully it performs as good as it looks.
Considering the fact that the Bronco will be built with the Ranger, both vehicles may just share the same frame. The new Bronco might just end up being more like the Everest.
Fans would love it if the Bronco remained a 2-door SUV, but it should also have a 4-door option if it is to compete with the likes of the Jeep Wrangler. The only SUV that is as tough looking as the Bronco is probably the first generation Hummers but even that did not have the cool curves of this Bronco.
What will be really interesting is if Ford bases the Bronco on the Troller T4. This is a brand for the Brazilian market and was purchased by Ford in 2007.
Is this a probability? No. Is it possible? Of course. Would it be amazing? Certainly.
Verdict
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Bronco
As far as when the Bronco will begin manufacture and go on sale is concerned, it depends completely on when the production begins for the Ranger. Experts aren't exactly sure how much more time the Bronco is going to take, but it looks like the car will arrive around 2020.
These are a couple of very exciting vehicles from Ford and their absence from the North American market for the last few years are sure to help drive interest. They should capitalize on this by getting the new models out on the streets as soon as possible. But they most work as good as they look. Ford knows how to make that happen!