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Ford wants a piece of the action, and thinks Bronco has the legacy to grab it. Bronco debuted in 1966\u00a0as a competitor to the truck-based Jeep Wrangler CJ and International Harvester before remaking itself as a big, F-150-based midsize ute from 1979-1996. Gone for 25 years, Bronco will be reborn in its original form \u2014\u00a0as a compact, Wrangler competitor.<\/p>\n
\u201cSociety is looking to go overlanding. People want to go places,\u201d said Doug North, president of North Brothers Ford in Westland. \u201cJeep has done a remarkably good job and has brought in a new generation. We\u2019d like to have that, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
The new Ford sets up a showdown with its crosstown Jeep rival at a time when both brands are boasting all SUV\/pickup lineups. Bronco vs Wrangler is a battle of icons. Both off-road focused. Both with removable body panels. Both with high-tech interiors.<\/p>\n
A third player in the space\u00a0\u2014\u00a0the aging, Tacoma pickup-based Toyota 4Runner\u00a0\u2014indicates the pent-up appeal for overlanding. The 4Runner, too, is putting up record sales,\u00a0topping 130,000 units each of the last two years. Built on the same rugged frame as the Tacoma, the best-selling truck in a resurgent mid-size pickup class, the 4Runner offers a daily commuter that can also kick dirt on weekends.<\/p>\n
\u201cOverlanding has become a big thing,\u201d said Roman Mica, publisher of TFL Truck YouTube channel, one the nation\u2019s most popular truck sites. \u201cWe have an American culture of people who want to drive cross-country in the dirt. They want lifestyle vehicles like the Wrangler and Bronco that lets the world see what you are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mica says the Wrangler has been a hit because it allows buyers to customize their off-road ride. He expects the Bronco will also be a hit.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe question is: Why did it take\u00a0Ford so long?\u201d he smiles. \u201cAnd the million-dollar question is: Why isn\u2019t General Motors doing something like it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Always a key player in Jeep\u2019s portfolio, parent Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV elevated the Wrangler to icon status after the Italians purchased the brand in 2009. Wrangler sales have been on hyperdrive ever since.<\/p>\n
The remade Bronco follows the Wrangler formula, offering two-and-four door variants with removable body panels so customers can get closer to nature. According to spy shots, the Bronco will feature retro, round headlights and boxy bodywork harking back to its roots when it was produced as a wee two-door from 1966-1977. Unlike the old mare, however, the new kid is expected to be stuffed with the latest creature comforts while starting in the low $30,000 range.<\/p>\n