Is FCA getting nervous? Publishes Bronco vs Jeep Wrangler Info Sheet Guide

[siggy]

My license plate will read JEEPKLR

Probably not wise. I was in my brother's ZR1 when we came up to a BMW that had a license plate that read V8EATR. Fellar kept his window up and never looked over. Rule of thumb, there will ALWAYS be someone who can and will one up you in every facet of life. But let me know when you get that sweet tag, and we can test that against Orange Crusher (that's my Wrangler's name )

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[Bladerunner24]

Probably not wise. I was in my brother's ZR1 when we came up to a BMW that had a license plate that read V8EATR. Fellar kept his window up and never looked over. Rule of thumb, there will ALWAYS be someone who can and will one up you in every facet of life. But let me know when you get that sweet tag, and we can test that against Orange Crusher (that's my Wrangler's name )

Probably right, but like someone else mentioned I will look for jeeps to park next to.lol

 

[Clark]

Meh. They're just giving sales reps at dealerships some talking points for customers who are comparison shopping. Pretty standard sales and marketing stuff.

You can do all of that without actually mentioning the Bronco. Sales reps worth a damn should know all of the benefits of their rig and the Bronco’s capabilities / build specs are public. The sales manager could brief all his/her guys/gals on what to say, but don’t put it down on a flyer where Ford and it’s fan boys can pick apart the glaring biases, subjective half truths and inaccuracies. Don’t give your enemy any ammo.

 

[timhood]

The mention of the front axle makes me laugh a bit..

How many people buy a Jeep specifically for the SFA? Less than 1%?

How many will buy the Bronco because of the IFS, wether they know why or not, just based on ride quality? I bet much more than 1%.

I know I'm getting a Bronco because of the IFS. I've never had a need for a solid axle.

I ruled out a Jeep years ago, before a new Bronco was even a rumor because of the archaic engines and solid axles. So count me in on the IFS fan club for Bronco. I've already seen the videos and this thing will do far more off-road than I plan to. In fact, on the rutty roads, I'll bet the Bronco will still be more comfortable than the Wrangler.

 

[Granger Ford]

We sell both of them so I will get to compare live I will see how my Badlands stacks up my JT Rubicon and JK Rubicon's

 

[Macdaddy59]

Whelp.. as I stated on another post, I knew that Jeep was going to boast about their one touch moonroof. We can beat them at their own game. But I will admit, seeing it in action is a nice touch. For casual off roaders this is a great feature where we have panaramic roof option. But I'm Bronco through and through but Ford has the time and opportunity to take the lead on this.

Offer a modular panoramic roof? Beat that Jeep!

Fingers Crossed. The Bronco team for what I've seen takes competition seriously. As do I!

 

[BuckeyeinNV]

Yeah, I would agree with everything you just said. I would prefer IFS too. I would say is, the Jeep Wrangler sells really well. So the segment is large enough to be very profitable, just not large enough for every brand to be in it.

Ford does want the hardcore off-roaders. Otherwise, why post all the Rubicon and Moab videos.

I'd just say, there are a lot of people buying the Wrangler for reasons other than rock crawling prowess. It was also the only convertible SUV on the market, the last (or one of the last) you could get with a manual transmission, it's just a fun vehicle and a lot of buyers who don't care about rock crawling appreciate that.

Regarding the type of use/buyer they're targeting, I'd encourage everyone to re-read the Jalopnik article and focus on the Ford rep quotes. Here are a few relevant to the conversation:

“Versus a Rubicon with a bar disconnected [compared] to our Badlands with the bar disconnected, we’re not gonna be as high a score as they are,” Jamie Groves, vehicle engineering manager for the Bronco told me about the Bronco’s Ramp Travel Index versus the Jeep Wrangler’s.

“We won’t be as good as the direct competitor, but I’d say we’re better than anything else in the market other than that specific one,” Groves admitted.

Referring to a solid front axle: “It’s just not something that was a critical need for the type of product that we were trying to engineer and provide to the customer.”

It was clear to me during our interview that the Bronco’s Chief Program Engineer Eric Loeffler was taking a dig at the Wrangler when he told me: “What we’re after with Bronco is not to be a one-trick pony but basically to... have the ability to use the vehicle in a variety of ways but be competent in all ways.”

 

[BabyDoc1012]

Just me two cents on the SFA / IFS comments. How many people walking into a Jeep dealership willing to drop 40k-60k on a brand new Jeep and need to be told about the benefits of the SFA over the IFS in EXTREME rock crawling (because we have all seem the videos of the Bronco at rubicon and Moab which show IFS can crawl) will go and take that new Jeep EXTREME rock crawling minutes after signing paperwork? Also how many of those will actually care about that advantage?

Now the guy that cares about that will wait until that Jeep is traded, buy it used and then drop the 3k-4k into that will allow it to truly be able to do the EXTREME rock crawling.

Just my opinion though

 

[timhood]

Actually that’s not true.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.au.../24/jd-power-initial-quality-dodge-kia-tesla/

Pay no attention to JD Power's Initial Quality reports. They sell those to manufacturers to brag in commercials. Think of it this way: what's more important, what you notice right away or the problems that pop up over long-term ownership? Consumer reports does a much better job of measuring reliability and Wrangler is perennially in the "10 Worst Of All" list.

 

[LJL03]

Some Jeep propaganda I found.

Who's 9 year old kid wrote this up

 

[BuckeyeinNV]

Just me two cents on the SFA / IFS comments. How many people walking into a Jeep dealership willing to drop 40k-60k on a brand new Jeep and need to be told about the benefits of the SFA over the IFS in EXTREME rock crawling (because we have all seem the videos of the Bronco at rubicon and Moab which show IFS can crawl) will go and take that new Jeep EXTREME rock crawling minutes after signing paperwork? Also how many of those will actually care about that advantage?

Now the guy that cares about that will wait until that Jeep is traded, buy it used and then drop the 3k-4k into that will allow it to truly be able to do the EXTREME rock crawling.

Just my opinion though

Yeah, IMO, the average person who's honestly cross shopping is going to test drive both and come away thinking the Bronco feels more powerful with better steering and handling, nicer intertior, etc etc. The Jeep salesperson can wax on about SFA, but the customer's eyes are just going to glaze over. Jeep will make sales by undercutting the Bronco's price, and like has been shown in this thread, to the rather small nothing-matters-but-SFA crowd. Everyone else is going to prefer the Bronco.

 

[timhood]

It was a bit confusing where they were trying to go with the mirror point. I guess they don't think you need to see behind you with the doors off?

What they were trying to say was, "But 1% of the time, you might actually want the mirrors off. Pay no attention to the other 99% of the time!"

 

[timhood]

They try saying that most people want their mirrors to come off when even the vast majority of Rubicon owners never take their vehicle off the pavement (most people simply have mall crawlers, which is okay). Hey FCA, "It's illegal to run on pavement without side-view mirrors!" Their marketing was very subpar to say the least. Just my two cents.

I was talking to a Wrangler-owner friend of mine about the mirrors and he said he bought after-market mirrors. That suggests that even Wrangler owners see the mirrors as a deficiency. It also suggests that the difference between the Wrangler's 300 after-market items and Broncos 200 may be in part items the Bronco doesn't need "fixing".

 

[PDiddy]

I'd just say, there are a lot of people buying the Wrangler for reasons other than rock crawling prowess. It was also the only convertible SUV on the market, the last (or one of the last) you could get with a manual transmission, it's just a fun vehicle and a lot of buyers who don't care about rock crawling appreciate that.

Regarding the type of use/buyer they're targeting, I'd encourage everyone to re-read the Jalopnik article and focus on the Ford rep quotes. Here are a few relevant to the conversation:

“Versus a Rubicon with a bar disconnected [compared] to our Badlands with the bar disconnected, we’re not gonna be as high a score as they are,” Jamie Groves, vehicle engineering manager for the Bronco told me about the Bronco’s Ramp Travel Index versus the Jeep Wrangler’s.

“We won’t be as good as the direct competitor, but I’d say we’re better than anything else in the market other than that specific one,” Groves admitted.

Referring to a solid front axle: “It’s just not something that was a critical need for the type of product that we were trying to engineer and provide to the customer.”

It was clear to me during our interview that the Bronco’s Chief Program Engineer Eric Loeffler was taking a dig at the Wrangler when he told me: “What we’re after with Bronco is not to be a one-trick pony but basically to... have the ability to use the vehicle in a variety of ways but be competent in all ways.”

Thanks for digging up those quotes. I think they hit the nail on the head. very few need/will use that front axle.

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