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A poster (whose account has now been deleted) going by the name FordDesignBurner has been making headlines this morning in a Reddit AMA.
Reddit moderators have apparently verified the alleged "junior" designer's identity and employment at Ford, which while making this information more believable, should still be taken with a grain of salt, this being the internet and all.
The poster has dropped a lot of detailed information about the upcoming new Ford Bronco and Ford Ranger.
[Note: some of this info matches up with info we published from our own sources back in February 2016 - see here]
In the thread, the poster states (quotes below):
Ford Bronco:
Ford Ranger:
Reddit moderators have apparently verified the alleged "junior" designer's identity and employment at Ford, which while making this information more believable, should still be taken with a grain of salt, this being the internet and all.
The poster has dropped a lot of detailed information about the upcoming new Ford Bronco and Ford Ranger.
[Note: some of this info matches up with info we published from our own sources back in February 2016 - see here]
In the thread, the poster states (quotes below):
Ford Bronco:
- It will be very similar to the current Ford Everest.
- It will essentially be a rebadged Everest but there will be differences. It will be a 4 door. I definitely can't discuss pricing in detail but it will be competitive with the Colorado and cheaper than a similar F-150.
- We are benchmarking the Wrangler Unlimited for design considerations on the Bronco, but the doors/roof/windshield won’t move.
- Both vehicles will likely have similar off road capabilities in their off-road oriented trim level. One of our most important considerations is to prevent one vehicle from cannibalizing sales from another vehicle in the Ford lineup. This is why the Bronco will take an extra year to be released, we're having a bit of a tough time fitting it into the SUV lineup, which by 2020 will have 6 other SUVs already.
- To an extent, this is what we have to work with. Ford isn't ready to sink money into a brand new platform until we've seen that a light truck can be profitable. The Bronco is a different story, any SUV will sell like hotcakes. The extent of our autonomy is to give the truck a facelift and make the interior American-friendly.
- Not really [when asked whether it will have any retro styling cues], both vehicles will be based on current production models.
- The roof will stay in place
Ford Ranger:
- It will be body on frame!
- It will be a facelifted T6. T6 is the current generation of the Ranger. Unfortunately, market research indicates that a vehicle the same size as the 4th-gen Ranger will flop. That may be what you and I as Ranger owners want, but our target market does not want a truck that size. That may be a part of the next generation of Ranger, but for now we are only doing a facelift.
- Drivetrain combinations are still being considered. We are watching the Colorado's MT and Diesel sales, as well as monitoring fallout from VW's Dieselgate, amid fears that family-oriented diesel vehicles are 'tainted'.
- This truck will be a competitor to the Colorado. Our design team does not have the autonomy to change the hood, companies have already been contracted to produce the current design of most body panels. The new truck will be a facelifted T6. Our biggest consideration is preventing cannibalism of sales from the F-150.
- Unfortunately, it will never resemble 4th-Gen Rangers. We have done extensive market research and that size of truck will simply not be profitable. By 2011 the Ranger's sales were being entirely propped up by fleet purchases, same as the Crown Victoria. People smarter than me that get paid more than me have made all of these decisions already, and I say this with a heavy heart, as a 4th-gen owner myself.
- The process for developing trim levels is that we design it fully loaded, and then the guys from sales come in and start stripping features to meet a series of price points. Each price point is a trim level. For certain trim levels they then send it back to Design to be "dressed up", in order to look more aggressive (for off-road oriented trims) or expensive (for luxury oriented trims)
- Vinyl floor is probably not a likely option unless we have a fleet trim level. Tilt steering will be standard, though!
- We're working on a few different designs for market testing! One does resemble the F-150.
- Crew Cab with the 5 foot bed will be an option, but Super Cab with a 6 foot bed will also be an option.
- It will be much bigger than the 4th-gen Ranger, it will be a facelifted T6 Ranger. It is about the same size as the 10th Generation F-150.
- It will be facelifted, new headlights, grille, and front fascia. Corporate has mandated that the major body panels go unchanged.
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