2023 Bronco – New Features, Changes, Differences (Including Black Painted MOD Top)

[John Auer]

I'll preface this by saying that I actually prefer the textured MIC top over a painted hard top. Had no intention on ever getting a painted hard top.

But yes, the MIC top will match the side mirrors, fender flares, door handles, and grille on most of the trims. The only trims (in my mind) where it makes sense to get the painted black hard top is Outer Banks. It would have made sense for Wildtrak too, but in 2022 Wildtrak also lost a lot of its painted components, so... meh.

Could be a late availability trim (like both Everglades and Raptor was this past year) or it could be something that Ford intended on releasing in 2023 and opted to push until 2024.

I have an Outer Banks on order, but with the Sasquatch package, so MIC fender flares. I'm not willing to have the flares repainted, so I'll stick with the MIC top. I just hope they have adequately addressed the quality issues. Also, I'm not impressed with the sound deadening material they're using for the MIC top. I've seen video of people rubbing their hand along the top and having it look like it was snowing in the truck.

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[TCFATL]

Don’t forget the interior design team!

If I recall correctly Ford initially flexed the interior designs citing two Millenial gals for the inspirations behind them … resulting in the odd dash, interior trim and seating color combos … accented by neon orange or neon blue … WTF … what is wrong with black on black with white contrast stitching? … this isn’t the place to exercise your two year art school degree (for whom we will now all be paying off their student loans) … for future models … I know a guy Ford should engage … comes highly recommended …

 

[RagnarKon]

I have an Outer Banks on order, but with the Sasquatch package, so MIC fender flares. I'm not willing to have the flares repainted, so I'll stick with the MIC top. I just hope they have adequately addressed the quality issues. Also, I'm not impressed with the sound deadening material they're using for the MIC top. I've seen video of people rubbing their hand along the top and having it look like it was snowing in the truck.

Yeah... I guess you can always wait and see what the prices are. But yeah, I think the MIC top would look better.

Any particular reason why you didn't just go Wildtrak?? Always curious why people pick Outer Banks but then are willing to sacrifice one of the biggest benefits of Outer Banks by getting a non-painted fender flare. I assume OBX had an interior option you were particularly interested in?

 

[2DoorForSure]

And antimatter blue is really blue!

Hopefully some pics of AGM will pop soon on a Bronco because it's my top choice if I switch to the unlimited HE.

Azure literally means Blue, so that's why it is more blue than gray . Here is AGM on a Bronco Heritage Edition. You can see the white parts (grille and top) painted (or wrapped) black.

I initially thought I would get an HE in this color, but it looks so close to A51, which is literally almost every Bronco on the road near me (which is a lot, I usually see 5 or 6 per day). So I'm skipping AGM.

 

[John Auer]

Yeah... I guess you can always wait and see what the prices are. But yeah, I think the MIC top would look better.

Any particular reason why you didn't just go Wildtrak?? Always curious why people pick Outer Banks but then are willing to sacrifice one of the biggest benefits of Outer Banks by getting a non-painted fender flare. I assume OBX had an interior option you were particularly interested in?

I think it was leather interior. It was so long ago, I actually forget why I went with OBX, plus SAS. I think the OBX comes with painted mirror caps and painted key pad. I also like the SAS wheels with the chrome ring. I'm not a fan of all black wheels. They look great up close, but from a few feet away, they get lost without the added definition.

 

[Wolfpack]

Azure literally means Blue, so that's why it is more blue than gray . Here is AGM on a Bronco Heritage Edition. You can see the white parts (grille and top) painted (or wrapped) black.

I initially thought I would get an HE in this color, but it looks so close to A51, which is literally almost every Bronco on the road near me (which is a lot, I usually see 5 or 6 per day). So I'm skipping AGM.

Wow that looks almost identical to Area 51 haha. Same in the Charlotte, NC area almost all Area 51 and it's such a bland color, if we are even going to call it a color.

 

[Lowcountry Bronco]

Azure literally means Blue, so that's why it is more blue than gray . Here is AGM on a Bronco Heritage Edition. You can see the white parts (grille and top) painted (or wrapped) black.

I initially thought I would get an HE in this color, but it looks so close to A51, which is literally almost every Bronco on the road near me (which is a lot, I usually see 5 or 6 per day). So I'm skipping AGM.

Thanks, I remember seeing that but wrote it off as A51. From the pics I gathered AGM appears lighter but what do I know. I do like A51 when it's captured in blue, I think AGM with the white accents will lighten it up and mesh pretty well but it's allot going on (blue-gray/red/white/50 Shades of black gray trim) so it'll either standout or be an abomination.

 

[Razorbak86]

What does "SB" stand for in Cyber Orange Metallic Tri-Coat (SB) ?

Some would say it stands for School Bus

You are officially right! See https://hdpaintcode.com/2019-2021-ford-paint-codes/

FWIW, Ford has had a School Bus Yellow paint color available on various Ford models going back decades. It is currently available on some of Ford’s commercial vehicles (e.g., Transit cargo vans, F-650/F-750 trucks). However, unlike Cyber Orange Metallic Tri-coat (color code: SB/M7450), School Bus Yellow is a single-stage paint (color code: BY/M6284).

The 2-digit paint code stands for Bus Yellow.

 

[DriveAllNight]

I was looking at pictures online with the azure and in the sunlight it looks a lot more silver than area 51 .
I've seen many Broncos in person with Area51 and they don't turn silver in the sunlight.
For whatever that's worth

 

[BigFootie]

Not hard to figure out who understands manufacturing and who has no idea at all.

Did Ford make mistakes? Without a doubt. But did they do it on purpose? Of course not.

My opinion is that the hardtop change to the thinner material was made to reduce weight and a decision made by Ford. Unfortunately this change was made late in the process and not enough time was allotted to test it out. Webasto tried to manufacture to the new specs but it just wasn't possible. Ford execs publicly threw Webasto under the bus to hide the spec change. If you look at the sandwiched design of the top you can see potential issues by making the skin thinner.

Just about all auto manufacturers failed at chip allocations. So when chip supply dried up they were all affected. I suspect US manufacturers were the least prepared. US manufacturers relied heavily on their sub-contractors to manage chip sourcing. When there were plenty of chips, no big deal. But because of the recent pandemic chip supplies (along with just about everything else) dried up and everyone was scrambling. Unfortunately the US auto manufacturers learned the hard way they needed to step in and manage the allocation process directly with the chip suppliers.

But pivoting to new plans is a lengthy process for a company the size of Ford. We saw what happened when they tried to pivot quickly with the top redesign.

So is there a good answer? A lot of companies are coming out of the pandemic, some better off than others. Did Ford learn from the mistakes? Hopefully.

Well said!

 

[Notmattwong]

If I recall correctly Ford initially flexed the interior designs citing two Millenial gals for the inspirations behind them … resulting in the odd dash, interior trim and seating color combos … accented by neon orange or neon blue … WTF … what is wrong with black on black with white contrast stitching? … this isn’t the place to exercise your two year art school degree (for whom we will now all be paying off their student loans) … for future models … I know a guy Ford should engage … comes highly recommended …

Sources? Other than a Facebook post your mee-maw shared?

 

[Lowcountry Bronco]

Sources? Other than a Facebook post your mee-maw shared?

It's all Missy's fault!!! Go back in the archives and find the launch videos.

 

[swooshdave]

Sources? Other than a Facebook post your mee-maw shared?

This video had some of us cringing at the design process for the interior. Picking a single theme color as an accent for a trim level sounds good in theory but falls flat when the interior team doesn't take into account whatsoever the exterior colors.

But hey, it's ok when you make something so popular that people can ignore the mistakes...

 

[Mflies23]

I have an Outer Banks on order, but with the Sasquatch package, so MIC fender flares. I'm not willing to have the flares repainted, so I'll stick with the MIC top. I just hope they have adequately addressed the quality issues. Also, I'm not impressed with the sound deadening material they're using for the MIC top. I've seen video of people rubbing their hand along the top and having it look like it was snowing in the truck.

I’ve seen similar videos of the “sound deadening” flaking off. Is there and aftermarket solution yet?

 

[NasBronco]

Does anyone think the MIC top might be a better choice than the black painted top, since the fender flares on Sasquatch models are MIC? I want a modular top, but I'd like the fender flares to match with the Sasquatch package.

I am waiting for the Mod top since it is shadow black. The MIC top is carbonized gray. The fender flares, mirror caps and door handles on my BL are shadow black MIC. Although the texture is not the same it will still go with my black/white theme. Plus, not sure it’s still an option but the Mod top was supposed to have removable rear side windows.

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