Bronco Mirror Location Patent

[dgorsett]

I just don't see why Ford can't start releasing renderings of the body. They can still keep the details of powertrain and suspension a secret. Heck as for the body renderings, they can even hide the fact that any parts are removable. Just something that is true to where that are heading.

I think that is because the body is the only thing they don't have firmed up. The Ranger is the platform, so that's the basics, suspension and drivetrain (with some Bronco specific mods: four link rear?) We've seen mules testing these things. Management and marketing got way our ahead of engineering, making promises that are hard to keep while utilizing the Ranger platform: removeable top and doors, two &four door, retro styling, off road capability.

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[Stampede.Offroad]

I think that is because the body is the only thing they don't have firmed up. The Ranger is the platform, so that's the basics ...

The body design was locked in long enough ago that prototypes have been built, shown off, and sat around collecting dust. It's just that none of us have so much as seen a concept sketch. Ford's 'top' dealers got to see the prototype months ago -- that's how we learned it will have removable doors, roof, and A-pillar mounted mirrors.

The Bronco will be built on the redesigned chassis before the Ranger is too.

 

[dgorsett]

The body design was locked in long enough ago that prototypes have been built, shown off, and sat around collecting dust. It's just that none of us have so much as seen a concept sketch. Ford's 'top' dealers got to see the prototype months ago -- that's how we learned it will have removable doors, roof, and A-pillar mounted mirrors.

The Bronco will be built on the redesigned chassis before the Ranger is too.

Did the "Top" dealers see a prototype or just a non functional body mock up?

 

[Carmaker1]

I think that is because the body is the only thing they don't have firmed up. The Ranger is the platform, so that's the basics, suspension and drivetrain (with some Bronco specific mods: four link rear?) We've seen mules testing these things. Management and marketing got way our ahead of engineering, making promises that are hard to keep while utilizing the Ranger platform: removeable top and doors, two &four door, retro styling, off road capability.

Firmed up? I'm not sure what you're referring to, but if that is concerning the final design, you'd be very inaccurate. It's frozen, meaning 90-95% of it is designed, if not 99%. No more styling changes, that can slow scheduling and cost tens of millions to refine.

Whether or not you see spy shots, doesn't have to do with it being mechanically ready, something I learned the hard way when discretionary decisions are made with testing programs.

Those decisions are made by the appropriate bodies, as even the CD6 Explorer U625 design was set a few years ago and only camouflaged M1 CD6 test mules in old U519 & U519 MCA (D4) lengethened bodies were seen testing publicly for 18 months from October 2016 to May 2018.

The actual U625 VP1s got withheld from spy accessibility, in being decisively and heavily confined to areas or testing schedules not so visible, until just 1 year before production start in May. The first units were built way before June 2018, but withheld from view.

Something tangible is coming soon, as production is under 15 months away and usually guard is let down by this time. If not originally trotted out for testing publicity the minute VP1s are ready.

The new P702 was allowed to test in full view the minute VP1s were ready in April, the unique U725 not so much.

And lastly, the P375 and P375N (USDM) are not the basis of the U725. I've clearly said this before, because it explains the near and possibly belated launch into 2021. P703 Ranger is much closer to U725, not the updated P375N.

 

[PNW_Bronco94]

Carmaker1 has spoken! It's funny, I'm here every day to see if you've posted anything. Thanks for the insight. Wish they would just give us something (anything), but it sounds like that's not far off.

 

[Carmaker1]

Carmaker1 has spoken! It's funny, I'm here every day to see if you've posted anything. Thanks for the insight. Wish they would just give us something (anything), but it sounds like that's not far off.

Certainly Pacific Northwest. It's a mixed bag honestly, because those compact CX430 (C2 offroader) spy shots were "staged". It's all very deliberate, with everything.

 

[Carmaker1]

People are going to be very pissed about the reality of why you keep just seeing "M" mules running about, versus the real McCoy VP1s.

It's very strategic for internal reasons, partly based on timing. The first P702s were built April 22, but by May they were public. This though, was kept closer to vest.

Considering that engineering sign-off is probably a few months away, barring any unexpected delays beyond today.

Typically that's around 9-11 months before Job 1

 

[PNW_Bronco94]

People are going to be very pissed about the reality of why you keep just seeing "M" mules running about, versus the real McCoy VP1s.

It's very strategic for internal reasons, partly based on timing. The first P702s were built April 22, but by May they were public. This though, was kept closer to vest.

Other comments have cited competitive reasons for playing this so close to the vest, but realistically, how fast could a competitor rip off any significant details with production being less than 15 months away? This must be a hell of a hand.

 

[Carmaker1]

Other comments have cited competitive reasons for playing this so close to the vest, but realistically, how fast could a competitor rip off any significant details with production being less than 15 months away? This must be a hell of a hand.

Yes, similar to something I mentioned awhile back and another reason as well.

Any automaker worth their salt, needs 17 months between design freeze and Job 1 at the very worst (+/-2 years is ideal). Before design freeze, you still need to design your own copycat final proposal to engineer, so that's at least 3-6 months on top of 17 months and then maybe another 6 months to study and benchmark.

This only works if an existing frame can even be recycled by a genuine competitor, as without that or additional changes needed, you can add another 1-2 years to that.

Keeping it under wraps until late 2019, ensures no one credible can respond closely until about early 2022, except some China domestic brands.

If revealed or exposed today, some China market copycat can freeze a new design at 10 months before Job 1 and achieve final proposal 8-12 weeks before that 10 mos. and spend maybe 1-3 months on top designing proposals, not to mention reveal their work early, before the U725 itself gets launched, just to rain on parade.

Imagine U725 being visible as of today, with information to take the design and replicate. By December, a copycat final body can be designed. Then locked in by spring 2020, to later enter production in early 2021 for China market launch and launch maybe a few weeks afterward.

If Toyota or Nissan was even to take such interest by comparison, that vehicle would be here no earlier than late 2022 or 2023.

The F150 isn't in danger of that as much, so it was out as soon as it was ready for field testing.

By comparison FCA takes a very longtime and still have quality issues in the end.

The JL program started in 2011, intended for 2016 launch for MY 2017. Like the 1987 YJ out in May 1986, '97 TJ in April 1996 and '07 JK out in September 2006.

Unlike under DaimlerChrysler for the more on time JK program between 2001 and 2006, FCA fell behind and barely met the 2018 model year.

Jeep head Mike Manley wanted a JL design approval in 2013 and new JL in dealers by late 2016. Marchionne pushed it back initially to a March 2014 approval, so that changed it to a 2018 model.

Ultimately final JL Wrangler design selection occurred later in 2014, with final body freeze by the first half of 2015 and JK-body JL mules being ready that summer of 2015, plus it being shown to dealers in parallel. Targeted JL launch was summer 2017 as '18. Actual JL Wrangler prototypes first appeared in spring of 2016, nearly 2 years before launch in January 2018.

In the end, new Wrangler got pushed back some 15-16 months from fall 2016 to early 2018.

U725 Bronco is doing alright with this aspect, but stupid media misled folks to expect it much sooner nor did giving into UAW's trump card do any favors. Never should've gone so official so soon.

 

[PNW_Bronco94]

Thanks for the detailed answer. Makes me feel a little better about the timeline. Still, I wish they'd at least give us *something*, even if it was Dodge Demon-esq easter eggs or other tidbits. I'm hoping the extreme secrecy (compared, for example, to the latest F-150) points to the Bronco being groundbreaking and awesome.

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