Is the BRONCO magic real and lasting or will Ford destroy it?

[Raptor911]

Bronco is not even out yet and you want to improve it on already?

lol

Or even better, if the Wrangler is forced to improve and in turn forces the Bronco to stay on its toes.

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[zaki]

@Straight 6, good points all.

The Bronco for most people will be an emotional purchase and not a logical one.
But perhaps in a way that is its strength.
When you love something it is easier to overlook its shortcomings.

I have always felt that while Japanese vehicles are very reliable, most lack an emotional connection with the owner. They are excellent appliances but few make truly lovable pets.

 

[Wanted33]

Interesting question....but I don't think Ford is driving the train - it's all about meeting market demand. G6 is already handicapped by the confines of CAFE & safety regs, although I personally see auto manufacturers as complicit in that evolution. Ergo the powertrain, overly wide stance, and electronic nannies.

Perhaps G1 was more focused on a narrower market swath, while G6 wants to please everyone.

But there's always room to snatch Defeat from the jaws of Victory. A common definition of Corporate Marketing is "the group that takes a glorious, successful, broadly loved product...and continues to tweak features/price points to the point no one wants it anymore".

As an old friend of mine used to say, "A camel is just a horse designed by a committee." Hopefully Ford doesn't fall into that situation with the Bronco, but we all surely realize it only about profits, and nothing more. Us enthusiasts will only be a small part of the market. If the "Soccer" Mom's along with the Mall Crawler crowd don't step up, and buy the Bronco we may see a bastardized version down the road. And that would really piss me off.

 

[zaki]

To question #2, No. It'll evolve just like the Wrangler. Whether that means into mediocrity 5 or 10 years down the line will be subjective. Some, I'm sure, will say it lost its magic. Others, no doubt, will say that they can't imagine buying a vehicle without a 26 inch touchscreen, humane spider traps, and autonomous driving capabilities.

Well said.
The humane spider trap is one thing but I would be very interested in some technology that can keep birds from pooping on every freshly washed car!

 

[steevenk]

Agreed. Instead of 7 trim levels there should be 2, and option the rest. 7 is too many for one vehicle. It's the same vehicle...

Outside of paying 6 figures for a car, manufacturers just don't build cars this way anymore. Asking for less trim levels and more options causes everything to cost more.

One thing some don't realize is that some of the wiring and infrastructure for options and option packages are roughed in at certain trim levels whether you get that option or not. So for example, one reason there is such a large jump between the Base and Big Bend might be because the Mid Package wiring is roughed into every Big Bend whether you choose that option or not. This keeps manufacturing costs low as there is less variance between what all needs to come off certain lines.

 

[Lowcountry Bronco]

Agreed. Instead of 7 trim levels there should be 2, and option the rest. 7 is too many for one vehicle. It's the same vehicle...

Yep, 2 door and 4 door, everything else is really just option packages.

 

[indio22]

Magic is real. 2 door manual trans Bronco with removable roof and doors for 30k. If Ford can keep that going then home run. Although that won't stop some people from dropping 50k and making themselves unhappy over Navy Pier interiors, HVAC vents and other stuff.

I'll have loads fun with that 30k rig on and off-road (with some bigger tires). While some people in 50k rigs won't even have a legit use for the locking diffs and other component functionalities. Crazy world we live in.

 

[steevenk]

They'll have an uphill battle to not kill the bronco in one generation

It's not a Jeep, and jeep owns a large portion of the off road market

It's an off road vehicle, so when people compare it to a highlander or pilot or explorer they'll wonder why it's so expensive/loud/small/inefficient

Bronco is an emotional purchase because really it's inferior as a day to day car. It's a sacrifice of usability for style.

It's almost like a little 2seat convertible, fun and cool but it's better as a 3rd family car than a daily driver.

I like the bronco, it's cool. But with a realistic thought process the bronco really doesn't do anything better than a CR-V would do in my usage case and it's actually worse in quite a few metrics.

The people who don't off road, and never plan to off road will be who make or kill the bronco.

I don't know, you remove the first two sentences in your comment and the rest could be about the Jeep itself, and it sells fine. I think there are enough casual buyers and non-Jeep loyalists that it will easily get to another generation. If the Jeep only relied on off-road drivers it would have died a long time ago, or it would be a much different and probably more expensive vehicle.

 

[Squatch]

...we may see a bastardized version down the road. And that would really piss me off.

I agree. The manual is likely the first thing to get canx'd if not at the 4-year refresh, then at the 8-9 year redesign for sure, so I'm getting mine now. I know the 2.7 has more power and I love my 10-speed auto, but I need a bit of irrational control over my Lux'ed out Badlands.

 

[zaki]

Im not really on topic but I would own a new NSX in a heartbeat if I was in the market...If one dropped to a reasonable price....I get the Honda/Acura messed up but its a great car and the fact that you never see them makes it even more desirable to me...so good for me if it failed because I would get one and I think most people will double take when it goes cruising by....

We have alot of Ford lovers who own jeeps that are excited about Bronco...thats pretty encouraging to me that the Bronco brand will stay and wont fall flat...but even if it does I plan on owning a Bronco, as long as theres no death wobble...I can even deal with a leaky top, but I hope it doesnt have one, guess we will find out.

The new NSX is certainly an amazing sports car and its ability is far above that of the original. But my calling it a failure was not to diminish its undeniable performance capability or its stunning looks but to merely state that it has so far at least, failed to be a replacement for the original. It is best to think of it as a different sports car and perhaps HONDA should have given it an altogether different name.

It is very difficult to fill the shoes of the original. Which is one reason the Bronco is a unique reincarnation.

 

[zaki]

As an old friend of mine used to say, "A camel is just a horse designed by a committee." Hopefully Ford doesn't fall into that situation with the Bronco, but we all surely realize it only about profits, and nothing more. Us enthusiasts will only be a small part of the market. If the "Soccer" Mom's along with the Mall Crawler crowd don't step up, and buy the Bronco we may see a bastardized version down the road. And that would really piss me off.

Hopefully the Bronco Sport will satisfy enough people including soccer moms to allow the Bronco to survive and flourish.

 

[shieldsy]

'Magic' is such an elusive attribute to sustain. The World moves forward and the prism we view and evaluate non tangible qualities like 'magic', evolves with it. Additionally, 'magic' is not going to be a key design driver with mass produced autos. It is more like an amazing and elusive byproduct when the real requirements are addressed. Lightning in a bottle that might not even be realized until much later.

The G2 Bronco was designed to create a smoother ride and more creature comforts while limiting the expense with a one off platform redesign and production. The G3 was designed to be more fuel efficient due to the oil crisis. etc. etc. Needs and requirements that drive design are continually evolving.

Is it even possible to retain magic indefinitely as you shift the core design principles that you are bounded to? I bet you would have better luck at winning the Powerball.

 

[Rogues Gambit]

I got faith in it

There's something about a proper Wrangler fighter that no other vehicles gonna replicate

Having driven 3 convertible's in my life, just something special and soulful about the experience, and other than the oddball Evoque and Murano convertible, gonna have a soul from there.

Add to it the manual and 2.3t and fugeddaboutit!

Besides, won't look anything like these

 

[zaki]

'Magic' is such an elusive attribute to sustain. The World moves forward and the prism we view and evaluate non tangible qualities like 'magic', evolves with it. Additionally, 'magic' is not going to be a key design driver with mass produced autos. It is more like an amazing and elusive byproduct when the real requirements are addressed. Lightning in a bottle that might not even be realized until much later.

The G2 Bronco was designed to create a smoother ride and more creature comforts while limiting the expense with a one off platform redesign and production. The G3 was designed to be more fuel efficient due to the oil crisis. etc. etc. Needs and requirements that drive design are continually evolving.

Is it even possible to retain magic indefinitely as you shift the core design principles that you are bounded to? I bet you would have better luck at winning the Powerball.

Your thoughts about "Magic" are spot on and well stated.
Magic being such an elusive quality that certainly no one can incorporate it into the design on will.
Once it is realized that one has indeed somehow managed to capture lightning in a bottle, the question then becomes, can they keep it captured. There are so many variables at play that yes, as you state, the odds are very much against it.

That does give me one happy and reassuring thought however. Once we find something that truly is special to us, it is not necessary or even desirable to wait for an "improved" version next year or the year after that. The magic of the object for you does not necessarily increase with more power or other changes that someone else may find more magical.

 

[Carolina Jim]

Your thoughts about "Magic" are spot on and well stated.

Art only becomes pricey once the artist dies. Autos only become classics once they're discontinued.

Whether you're a Wrangler fan or not, you have to admire its longevity and fan base. And those many years of success bake a lot of corporate experience into the cake. Ford should not be even a little cocky...Bronco G6 success is yet to be proven.

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