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gwiacek

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Automotive News article says Webasto is going to invest $213 million this year on MIC tops. Claims they have 8 year deal. Claims they will have 6 different roofs for the bronco sometime in the future.

According to Automotive News Europe via Ford Authorty

“It took a lot of energy, nerves, and money,” Webasto CEO Holger Engelmann said last week during the company’s annual press conference. “We still successfully countered the ongoing pandemic, semiconductor bottlenecks, and exploding material costs last year, and further investments in the future were also factored in. But one single, extremely challenging, technological innovative major project of highly strategic importance for the Americas region meant that we again had to absorb a negative result.”

Indeed, Webasto estimates that it will invest a whopping $200 million euros ($213 million USD) into the Ford Bronco hard top project by the end of this year, which is a staggering sum for one product. However, the molded-in color (MIC) hardtop is also a massive moneymaking project for the company, one that will generate $2 billion in sales for Webasto over its eight-year lifespan, which covers 2018-2026.

The company estimates that the Bronco MIC top will account for a whopping 20 percent of its sales in the Americas region (which includes the U.S., Canada, and Mexico) beginning this year and continuing for the next several years. Ultimately, Webasto plans to build around one million roof systems for the rugged SUV, which will eventually consist of six different types of tops.
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Rip

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I get that in current conditions, we won't get communications until the last minute (point of highest possible certainty). I am likely to order a second bronco if MY23 has an available painted fiberglass top. I anticipate an additional interior trim package (including instrument panel) and a new wheel option with the Sasquatch package along with paint color fluctuation.

Does anyone else love Avalanche Grey like I do on Raptor? (y)
 

604Bronco

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I just want a darn hard top option, whatever it may be, to be an option from Ford - as an accessory. I love my soft top, but I would like to entertain other roof options as well. I'm sure I'm not alone.
 

RagnarKon

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I just want a darn hard top option, whatever it may be, to be an option from Ford - as an accessory. I love my soft top, but I would like to entertain other roof options as well. I'm sure I'm not alone.
Late 2023… maybe. Most likely 2024. And by then good chance we’ll have a few more aftermarket options as well.

For me as a hard top order holder… I just want guarenteed pricing on a hard top. I do not mind at all switching to a soft top if it helps Ford get Broncos out the door and helps me get my vehicle faster. But I will not switch to a hard top unless we get some idea what pricing will be.

$3000 - $5000?? Sold, I will switch to a soft top immediately. $7000+? Ain’t no way.

———

But anyway, $200 million is the type of investment you make when you are thinking long-term. That’s a good sign because it shows Ford is happy with the sales performance of the Bronco and is in it for the long-haul. But unlikely this will help any of us in the next in the next year. Honestly we’re still waiting for the investments Ford made last year to help us today (which they are… slowly).
 

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JBowles

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6 different tops? huh.

2dr MIC, 4dr MIC, 2dr MOD, 4 dr MOD... maybe the other two are some sort of power retract semi-hardtop like jeeps sky one touch.
 

HotdogThud

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They have no business making roofs after all that’s happened…
Yes they do, they made exactly what Ford told them to, it's just a shitty design. I was firmly in camp Webusted for a while too, but after noodling it over in my head for a bit, a couple of things occurred to me. Webasto makes roofs for LOTS of different companies. Those fancy glass roofs on BMW and Mercedes luxury cars? Webasto. Electronic convertibles for hard top convertibles? Webasto.

Do you really think that after all of that was used to build up a billion dollar business, that they'd just completely phone it in for Ford? No, Ford thought that a single millimeter of resin on top of cardboard was enough, and to save a few bucks on production time, they're just shaving the sides off instead of ensuring that there's a solid sealed edge on them.

Maybe I'm wrong, who knows, maybe they suck. But looking at the entire situation, including dropped valves, pulleys that eat cooling hoses, A pillars that leak water, convertibles that scuff the roll bar, body panels that are dented leaving the factory, unpainted door jambs, seats that don't match, dirt mountain, ice mountain, and any other thing I haven't listed, does one really think that this isn't all actually Ford's problem?
 
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RednWhite89

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So 2 billion in revenue divided by 1 million hardtops estimated = $2000 per hard top.
Wonder what Ford will sell them for once their available for all the soft top switchers?
 

Blackcat

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6 different tops? huh.

2dr MIC, 4dr MIC, 2dr MOD, 4 dr MOD... maybe the other two are some sort of power retract semi-hardtop like jeeps sky one touch.
We have a Sky One Touch on my wife's Jeep. If they offered it on a Bronco, I'd buy it in a second.
 

Saltlife4shore

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This is great news. But 6 different tops, let's just try to get one right first. Maybe they'll offer them for sale aftermarket, that would be cool.
 

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Papa Smurf

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Awesome. Maybe then they might be able to get me a quality replacement for my garbage MIC 2.0.
 

Saw4Fire

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Better late than never...
 

Lcubed

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who's making the MOD top?
is it still Webasto?
 

710-oil-614

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Yes they do, they made exactly what Ford told them to, it's just a shitty design. I was firmly in camp Webusted for a while too, but after noodling it over in my head for a bit, a couple of things occurred to me. Webasto makes roofs for LOTS of different companies. Those fancy glass roofs on BMW and Mercedes luxury cars? Webasto. Electronic convertibles for hard top convertibles? Webasto.

Do you really think that after all of that was used to build up a billion dollar business, that they'd just completely phone it in for Ford? No, Ford thought that a single millimeter of resin on top of cardboard was enough, and to save a few bucks on production time, they're just shave the sides off instead of ensuring that there's a solid sealed edge on them.

Maybe I'm wrong, who knows, maybe they suck. But looking at the entire situation, including dropped valves, pulleys that eat cooling hoses, A pillars that leak water, convertibles that scuff the roll bar, body panels that are dented leaving the factory, unpainted door jambs, seats that don't match, dirt mountain, ice mountain, and any other thing I haven't listed, does one really think that this isn't all actually Ford's problem?
So much this. It's all on @Ford Motor Company
 

BlueBronco

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who's making the MOD top?
is it still Webasto?
Good question. An "insider" had reported that the MOD top was to be built by a new, yet to be named supplier but that was over a year ago and never confirmed. Reading between the lines on that Ford Authority article leads me to believe that Webasto still has the contract.
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