When will Bronco become a real threat to Jeep?

[gryphon1231]

So when and what will it take for the Bronco to become a real threat to Jeep's market share?

Will FCA/Jeep be watching the Bronco reveal or product release and start copying features with a goal of introducing them in a year or two to try and alleviate some lost sales?

Will FCA/Jeep try to improve their quality to compete with the higher perceived quality of Ford?

Will FCA/Jeep drop their prices to compete?

If any of these scenarios come true it will be good for us Bronco buyers as we know that competition keeps prices down and increases innovation.

Personally, as someone who's owned 3 jeeps the last of which was a JK with an evo manufacturing lift set up for hard core desert running, I think the Bronco will make an impact right away.

The Bronco's biggest impact will be with the person who is looking at a Jeep for a daily driver that does not really do any serious off roading (that's that what makes up the majority of the Jeep crowd, regardless of what jeep says). Think of it in terms on road manners . The Bronco's IFS is going to have significantly better street manners than Jeeps solid front axle. For the more serious hardcore jeep people I think it will take a year or so before the Bronco really start to see in roads.

For me personally the switch is a no brainer. As much as I love my jeep, the Bronco is going to be a better fit for me, since I'm looking for a desert runner and not a rock crawler.

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[Fosters]

Not at all. I'm saying Ford will sell these based on the image that the few that get modified and do offroad will portray. Yes there's other types of offroading, no doubt about that... but correct me if I'm wrong, did Ford set out to steal sales from the Raptor or the Wrangler?

I'm a disappointed Ford guy. I have 4 Fords and a Jeep, and was looking forward to making it 5 Fords. There would have been a great opportunity for Ford to make a wrangler fighter and eat their lunch. Jeep doesn't sell jeeps only to the rock crawlers, obviously. But they sell them because of the image those rock crawlers create. That being said, Ford had to do a solid axle to compete straight across with Jeep. If they wanted to take Jeep to the cleaners, throw a v8 in the mix, which is what Jeep owners have been asking for ages, and it would have been game over for the wrangler. Not to mention it would have played into the Bronco's heritage.

I guess this is a Jeep, and wanting a modern version of this is too much Jeep.

There are no good shots of the bronco rock crawling or flexing... or climbing another bronco's tire... But if you think those foot long control arms have more than a few inches of travel - or more travel than a solid axle, you're delusional.

 

[KaneNorth]

Not at all. I'm saying Ford will sell these based on the image that the few that get modified and do offroad will portray. Yes there's other types of offroading, no doubt about that... but correct me if I'm wrong, did Ford set out to steal sales from the Raptor or the Wrangler?



I'm a disappointed Ford guy. I have 4 Fords and a Jeep, and was looking forward to making it 5 Fords. There would have been a great opportunity for Ford to make a wrangler fighter and eat their lunch. Jeep doesn't sell jeeps only to the rock crawlers, obviously. But they sell them because of the image those rock crawlers create. That being said, Ford had to do a solid axle to compete straight across with Jeep. If they wanted to take Jeep to the cleaners, throw a v8 in the mix, which is what Jeep owners have been asking for ages, and it would have been game over for the wrangler. Not to mention it would have played into the Bronco's heritage.



I guess this is a Jeep, and wanting a modern version of this is too much Jeep.

There are no good shots of the bronco rock crawling or flexing... or climbing another bronco's tire... But if you think those foot long control arms have more than a few inches of travel - or more travel than a solid axle, you're delusional.

Half the time my damn sway bar disconnect on my JKU doesn’t work anyways because Jeeps stock POS disconnect system gets messed up after you get it wet a couple times or even look at a puddle wrong and neglect to take apart the connector and dry it out and recoat it with dielectric grease. Or It just won’t disconnect because I’m not parked on a perfectly engineered flat surface when I need to use it.

 

[Fosters]

If the reservation tracking form On this forum is to be believed 30% of users here that answ


Half the time my damn sway bar disconnect on my JKU doesn’t work anyways because Jeeps stock POS disconnect system gets messed up after you get it wet a couple times or even look at a puddle wrong and neglect to take apart the connector and dry it out and recoat it with dielectric grease. Or It just won’t disconnect because I’m not parked on a perfectly engineered flat surface when I need to use it.

I never had issues with my swaybar disconnect. Yeah, had to do it on flat ground, gotta realize the amount of bind it's under if it's not flat... Maybe your connector has gone bad and lets water in? Mine didn't have issues in the 3 years I had it.

If only 30% of your fan base buys your hyped up new product, I'd say that's a pretty bad result...

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a33296307/jeep-wrangler-v-8-rubicon-392-concept-revealed/

They're sure taking a beating here...

 

[BilletWilson]

Will some Jeep owners jump ship, sure, but I don't think this will be the death of them by any means. Jeep has done a hell of a job pushing the wrangler platform forward and that's without any direct competition forcing them to do so. The JL and JT feel extremely refined. The interior is one of the best in the business and is a great place to be in. The Jeep will remain cheaper/easier to build, its narrower which is extremely important in tight spaces and on many trails, and its heritage can't be denied no matter what another manufacturer brings to market.

I honestly feel there's room on the market for the two and would gladly head out on a trail with a group made up of a combination of both. Ford and FCA (soon to be called Stellantis) will push each other to keep improving. What I don't want to see is a Jeep Bronco or a Ford Wrangler. I want them to compete but retain enough separation and difference so our options are more than the badge on the grill.

 

[North7]

I never had issues with my swaybar disconnect. Yeah, had to do it on flat ground, gotta realize the amount of bind it's under if it's not flat... Maybe your connector has gone bad and lets water in? Mine didn't have issues in the 3 years I had it.

If only 30% of your fan base buys your hyped up new product, I'd say that's a pretty bad result...

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a33296307/jeep-wrangler-v-8-rubicon-392-concept-revealed/

They're sure taking a beating here...

Which division of FCA Marketing do you work for?

 

[Fosters]

Which division of FCA Marketing do you work for?

I have well over 100 grand worth of Fords, and a 3000 dollar XJ... I'm definitely working for FCA, lmao. It must really hurt your feelers to realize Ford dropped the ball and made an overhyped mall crawler. Let me know when you get yours, post up some pics of that awesome 3-4 inches of flex

 

[Bmadda]

I've spent more time in the dirt than probably 95% of people who own Jeeps and would not even be considering the Bronco if it wasn't IFS. And again, IFS is better off road almost all of the time. That's from my experience, not guessing.

We've known for a very long time the Bronco was being built on the Ranger platform, why would you even think SFA was in the cards? Spy shots confirmed it a long time ago as well.

Ranger has leaf springs. If it's not too much work for Ford to switch to 4 link rear why would SFA be so difficult? Answer is it isn't...management killed it...not the design team. Why do you think this launch has taken this long? Ranger is 2 MY old now (and older in EU I'm told). Do you think a SFA Bronco mule hasn't gone through the X garage? No doubt several. I am not allergic to IFS, just believe it will not seriously compete w/Jeep...maybe in stock trim it's not that bad, but once modded, Jeep becomes EXPONENTIALLY better. Just because a vehicle has a SFA that doesn't make it a Jeep...Jeep doesn't have a patent. We were told this vehicle could compete...but it is clear that Ford brought a knife to a gunfight!

 

[Norsman]

I was going to upgrade my Jeep this year... I went to the dealer and sat in one and the gladiator and discovered that they reduced the headroom, my head was literally touching the roof/roll bar in each. I'm only 6'4", so no future Jeep for me.

 

[BAUS67]

And just for fun, here's my '79 F150 at the same place as the video

Hey, wait a minute is that thing hanging the back tire ???? But how is this possible it has a SFA and SRA. What's the matter can't that leaf sprung tank flex ????



/S

 

[BilletWilson]

Pretty bold words for a vehicle that's yet to be released to the general public. Ford did a lot of great things but the verdict is still out until we can get our hands on one. Marketing is a wonderful thing especially when you're able to pump tons of money into it.

I own two Jeeps but I am following what Ford is doing with the Bronco. Will I ever own one, who knows. That's for Ford to decide. What I can say is there's more to Jeep than simply rock crawling. It's refined where it needs to be, tough where I expect it to be, and I love the balance between the two. The character of a vehicle is what drives my purchase and Ford has clearly went a different direction. Will it replace my Jeep, not in my lifetime. However, I would have no problem adding a Bronco to my stable should its character be appealing and different enough.

People who own Jeeps because it was the only available option can definitely thank Ford. But those same people can also thank Jeep for keeping the category alive, continually growing and investing in it, and making it appealing for other manufacturers to want to jump back in. Jeep has been Jeep and never had an identity crisis. The Bronco on the other hand has lived its life in multiple variations. It started as a Jeep competitor, then to a full size suv, to a mini suv, back to only a full size, it was pulled off the market, and now we're here talking about the the next generation.

I have a lot of high hopes and think they've done well. Will the Bronco live the rest of its life in its current form? Let's hope but Ford needs to prove there in this for the off road enthusiast and not simply chasing current market trends.

 

[frinesi2]

I like this thread because I never realized that SFA > IFS because the only purpose of a vehicle is to go put your tire up on a rock in the middle of a field.

Also,

 

[EvlNvrDys]

Ok, I will admit I haven't read through everything and probably don't even belong in this thread. But I've grown bored of the pics showing a Jeep perched up on a rock.. Yes, perched because it's not going down the other side unless you want to destroy the body... but hey you got up there, big whoop.

Then I see arguments about Ford isn't targeting the right crowd.. But Jeep does because they target the hardcore rock crawlers.

Guess what, Jeeps are capable, that I won't deny... but who really buys Jeeps? Hardcore crawlers? Yeah not enough to keep Jeep in business.

This is your typical Jeep owner: Either going to the beach, or the mall. Something that is off road capable and the roof comes off.

So in my opinion, Ford was a threat to Jeep the moment they announced the Bronco.

 

[rand442002]

Any factory vehicle with 33" or 35" tires is going to have a very tough time getting itself into enough trouble where the difference between IFS and SFA makes a realistic difference.

This is where I'm at right now. Do I want that bit of extra articulation a SFA will give me because I'll actually need it or do I want it to say I have it? I don't believe I'll ever need it if I'm honest with myself so for me, getting something that (hopefully) will have better quality and reliability while being able to do 95% of what a JLUR will do is where I'm headed.

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