In addition to its plans of turning the Bronco into a separate sub-brand and creating dedicated dealerships, the company is organizing a very interesting driving school, with locations all over America. Branded the Bronco Off-Roadeo, the first of these schools will open in July in Horseshoe Bay, Texas, which is just outside of Austin. Here are some interesting details.
A big part of the whole Bronco mystique is represented by its so-called “Easter Eggs" -- a common term for tiny details, logos, and features that are hidden in a car's overall design. They're very interesting to search for, as they represent the designer’s nod to a model’s iconic past. In the 2021 Bronco and Bronco Sport, there are dozens of them, and today we'll tell you more about the coolest ones.
In the last six weeks, dozens of Ford’s people were sent to the Webasto plant in a significant push to meet production goals for the Bronco's removable roof in order to salvage the 2021 model year. Apparently, Webasto itself was unable to sufficiently address all these issues, so Ford needed to jump in, not just with engineers but also with substantial funding. In a recent Ford memo, it was revealed that millions of dollars will ultimately be required in order to resolve these supply chain issues.
When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in early 2020, global car manufacturers decided to stop production for two reasons. First, they wanted to protect their employees, and second, they realized that the demand for their products would plummet and dealers would be left with millions of unsold cars. This anticipated scenario actually ended up playing out, with new car sales numbers in April of 2020 plummeting by more than 50% globally. At the time, the decision to stop production looked like a smart move -- and circumstances have reinforced Ford's wisdom -- but it also started a chain of events that lead to the current chip shortage.
By now, we know nearly all the relevant information pertaining to the 2021 Bronco. We've been introduced to its technology, trim levels, prices, mechanical specifics, options, and even some aftermarket components. We know that the official Job 1 was on May 3rd and that production will pause later in May, due to a global shortage of computer chips which has significantly affected the automotive industry. We know how much power both the four-cylinder and V6 engines will make, using regular and premium fuel. However, until yesterday we didn’t know what the exact fuel economy figures would be. Now we do.
A computer chip shortage plaguing the entire automotive industry is the latest in a series of Covid-related setbacks that have directly affected Ford's production efforts of the highly anticipated Bronco. Ford has already announced that some of its factories will be shutting down for two weeks due to shortage, which doesn't come as a complete surprise, as industry insiders knew that, after production of the Bronco Sport in Hermosillo, Mexico would be stopping, it would only be a matter of time before production of the 2021 Bronco would follow.
A lot has changed in the automotive world in the six decades since the first generation Bronco was introduced, but the time-tested mantra, "Win on Sunday-Sell on Monday" mantra is just relevant as ever.
Yes, the Bronco has returned -- and in amazingly historically correct form -- and car buyers are going crazy over it. But for dedicated off-roaders -- precisely the ones Ford wants to steal from Jeep -- racing success is the confirmation they wish to see. That's why racing has been a big part of the Bronco's presence so far, will continue to be in the future, and further investment in racing programs will reward it with even more popularity.
