New Ford Bronco to Enter Production in 2020, Will Tap Ranger Platform
Ford has confirmed the new Bronco will enter production in 2020 at its Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne.
The Metro Detroit factory produced the Bronco nameplate for 30 years, with the iconic SUV first rolling off the production line there in 1966. President of Ford America, Joe Hinrichs, previously confirmed to Road & Track the new Bronco will share a platform with the new Ranger, but more similarities could be in store, with the two vehicles set to be built alongside each other at the Wayne-based site. The automaker has invested $850 million to retool to the facility in order to produce both the new Bronco and the new Ranger pickup.
Details about the new Bronco are scarce, but the vehicle will be positioned to compete with the Jeep Wrangler JL and is expected to spawn an off-road focused variant that would place the Wrangler Rubicon in its crosshairs. It’s also expected to be a four-door and should feature a removable roof and solid axles in the front and back. Ford released a teaser image (above) of the SUV earlier this year, showing off its boxy silhouette and narrow windshield.
As for the Ranger, the truck will officially go on sale in early 2019 after an eight-year hiatus from the American market. Ford says the new Ranger is designed for “today’s midsize truck buyer who blends city living with off-the-grid adventure.” It features a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost engine making 270 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, which is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and available four-wheel drive. Ford claims the Ranger boasts best-in-class payload, but the truck misses out on best-in-class towing and torque to the diesel Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon.
SEE ALSO: Ford Ranger Raptor Won’t be Sold in America
“The revitalization of the Michigan Assembly Plant and renewed production of the Ford Ranger is another exciting chapter in our state’s comeback story,” said Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder. “This is also an opportunity to look toward its promising future with production of the all-new Ford Bronco on the horizon.”
*2004 Ford Bronco Concept Shown
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Sam McEachern holds a diploma in journalism from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, and has been covering the automotive industry for over 5 years. He conducts reviews and writes AutoGuide's news content. He's a die-hard motorsports fan with a passion for performance cars of all sorts.
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I'm looking forward to seeing and driving the new Bronco. I visited Ford's Australia site and looked over the Everest. From the test drive information listed from what I believe was an Australian off road magazine. It handled off-roading extremely well while performing on the streets with comfort and strong handling. From just looks, it appears to be close in size to the Explorer. I couldn't help but think. Am I looking at the upcoming four door Bronco? Nice looks inside and outside while handling what was described as hard core off road runs. I noticed it even had the auto descent feature like the Raptor for driving down steep, Rocky off-road trips. I remember Ford saying the Bronco would not be a rebadged Everest. Looking at renderings, I think it's close which may not be a bad thing. I also have to add. The Raptor Ranger needs to be available here in the US. Then I'm wondering if Ford wants to trade sales of the F-150 Raptor for a lesser priced Raptor
It will be a 4 door and 2 door.