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Looks Like Ford Bronco is Serious About Taking on the Wrangler

Will you consider the new Bronco?


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Sean K.

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Food for thought, Ford Ranger Truck vs Jeep Gladiator Truck, both mid sized, both 4x4s, both introduced in 2019, both only sold for part of the year and both compared for sales by the TFL guys here. Could this be a sign of what is to come as to the Bronco vs Wrangler rivalry. Gladiators were shipped in April with sales starting in May so let's drop May and only go with June thru December sales. Gladiators sold 40,047 or 5721 per month. Now Ford Ranger, first deliveries started in January, but, for fun let's handicap Ford and go the other way and although sales started in January let's say sales were all year long. Ford sold 89,571 Rangers or 7464 per month which is 30% more than the Gladiators. So, is it really a stretch of the imagination to think that the Ford Bronco is coming for the Wrangler, in my opinion it is and it will hurt Wrangler sales but hey, just my opinion.

Price of a Ranger vs. Gladiator? Are you including 2wd Rangers too?


***EDIT*** starts at $24K for the Ranger, $28.5K for the 4x4. $33.5K for the Gladiator base. Not sure that's a fair comparison.
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crashclay

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Not sure about trim or options on their respective sales, just posting because TFL ranks them as direct competitors to each other.
I think they are competitors as they are both mid-sized trucks...and I love the numbers analysis because I'm a numbers guy....but I think you'd have to at minimum (which probably can't be done), have to compare just 4x4 sales and then try to handicap the Ford numbers a bit to account for fleet sales.
 

Gringostarr

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If anyone wanted to know what the offroad chops the Bronco will have this is pretty much the best place to look.

https://www.autoblog.com/2018/12/11/2019-ford-ranger-raptor-first-drive/

Replace the 2.0 Diesel (231HP/368ft torque) with either the 2.3 (270HP/310ft torque) or 2.7 (325HP/400ft torque) and the body styling of what the new Bronco will be and there you have it.
 

RubiSc0tt

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One major advantage that the Wrangler/CJ vehicles have had is that it is the epitome of a "lifestyle" vehicle. What sets it apart from other lifestyle vehicles is it's ability to encompass more than one lifestyle into one. It is certainly an off-road/4x4/rugged lifestyle vehicle AND an open air/beach/fun vehicle. The 4x4 side gets the most die hard followers (this forum and thread are prime examples) but the open air/freedom side is arguably the most prevalent.

The Bronco does not have to beat Jeep on both fronts, it just needs to be able to beat them in the open air/freedom side (with a better handling vehicle) and then nip at their heals in the offroading side all while maintaining the "look". If they do that, the general public will eat it up.
I think this could be applied to the Ranger vs. Gladiator debate as well. Gladiator is more capable while Ranger is more general truck-like.

I still think the Bronco will end up much like the Toyota FJ Cruiser, albeit probably a tad more successful (i.e. Not getting discontinued). I can't remember how those did in sales vs. the Wrangler, though .
 

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Stampede.Offroad

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Competition is good for the consumer
If it was a competition to be the best at the same thing, yes, that's generally true. But there is a good chance the Bronco will pull in a very different direction because they know they can't beat the Wrangler in what it is good at.

...Price will be essential if Ford wants to hook the young buyers who will be Bronco fans for life....
The statistics are pretty clear that the majority of SUV buyers in general, and Wrangler buyers specifically, as well as performance vehicle buyers, are men over 50 years old. The Jeep or Bronco was something they aspired to own when young and can afford now -- young people now aspire to own whatever, but won't be a dominant buying force for another 20 years. The pixie dust powered version can come out in a couple years and have just as much of an impact on that demographic.
 

OnlyOne

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Not sure about trim or options on their respective sales, just posting because TFL ranks them as direct competitors to each other. But, now that you mention it, Ranger 4x4 crew cab starts at $30,970 vs Gladiator $33,500, no wonder Ranger is doing so well!
Exactly. Ive driven several Gladiators. Although they are awesome and I’m very much a Jeep freak, the Ranger walks away from the Gladiator in just about every aspect. I’m actually sad to admit that but after buying the Ranger there’s no comparison, with the average mid size truck buyer. I have my Rubi for the fun stuff and the wife has her truck for the needed stuff. The Bronco will steal some sales from FCA.
 

Sean K.

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Not sure about trim or options on their respective sales, just posting because TFL ranks them as direct competitors to each other. But, now that you mention it, Ranger 4x4 crew cab starts at $30,970 vs Gladiator $33,500, no wonder Ranger is doing so well!
The numbers sold are kind of meaningless with that much price disparity and the fact that a 2wd work truck option isn't really the same class or use of vehicle.
 

viper88

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If it was a competition to be the best at the same thing, yes, that's generally true. But there is a good chance the Bronco will pull in a very different direction because they know they can't beat the Wrangler in what it is good at.


The statistics are pretty clear that the majority of SUV buyers in general, and Wrangler buyers specifically, as well as performance vehicle buyers, are men over 50 years old. The Jeep or Bronco was something they aspired to own when young and can afford now -- young people now aspire to own whatever, but won't be a dominant buying force for another 20 years. The pixie dust powered version can come out in a couple years and have just as much of an impact on that demographic.
Millennials don't buy cars like the previous generations. They use ride share companies like Uber and Lyft or public transportation. That's huge problem for car companies. Car companies are relying on other markets like China to buy vehicles.
 

jeepingib

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Comparing the Gladiator and Ranger is pretty dumb and pointless. Although they are similar on paper they are two radically different trucks when viewed as a entire lineup.

As far as comparing the Bronco to the Wrangler, it will be a better comparison. But, and there is always a but, I truly believe that the Bronco will take more sales from Toyota, and itself than from Jeep. The Bronco will fall in to the same category that the FJ Cruiser was, and the Xterra, and the H3, and the Vehicross. Okay, that last one was kind of a stretch. But you get the idea. All of those were marketed at the 4x4 lifestyle niche. All of them died. They had 2 things in common with all of them that was different from the Wrangler. IFS, and no way of going topless. We'll see if the Broncos ability to take the top off will change the outcome for it.
 

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Sean K.

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Meaningless maybe as we really don’t know what particular models and trim levels they include. But, it does say and even the TFL guys make reference to it, it is pretty impressive for a new release vehicle by the Blue Oval gang. And, that my good man to me shows that Ford can and will give the Jeep gang a run for their money. Of course that is just my opinion just as the last 106 pages of this thread give other folks opinion.
I don't doubt that...I'm guessing the Bronco will poach some Jeep buyers....probably a good portion considering the bad publicity of lackluster steering issues on the current JL. Let's face it, most people buying these vehicles aren't really going to wheel them much at all...so something that looks cool AND drives well on the street if far more likely to attract and keep mainstream buyers happy than a more purpose built vehicle.

Not sure we can come to any real conclusion on the total sale figures for Rangers. It's priced well, has a good history as a work truck and it's a Ford....who has had a great reputation of selling pickup trucks for decades.
 

Non Partisan

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Hey there, does anyone have access to production figures for the Bronco II. I remember seeing quite a few of those running around back in the day. Lifted and stock rigs were on the trails quite often and those did not have removable tops. Pretty sure it was replaced with the Explorer.
 

Bryce

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Hey there, does anyone have access to production figures for the Bronco II. I remember seeing quite a few of those running around back in the day. Lifted and stock rigs were on the trails quite often and those did not have removable tops. Pretty sure it was replaced with the Explorer.
According to Hemming Motor News:
During its eight-year run, Ford sold 764,488 Bronco IIs, with the model's most successful year coming in 1988, when 148,433 examples went home with buyers.​

I have one of the first built with a 84 model year with a build date of 5/83
 

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Is there a reveal date yet? I’ve seen on “spring” so far.
 
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