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2020 Bronco - No Solid Front Axle


Jim Oaks

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Why are people so insistent that the 2020 Ford Bronco will have a solid front axle?

Ford executive vice president and chief technical officer, Raj Nair, confirmed that the new Bronco will be based around the next-gen Ranger’s platform. We've seen the spy photos of the 2019 Ranger. It clearly does not have a solid front axle.

People read that axle manufacturer Dana revealed in an investor presentation that it's been chosen as the driveline supplier for both the 2019 Ford Ranger and the 2020 Bronco. In the presentation, Dana indicated that both vehicles will have "front and rear axles featuring our latest AdvanTEK gear technology.". People hear 'Dana axles' and quickly assume it's going to have a solid front axle like a Jeep.

Google "Dana AdvanTEK gear technology", this is what you'll find the (2) attached images. Notice that the second image has rear axles shown at the top, and front axles shown at the bottom.

You die hard vintage Bronco fans better brace yourselves....





It will grow on you :)
 

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dieseldane

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Disappointed? Yes, but it's what I was expecting to hear.
 

JerryC

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IMHO, that's not a Bronco.
If it looks like that I'm buying Wrangler instead of that thing.
 

wildbill23c

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Hmm, looks like the Toyota Rav4...wait just about every small SUV looks the same anymore...so given the US has turned into nothing but sheep, why would anyone assume that the new Bronco would be anything new, nothing more than Ford once again changing the name of a current globally marketed vehicle to try and boost sales.

I for one will not bother looking at a new Ranger or Bronco, or anything else that Ford offers. If I got another Ford it would be an 80's or early 90's F250.
 

wildbill23c

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IMHO, that's not a Bronco.
If it looks like that I'm buying Wrangler instead of that thing.
You may as well go ahead and buy a Wrangler. Ford as well as other automakers have fallen into the land of sheep and are all nothing more than a global copy machine. If you debadge many of the compact SUV's or crossovers whatever they want to call them (Edge, Escape, Rav4, Highlander, etc.) they all look the same. So anyone expecting a glamorous retro Bronco or Ranger is in for a very dull boring surprise you get an Escape with a truck bed...aka a Ford Explorer Sport Trac, or an Explorer with a Bronco emblem.
 

Jim Oaks

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I just don't see Ford going up against the Jeep Wrangler.

I spoke to the Ford Ranger team at the Detroit Autoshow (2) weekends ago (I was there for the Ford Ranger debut). They told me that the Bronco would be built along side the Ford Ranger. How are you going to have (2) radically different vehicles built at the same plant? You're not.

I think the new Bronco will compete more with the Toyota 4Runner.
 

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Jim

I don't thing producing 2 different vehicles at the same plant will be the issue. 2 Lines maybe? Run 1 line 30 days at a time or depending on demand. I think the issue for Ford is just bring out another cookie cutter AWD looks like 10 other SUV's and counting on the name Bronco to sell it. I think the Ranger will sell the Bronco not so much

Dennis
 

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If they do not distinguish the Bronco in some way from the rest of the suv line, where does it fit in?
All of the slots are taken by Escape, Edge, Explorer, and Expedition.
 

wildbill23c

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Jim

I don't thing producing 2 different vehicles at the same plant will be the issue. 2 Lines maybe? Run 1 line 30 days at a time or depending on demand. I think the issue for Ford is just bring out another cookie cutter AWD looks like 10 other SUV's and counting on the name Bronco to sell it. I think the Ranger will sell the Bronco not so much

Dennis
This is exactly what's going to happen. The "Bronco" will be nothing more than a rebadged Escape or Explorer, depending on what size they go with. Looking at pictures of the new Ranger, I bet the Bronco will be the size of the Explorer and include 4 doors independent 4 wheel suspension, like I said just a rebadged Explorer for $50k+ because it says Bronco on it....and people are dumb enough to buy the Ranger and Bronco just because of the emblems.

Yep, thanks to a global market and global economy every vehicle made now looks the same as another brand's similar size vehicle. I saw a Ford F350 today, I thought it was a Silverado until I got up to it and saw the F350 emblem. So they've gone as far as making all the trucks looks exactly the same now too including the damn door handles.
 

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A Ranger based Bronco would be fine with me as long as there is styling that says "Bronco" and not just badges that say Bronco.

I can accept IFS, heck 80-96 had TTB. But what I can't accept is a unibody instead of a frame and/or something that looks like a jelly bean with Bronco badges on it.
 

Jim Oaks

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If they do not distinguish the Bronco in some way from the rest of the suv line, where does it fit in?
All of the slots are taken by Escape, Edge, Explorer, and Expedition.
I've wondered the same thing.

Expedition is full size, and in a class of it's own.

I really feel like the Edge, Escape, and Explorer are to 'sedan' like. Heck, the Explorer took over for the Crown Vic as a pursuit vehicle. Not just a Special Service Vehicle.

Ford needs a midsize SUV with off-road capabilities. I don't know if Ford looked at Toyota one day and had an oh-shit moment, or what. But Ford has suddenly realized that people want to go on remote adventures with their vehicles. They've even added the FX4 package to the 2018 Ford Expedition. I'm hoping that the 'Bronco' will give us a midsize SUV that's more 'truck like'. According to Ford, real trucks have steel bumpers, not fascias.

With that said, I still feel strongly that the Ford Bronco is going to be an Everest with the same front clip we're seeing on the upcoming 2019 Ford Ranger.

Hey it could be worse. Remember when Ford replaced the Mustang with a Mustang II?
 

JerryC

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OMG, remember when Ford was going to sell the "Probe" as the new mustang?
4cyl front wheel drive? Customer outcry put a stop to that.

Mustang II, a Pinto with a v8. It wouldn't have been so bad if there had actually been HP in the V8 and hey Farrah drove one on TV LOL :)

They, Pinto/MustangII, made pretty good hot rods. Light weight, good steering and brakes and with good v8 lots of power. They were dirt cheap on the used market after a few years.

I built a 351W pinto with a C4 and 9-inch back in the day. It was a good car.
 

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Ranger Raptor images are out, turn that into a Bronco and there's something that will sell.
 

wildbill23c

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Ranger Raptor images are out, turn that into a Bronco and there's something that will sell.
All they'll do is just slap a Bronco emblem on the current Expedition and call it a day.
 

JerryC

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All they'll do is just slap a Bronco emblem on the current Expedition and call it a day.
I expected that back in 95/96 when there was talk of a new four door Bronco. Turned out that they called it the Expedition instead
 

wildbill23c

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I expected that back in 95/96 when there was talk of a new four door Bronco. Turned out that they called it the Expedition instead
HAHA, yeah I imagine that's what will happen once again...rather this time it'll be the explorer. From what is being said its going to be between the bronco 2 and the full size bronco as far as size, so the explorer would fit in there.

I really highly doubt they're going to do any sort of special build for the Bronco, so the Escape, Edge, or Explorer is going to get a new name. The Bronco & Bronco 2 are basically what invented the Explorer & Expedition so I don't see anything spectacular coming from a new "Bronco"....it'll probably be a 2020 Ford Explorer Bronco edition...kind of like what they did years ago with the Ford F-Series Explorer packages.
 

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