RE: 2020 Ford Bronco is 'Built Wild'

[volvos60s60]

Well, we have the new Defender which is in my opinion a disappointment & a missed opportunity - it is almost certainly very capable off road but it is (again in my opinion) anonymous looking & expensive.

The Ineos Grenadier will likely offer the off road capability, retro stying, customisation & versatility to replace the old Defender, although it won't really sell very well due to manufacturing capacity, likely optioned up price & lack of brand awareness/prestige, or the Ford Bronco which has a modern take on retro styling & low cost in it's locker, but likely less off road ability that a Defender or Grenadier, but almost certainly sufficient off road capability for 95% of targeted Defender buyers (of course not available as RHD in the UK in any event)

With respect to the Ranger, which of course is a pick-up truck not a go anywhere 4x4, it seems remarkable how many of the latest model there are about - Ford seem to have hit the spot there for a lot of builder/developer/consultant types.

For the sake of balance & impartiality, I must add that I am not particularly a Ford fanboy, not a detractor, but I have not owned one for maybe 10 years, however they seem to be getting something right at the moment, although very late to get a diversified drivetrain lineup (although let's not get side tracked into that discussion). In fact in the interest of balance, we have JLR products in the household & so I am not anti JLR either. I would had hoped for a better effort on the Defender though

Edited by volvos60s60 on Friday 14th August 15:23

Edited by volvos60s60 on Friday 14th August 15:40

[unsprung]

NEW VIDEO
OFF ROAD

Journalists go along for the ride. Some interesting bits. One or two thrilling bits.

video here
https://youtu.be/ABqBDj0El0M

and here
https://youtu.be/Musm7HSAzaI

.

[RacerMike]

DonkeyApple said:

unsprung said:

BRONCO HYBRID

"Because the hybrid bits are in the transmission, the folks at Ford can put it behind pretty much any engine that they want."

article here
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/ford-bronco-hyb...

and here
https://www.tflcar.com/2020/08/2022-ford-bronco-hy...

It’s an interesting system and you can see its benefit for allowing engines to be downsized while retaining the power and performance of a big V8.

The issue though is that it’s not a hybrid solution that is legally acceptable for the ever growing urban legislations that want hybrids to be able to run for more and more miles on electric only.

Arguably not exactly an issue with the Bronco maybe but it struck me as an odd solution for the King of Vans in the UK and Europe?

The majority of European PHEVs use this solution already and have done for the last 7-8 years. The Hybridised ZF 8HP has a pancake motor where the torque converter normally is, a driveline disconnect clutch on the crank input and a wet clutch in the box to manage pullaway:

https://www.zf.com/products/en/cars/products_34949...

So in summary, the motor in the gearbox can be the sole tractive power with the engine disconnected, or can boost the engine's torque when connected in parallel. It's not the most elegant or efficient solution (you're passing the motor through a lossy gearbox) but it does the job and easily fits in the majority of ICE platforms.

[300bhp/ton]

Ford really seem to have nailed the marketing on the new Bronco.

YouTube is littered with off road footage at Moab, Rubicon and others. Plus demonstrations of the technology and spec and walkthrough guides on features.

Even without looking for this content, it is being presented to me (as I like off roading and 4x4's, etc).

e.g.




By comparison, the new Defender seemed to always be hidden away by JLR. None of its features were really touted about and the only real promo I recall was letting badly disguised versions be seen at the Nurburgring.......


Ford are even being real world and quite happy to let people see the trail damage incurred when seriously off road:



I think this is a wonderful way to market a vehicle and truly appeals to the likes of me. A real vehicle, being used in a real world usage. No PR guff and photoshopped lies.

[NomduJour]

300bhp/ton said:

I think this is a wonderful way to market a vehicle and truly appeals to the likes of me. A real vehicle, being used in a real world usage

Nothing says relevant to living near Milton Keynes like driving through a bedrock pothole formation in Utah, I suppose.

[300bhp/ton]

NomduJour said:

Nothing says relevant to living near Milton Keynes like driving through a bedrock pothole formation in Utah, I suppose.

Some of us don't stay locked up in a padded room all day every day though

[RacerMike]

300bhp/ton said:

Ford really seem to have nailed the marketing on the new Bronco.

YouTube is littered with off road footage at Moab, Rubicon and others. Plus demonstrations of the technology and spec and walkthrough guides on features.

Even without looking for this content, it is being presented to me (as I like off roading and 4x4's, etc).

e.g.




By comparison, the new Defender seemed to always be hidden away by JLR. None of its features were really touted about and the only real promo I recall was letting badly disguised versions be seen at the Nurburgring.......


Ford are even being real world and quite happy to let people see the trail damage incurred when seriously off road:



I think this is a wonderful way to market a vehicle and truly appeals to the likes of me. A real vehicle, being used in a real world usage. No PR guff and photoshopped lies.

You realise that every LR product for the last 20 years has been developed at Moab? That's why Ford are going there....because Range Rover and Land Rover and Jeep are the benchmark for offroad performance.

[RacerMike]

NomduJour said:

300bhp/ton said:

I think this is a wonderful way to market a vehicle and truly appeals to the likes of me. A real vehicle, being used in a real world usage

Nothing says relevant to living near Milton Keynes like driving through a bedrock pothole formation in Utah, I suppose.

Well....thing is, you won't even be able to buy that Bronco in Europe as it's not legal here.

[Bill]

300bhp/ton said:

Some of us don't stay locked up in a padded room all day every day though

Sometimes you get let out.

[NomduJour]

RacerMike said:

Well....thing is, you won't even be able to buy that Bronco in Europe as it's not legal here.

I can buy a Ranger though, and that’s most of the same thing. Still not sure why the Bronco is a pin-up for the Walt off-roaders when it doesn’t have a Real Man’s front axle.

[300bhp/ton]

NomduJour said:

RacerMike said:

Well....thing is, you won't even be able to buy that Bronco in Europe as it's not legal here.

I can buy a Ranger though, and that’s most of the same thing. Still not sure why the Bronco is a pin-up for the Walt off-roaders when it doesn’t have a Real Man’s front axle.

That's because it is too complex for you to understand.

[300bhp/ton]

RacerMike said:

Well....thing is, you won't even be able to buy that Bronco in Europe as it's not legal here.

Not true. Ford are not importing it and it isn't EU type approved. That doesn't mean it won't be possible to grey import one and put it through an IVA. 1000's of cars every year from across the globe go through this process. Many of them US market only models.

[300bhp/ton]

RacerMike said:

That's why Ford are going there....because Range Rover and Land Rover are the benchmark for offroad performance.

I'm sure you are right. I bet every single American and Ford Motor Company all think that......

[RacerMike]

300bhp/ton said:

RacerMike said:

That's why Ford are going there....because Range Rover and Land Rover are the benchmark for offroad performance.

I'm sure you are right. I bet every single American and Ford Motor Company all think that......

Laugh all you want mate. 10 years ago, Land Rover and Jeep were the only ones testing at Moab, next to the guys in their modified trucks. Bronco is the first car Ford have taken there. I know you can't begin to comprehend it, but a Range Rover is capable of going everywhere in Moab that the guys in their Rubicon's with lift kits on can.

[RacerMike]

300bhp/ton said:

Not true. Ford are not importing it and it isn't EU type approved. That doesn't mean it won't be possible to grey import one and put it through an IVA. 1000's of cars every year from across the globe go through this process. Many of them US market only models.

Yes...because that well known easy way of importing a (LHD) car is an incredibly realistic alternative to someone just buying an EU Approved Truck or Off Roader.

[NomduJour]

RacerMike said:

10 years ago, Land Rover and Jeep were the only ones testing at Moab

There are a few videos of camouflaged new Defenders being tested at Moab.

[camel_landy]

RacerMike said:

300bhp/ton said:

RacerMike said:

That's why Ford are going there....because Range Rover and Land Rover are the benchmark for offroad performance.

I'm sure you are right. I bet every single American and Ford Motor Company all think that......

Laugh all you want mate. 10 years ago, Land Rover and Jeep were the only ones testing at Moab, next to the guys in their modified trucks. Bronco is the first car Ford have taken there. I know you can't begin to comprehend it, but a Range Rover is capable of going everywhere in Moab that the guys in their Rubicon's with lift kits on can.

Closer to 20yrs... ISTR the guys testing the D3 out there and ending up rescuing someone out playing with their rock-crawler.

M

[InitialDave]

No, I agree, if people here want one, there's a mechanism by which they can get one.

The costs involved will make it nowhere near as good value as it appears to be in the US, though

[300bhp/ton]

RacerMike said:

Yes...because that well known easy way of importing a (LHD) car is an incredibly realistic alternative to someone just buying an EU Approved Truck or Off Roader.

There are loads of companies doing this. Have you been living under a rock??? Plenty of people on PH driving grey imports and quite a few members running import companies.

[RacerMike]

300bhp/ton said:

RacerMike said:

Yes...because that well known easy way of importing a (LHD) car is an incredibly realistic alternative to someone just buying an EU Approved Truck or Off Roader.

There are loads of companies doing this. Have you been living under a rock??? Plenty of people on PH driving grey imports and quite a few members running import companies.

'Plenty of people' meaning probably 10-20. Meanwhile pickup and european off roader sales are in the tens of thousands. Are you intentionally obtuse and do you enjoy pretending to be blind to reality, or are you genuinely that deluded?