The new Bronco already seems to have been around forever. Blame a colossal build-up for that - and the 25-year hiatus that proceeded it. But the latest model, launched just last year, has well-earned its reputation: Ford’s order book was said to be brimmed almost from day one, and the manufacturer followed it up in January with the 418hp Raptor version, a car the American motoring press has been raving about.
Now Ford has dropped another Bronco-shaped bombshell: for the first time ever, it will officially sell the car in Europe. That’s right, in countries not hugely well known for an all-encompassing love of large SUVs, the Blue Oval will drop kick (or punt, if you prefer) a ‘4x4-only, extreme off-road-capable Bronco’ into a niche currently served by the Land Rover Defender, the Mercedes G-Class - and not a whole lot else.
Almost certainly this is why the car will only be available in ‘strictly limited numbers’ from late next year. Moreover, Ford has declined the opportunity to stretch its legs in a market very much inclined to embrace large SUVs (i.e. the one you’re currently sitting in) by restricting its the exercise to ‘selected left-hand drive’ nations. Which you can take to mean Germany. This oversight, as ever, is to do with the cost and associated complication of producing cars in right-hand drive, and the projected limited interest thereafter.
Apparently the success of the Mustang, and GM’s decision to produce RHD Corvettes (despite having no official presence in the UK to market them) hasn’t made an impression on the bean counters, so we’ll have to plod along, Bronco-less, for the foreseeable future. Unless you really, really want one, of course. In which case there a number of specialist dealers which will cater to your every whim. Ford hasn’t indicated precisely which flavour of Bronco will be made available in the Old World - but it wouldn’t be a surprise if they looked a lot like this one, available on PH to take home today. Just don’t expect to see a Raptor anytime soon…
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