Typically, the North American International Auto Show showcases what we will see coming from our beloved automakers. Ford has had two major wins in my honest opinion. First, they confirmed that they would bring back the Ranger by 2019, the Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon fighter, this time,with a European look. Secondly, the announced the return of the Bronco by 2020, which is an old favorite.
The Bronco was confirmed via social media and its logo was shown on stage. That’s about it for the details of the Bronco’s return. No pictures. Not too much was mentioned. No engine details, although we could assume it would be some sort of Ecoboost engine. No drivetrain, although four wheel drive and some type of “uses less fuel” transmission would most likely the option. No design details, but it would be boxy like past models and likely similar to the SVT Raptor.
The Bronco will most likely be like the classic model sans the “no frills” attachment. I won’t say the Bronco will be an ultra luxurious, off road beast but, it may have some of the necessary touches needed, to be a complete off road vehicle with some amenities. Who knows? Maybe they will have an ultra-powered version that O.J. would admire.
The last generation Bronco was retired because the growing, American family, needed an extra set of doors for their large SUV. The Bronco, just like the 2 door Tahoe (or K5 Blazer), faced the axe, in favor or more practical SUVs.
The Ranger isn’t making the most epic return and kinda falls in the shadow of the Bronco, but is notable none the less.
The Ranger, like I previously mentioned, will compete in the resurgent mid-sized truck market, and it would actually be relevant. The past model wasn’t even a factor when compared to even the Colorado, let alone the Tacoma. The last generation Ranger was just too…outdated to compete. The Ranger and its twin, the Mazda B-Series, couldn’t keep up with the times. The European spec version was always better in comparison and it’s a shocker that Ford waited so long to bring it to America.
Just like the Bronco, the most accurate details aren’t known yet but we have certain expectations, like the Bronco. My thoughts can be detailed in my 2018 Ford Ranger post, which was posted last year or around this time.
The Bronco and Ranger are two classic Ford nameplates that definitely needed to be recycled. Both models only saw the end of the production line, because they couldn’t keep up with the times. With new models over the horizon, the Bronco and Ranger seek to regain their prominence and add to Ford’s already popular truck and SUV lineups. Will the Ranger get four doors? Yes. Will O.J. lead LAPD on a wild goose/police chase? Probably in 2020 for…you know…old time sake!
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