Manufacturers love teasing the UK with models which may or may not make it to the UK – or even production – with the disclaimer "if a business case is proven, it’ll come".
This is the oldest automotive cop-out in the book, so here’s the business case for bringing the Ford Bronco to Britain, as the brand confirms its resurrection at the Detroit motor show.
1 – The SUV market
It's been said so many times that doesn’t need repeating, so I’ll keep it brief; the SUV market is huge. Absolutely enormous. The Bronco isn’t the average SUV; it’s more akin to a Land Rover Defender with its rugged appeal, although purists will no doubt burn effigies in my likeness for saying so.
2 – The Mustang
…is doing rather well over here. As a company with such a history and a wealth of halo models highlighting different aspects of automotive life (think GT, Ford Mustang, RS, etc.), the SUV dimension is a little overlooked by Ford’s heritage division. The Bronco embodies this heritage. The Germans have gone mad for Mustang, so they’d likely go bonkers for the Bronco.
3 – The Defender
Is returning soon, and is likely to be priced beyond what most can afford. The G-Wagen only exacerbates the problem, and the Jeep Wrangler has never really taken hold to the same effect. A Ford is a friendlier, more familiar badge, and would be more warmly received by European market. Price the Bronco right for Europe, and it’d steal sales from all three.
There you have it then. Consider this an open letter to any and all Ford executives in charge of the Bronco’s global distribution. We won’t accept “the platform isn’t compatible with right-hand drive”-type excuses, and would advise making it an EV or hybrid at least. Besides, a little variety in the SUV market which we're being force-fed could go a long way.
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