2012 Ford Raptor Bronco

TTTGOWYO · Jun 19, 2012

Here in Louisville Ford is too busy cranking out thousands of the fugly new Escape.. Theya re going to all EURO styling on most models. The "new" Taurus and Fusion don't look too bad but I am scared if the decided to do a Bronco that it would look like a Fiat or something.

Stroppe-Envy-77 · Jun 19, 2012

One only has to look at sales of niche vehicles to realize that Ford is probably never going to produce a new Bronco anywhere close to the way it used to be.

Toyota sold just 13,541 FJ Cruisers last year, which, like a new Bronco would be, was created and is marketed as a retro-themed off-roader. There are only so many people who actually want to step up and pay their own money for a 2-door vehicle with limited practicality (fuel economy, ability to load kids in the back, etc.).

Ford's last try at a narrowly focused vehicle was the 2002-2005 Thunderbird. Its peak year of sales was its first model year, and it didn't even crack the 20,000 unit mark. In its final year, they were only able to move 9548 of them. And that was when the economy was fairly strong.

Yes, Bronco enthusiasts obviously think it'd be cool to see a new Bronco from Ford (a true off road kind, not just the model name slapped on something else). But the realities of the auto industry today mean it's highly unlikely to happen.

Airmapper · Jun 19, 2012

TTTGOWYO said:
Here in Louisville Ford is too busy cranking out thousands of the fugly new Escape.. Theya re going to all EURO styling on most models. The "new" Taurus and Fusion don't look too bad but I am scared if the decided to do a Bronco that it would look like a Fiat or something.

Glad I'm not the only one put off by that. :-X

ET · Jun 19, 2012

Fugly....

Eugene

N747JB · Jun 19, 2012

I think you've hit the nail on the head, it's a niche vehicle in a time when niche vehicles aren't making any money. If Toyota is selling 13,500 FJ's and a new Bronco would be a direct competitor to the FJ, add a few folks that would buy it cause it's a Ford not a Toyota and the market swells to 20,000 units divided between TWO models!

The numbers just don't add up to design and produce a new, true off road capable 4X4 for 10-12,000 units per year.

IF the market research showed a market of 40-50K units per year it might be worth building, but it's a tremendous risk, think 100's of millions, to maybe sell a few thousand units. %)

Stroppe-Envy-77 said:
One only has to look at sales of niche vehicles to realize that Ford is probably never going to produce a new Bronco anywhere close to the way it used to be.

Toyota sold just 13,541 FJ Cruisers last year, which, like a new Bronco would be, was created and is marketed as a retro-themed off-roader. There are only so many people who actually want to step up and pay their own money for a 2-door vehicle with limited practicality (fuel economy, ability to load kids in the back, etc.).

Ford's last try at a narrowly focused vehicle was the 2002-2005 Thunderbird. Its peak year of sales was its first model year, and it didn't even crack the 20,000 unit mark. In its final year, they were only able to move 9548 of them. And that was when the economy was fairly strong.

Yes, Bronco enthusiasts obviously think it'd be cool to see a new Bronco from Ford (a true off road kind, not just the model name slapped on something else). But the realities of the auto industry today mean it's highly unlikely to happen.

Airmapper · Jun 19, 2012

Sure, makes sense when you add based on the ugly FJ cruiser.

Just for curiosity, and I don't know the numbers, maybe they can be found, how is Jeep doing? Add Jeep's sales into the mix, every Wrangler purchased since Ford stopped making the early Bronco was a lost sale.

N747JB said:
I think you've hit the nail on the head, it's a niche vehicle in a time when niche vehicles aren't making any money. If Toyota is selling 13,500 FJ's and a new Bronco would be a direct competitor to the FJ, add a few folks that would buy it cause it's a Ford not a Toyota and the market swells to 20,000 units divided between TWO models! The numbers just don't add up to design and produce a new, true off road capable 4X4 for 10-12,000 units per year.
IF the market research showed a market of 40-50K units per year it might be worth building, but it's a tremendous risk, think 100's of millions, to maybe sell a few thousand units. %)

sellitall · Jun 19, 2012

ilovemaui said:
I can't imagine them building it without a removable top.

Why not? Toyota botched it up with the FJ Cruiser. J#$P is the only company that has kept that aspect of the vehicle the same. For years I've wondered why other companies haven't gone back to it. I see more Wranglers (or whatever they are called now) on the road than ever.

Let's start an organization and call it the "Solid Axle and Removeable Top Organization". SARTO for short;D. Maybe add a TD 4cyl engine option in the mix to spice things up a bit.

asinor · Jun 19, 2012

They must have sold all 13,500 of them in Tulsa, OK. I see FJ Cruisers everywhere. There are 2 in my dinky little parking lot downtown, 4 or 5 in my neighborhood.

ghost66 · Jun 19, 2012

I don't believe those numbers either on the FJ, I see them more than I see Rubicons, I also see them all over China when I go there. But, I still don't see them making a new Bronco, everyone is concentrating on 30+ mpg vehicles today. The Wrangler is under 20 and the FJ is right around 20

1973 Houston · Jun 19, 2012

as much as i would want them to re-introduce them..... it will never happen. imo they tried and failed with the bronco 2 (ford getting rid of the removable top) i just think they will go with a safe bet vehicle that will sale world wide. anyways does ford have a small rwd platform right now?

ransil · Jun 19, 2012

TTTGOWYO said:
Here in Louisville Ford is too busy cranking out thousands of the fugly new Escape.. Theya re going to all EURO styling on most models. The "new" Taurus and Fusion don't look too bad but I am scared if the decided to do a Bronco that it would look like a Fiat or something.

I like the new escape ;D

1973 Houston · Jun 19, 2012

and food for thought
http://autos.yahoo.com/news/ford-reintroduces-the-1965-mustang.html
very bottom it says they are in talks with ford to do the same with the bronco.....

sstlaure · Jun 19, 2012

Airmapper said:
Sure, makes sense when you add based on the ugly FJ cruiser.

Just for curiosity, and I don't know the numbers, maybe they can be found, how is Jeep doing? Add Jeep's sales into the mix, every Wrangler purchased since Ford stopped making the early Bronco was a lost sale.

Jeep made ~120,000 Wranglers last year. You'd need at least that kind of volume to come even remotely close to paying for the development costs. Total market for this kind of vehicle is < 150K units/year. (that includes ALL vehicles in that market) If you're talking Rubicons, they sold ~20,000 of those. (which would be the bottomline performance any enthusiast would want out of a new Bronco)

I don't see it being a profitable venture. At it's peak the EB hit 25,000 units/year, and the first year it went full-sized it sold 250,000 that year. A 10x increase in sales in 1 year. That's a strong indicator of what people are willing to buy.

Saying it's cool and that you would buy one is a lot different than actually putting up the coin for one (most likely $30-40K if properly equipped)

The FJ numbers above are pretty close - they sell on average ~1,200/month of the FJ (I've got access to Automotive News sales/manufacturing numbers for all of North America) and saw a 10% drop in sales 2011 vs 2010. 2012 has been even slower.

TTTGOWYO · Jun 19, 2012

ransil said:
I like the new escape ;D

Well, I can get you a hail damage one cheap.. There are a few hundred around here sitting brand new that got hit with the hail storm a month ago.;D

Airmapper · Jun 19, 2012

TTTGOWYO said:
Well, I can get you a hail damage one cheap.. There are a few hundred around here sitting brand new that got hit with the hail storm a month ago.;D

Did it improve the looks any? Would almost have had to.

;D

My Escape is hail damaged, I say it adds "character."

sstlaure · Jun 19, 2012

TTTGOWYO said:
Well, I can get you a hail damage one cheap.. There are a few hundred around here sitting brand new that got hit with the hail storm a month ago.;D

Those will probably end up as company lease cars (mgmt lease)

Modman · Jul 7, 2012

Not a Raptor, but here is a link to our 2012 Bronco build. We also have a Raptor Bronco build going on, but it's in the early stages. I will post some pics as soon as we make a little more progress on it.
http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=208869

Modman · Jul 29, 2012

Progress

Here are a few shots of our project.

phred · Nov 5, 2012

Van any progress on the bronco raptor?

cjcargo · Jan 20, 2013

I read recently that the Bronco may be manufactured in Brasil, but there are no plans for production in the United States. Two links for an article and photos. I want one!
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/27/troller-r-x-concept-is-a-brazilian-ford-bronco-for-the-new-age/http://www.diseno-art.com/encyclopedia/concept_cars/ford_bronco.html

2012 Ford Raptor Bronco

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