A recent report suggests that Ford is working on a pickup truck version of the 2021 Bronco. This reports comes courtesy of Automobile magazine. The report cites an insider source and claim a crew cab Bronco pickup should make its debut in 2024 as a 2025 model. Yikes! Indeed, this truck will most likely take aim at the Jeep Gladiator 4×4 truck, but we will need to wait at least four year to see it.
How will this affect the upcoming Ford Ranger redesign and/or U.S. introduction of a Ranger Raptor? Let’s dig a bit deeper.
2025 Ford Bronco Truck?
Those who pre-ordered their 2021 Bronco will have to wait at least until Spring 2021 (perhaps June 2021) to get their Bronco SUV. The first models being made are the fully-loaded First Editions with prices in the mid-$60,000 range. More basic models of the 2021 Bronco won’t reach the market until later in 2021.
Some reports say that Ford is “fast-tracking” a 2025 Bronco truck to production in 2024. This does not seem very quick, as Jeep Gladiator sales number continue to hold steady.
How does this news affect the Ford Ranger? The 2021 Bronco and the Ranger share a global midsize truck architecture. This is likely why Ford can use the platform (with a few modifications) to produce a Bronco truck and a next-generation Ranger. There are also strong rumors about an upcoming Ford Bronco / Maverick crossover pickup truck that is based on the 2021 Bronco Sport.
Will this be too many trucks in Ford’s stable? Will the Ford Ranger be discontinued after 2024?
Op/Ed: I think there will be space for both a Bronco truck and a Ranger in Ford’s portfolio. The Bronco (and its would-be truck derivative) are lifestyle vehicles. They are very capable, very cool, and quiet expensive. A full-optioned Jeep Gladiator can easily cost over $62,000. It means there is room below this premium offering for a truck like a Ford Ranger. A Ranger truck offers 2WD models, shorter cabs, longer beds, and a more affordable starting price. I do not think the Ranger will be discontinued just because a Bronco pickup is coming.
What about a future Ford Ranger Raptor? This question way more murky… The price of a Ranger Raptor may indeed be very similar to a Bronco Truck price – both being premium and high performance trucks. We will have to wait and see how this develops.
