New Ford Bronco to Fight Scion xB

http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/0...co-resized.jpg

According to Edmund's Inside Line, the rough-and-tumble offering will be screwed together in Mexico using engineering from Mazda of Japan and Ford of Europe. The model will have a production twin under the skin as well, in the form of a sub-Focus five-door hatchback.

In news that will give hard-core offroaders reason for pause, the Bronco will be built on Ford's current Fiesta subcompact's mechanicals (a replacement chassis is already under development, but the Bronco will get today's greasy bits due to cost issues) in Ford's Cuautitlán factory, which presently builds the Latin-American market Ikon sedan (which is likewise Fiesta-based). For reference, the auto show star of 2004 was based on Ford's Fiesta-based EcoSport crossover.

The good news? Ford feels that it can bring it all to market for under $10,000 in an effort to burnish the Blue Oval with a little of Scion's swagger.

::Blink:: ::Blink:: ::Blink:: ::Blink::

S.

That's a cool car. The american car companies might be overdoing the retro thing though. It seems like all their new designs look like old cars.

^^ I agree. I aways loved those old Broncos though.http://www.bajabronco.com/Pictures/TImlift.jpg

Wow... We have teh Ikons and the EcoSports here and they're tiny... The Bronco they had at the DFW AutoShow was much larger...

This sounds like it's going to be more along the lines of the Suzuki Samari in terms of offroader.. Except probably without solid axles either..

I was expecting this to be a 6cyl RWD biased ~$20k car to directly compete with toyotas FJ Cruiser... Somehow I suspect now that's not the case. Now it's just going to be another FWD/AWD 4cyl SUV thing.. Gee, just what we need another of...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by srivendel

Ford feels that it can bring it all to market for under $10,000 in an effort to burnish the Blue Oval with a little of Scion's swagger.

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In that case, I would be really tempted.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Titus

In that case, I would be really tempted.

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Under $10K from Ford, I'll believe it when I see it! Although my day job pays good enough I may not be the target market for whatever they bring out.

I think I want one of these! :D
http://us.autos1.yimg.com/img.autos....7s-fj-hero.jpg

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Originally Posted by POS Racing

I think I want one of these! :D
http://us.autos1.yimg.com/img.autos....7s-fj-hero.jpg

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I hear ya, but I want the 2007 Wrangler (I think it's a big improvement on the 2006 when compared side-by-side, although that 65th anniversary edition army green is NICE!):
http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/01/JP007_024WR.jpghttp://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/02/JP006_001WR.jpg

S.

We are liking the Yellow. ;)
http://z.about.com/d/trucks/1/0/f/U/..._fjcruiser.jpg

My boss has an order in for a new FJ. He's getting his in silver. I'd probably do the blue, although yellow is nice. I think Toyota will have a huge hit on their hands provided those rear doors are reasonably useful. :clap:

S.

I love everything about the FJ with the exception of the view from that 3/4 angle like that yellow one there...

The classic FJ was more cleanly flowing, and that just has stuff going everywhich way.. Maybe in black they'll look more appealing...

either that or just coat the entire thing in Rhino-liner ;)

i saw the FJ cruiser concept at the Dallas Auto Show a few years back. they shoulda kept it like that. LOL. it looks similar, but they took alot of the edge off of the production model of course.