You know how you would spec your Bronco, but how is the rest of the country configuring theirs? In a recent interview with Autoblog, Ford’s US consumer marketing manager Mark Grueber dished the details on which model options have become the most popular choices since the vehicle’s online configurator launched last week. More than 190,000 people have reserved a 2021 Ford Bronco so far.
Two-thirds of reservation holders have called dibs on a four-door Bronco with the other third getting the two-door version. The number of four-door box checkers has exceeded Ford’s expectations.
2021 Ford Bronco build-and-price configurator is now open for business.
Photo by AutomotiveMap with screen image courtesy of Ford Motor Company
Grueber relayed that the most popular Bronco trim levels chosen so far are among the most expensive – Wildtrak and Badlands. The Bronco Wildtrak has garnered about 26 percent of the reservations while Badlands has 20 percent. The remaining 54 percent of reservations are split between the remaining five grades: Bronco base, Big Bend, Black Diamond, Outer Banks, and First Edition. First Edition models sold out quickly.
Half of the Broncos reserved have included the Sasquatch Package. It includes 35-inch tires, 17-inch beadlock wheels, front and rear locking differentials, a lifted suspension, Bilstein shocks, a wider track, and fender flares. Ford recently made the package available in combination with a seven-speed manual transmission after receiving feedback from social media users, but it won’t be available at the outset of production because the powertrain combo is still undergoing some fine tuning. Look for Ford to offer it in late 2021.
Bronco has a standard 2.3-liter turbo-four in the base, Big Bend, Black Diamond, Outer Banks, and Badlands models. Wildtrak and First Edition Broncos come standard with a twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 engine, which is also available in the bottom five trim levels. The V6 is proving to be the most popular engine choice though Ford declined to say by how much.
Despite the outpouring of support from online enthusiasts, just 10 percent of Bronco reservations have included a manual transmission. Though low compared to the 10-speed automatic’s take rate, it far exceeds the industry average. Genesis offered a manual option in its G70 but after just 100 people chose it, the company announced that it was moving on. The Honda Accord also recently lost its manual option.
Like every other automaker, Ford is listening to customer voices and pouring over the data to see what their customers truly seem to want from the Bronco. A white roof option has been a popular ask, and it will go on sale in 2022.
As for the lingering elephant in the room, it’s been forecasted that a Bronco super-off-roader should be expected down the line. Whether or not it wears the Warthog badge, or takes up the Raptor moniker is to be determined, at least for those outside the Ford payroll.
