Yesterday, Ford North America Product Communications Manager Mike Levine shared a photo of a pre-production 2021 Bronco enrobed in new exterior color Antimatter Blue; making patient fans drool with anticipation. Hold onto your bibs, though, because Ford just announced that the Bronco launch will be delayed to summer 2021 due to hitches in the supply chain caused by COVID-19.
Anticipation is high for the re-imagination of this SUV, and SlashGear reported that more than 150,000 buyers plunked down $100 for a reservation for a full-size Bronco within two weeks of the splashy reveal. The number has surpassed 200,000 at this point, and Bronco fans are going to have to wait a little longer.
Ford has already updated its site with this wording: “In early 2021, your Ford dealer will be able to provide an approximate date for the delivery of your Bronco. Initial Bronco 2- and 4-door deliveries are targeted to begin in June 2021. Due to the high number of Bronco 2 and 4-door reservations, deliveries may extend into the 2022 calendar year.”
Unfortunately, the Sasquatch package with manual transmission is also delayed now to model year 2022.
The Blue Oval isn’t the only brand facing supplier and production challenges. The Big Three have had to retool their plans; production was halted in North America for two months in the spring, and several automakers contributed to the national health crisis by producing ventilators, face shields, and other personal protective equipment with teams of volunteers.
COVID-19 cases and deaths are trending upward sharply in Michigan and around the country, setting new records practically daily. It stands to reason that production of the Bronco at the Wayne, Michigan assembly plant, and the Bronco Sport in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico will both be affected.
It would not be prudent to launch vehicles before everything is fully in place, nor does it make sense to put more of its production at risk by pushing it in unsafe conditions.
I’m hoping it’s going to be worth the wait.
Got a tip? Send us a note: [email protected]
Source: Read Full Article