Photo: Stefan Baldauf/SB-Medien
Scheduled to premiere next spring for the 2021 model year, the all-new Bronco will be manufactured at the same plant where the Ford Motor Company makes the Ranger. Taking inspiration from the F-150, the hood and tailgate are made from stamped aluminum in order to trim a few pounds without compromising the durability of the mid-sized pickup truck.
It so happens that the Bronco will follow in the footsteps of the Ranger as part of a $100 million investment in Dearborn Stamping. The Bronco 6G forums published a union agreement that confirms the addition of “stampings for all-new Broncos,” and the plural in this construction is intriguing.
Could the Blue Oval be developing two- and four-door variants of the mid-sized utility vehicle? As far as we know, only a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited-rivaling model is in the pipeline with a 2.3-liter EcoBoost underhood and 10-speed automatic transmission tasked with rowing through the gears.
Whatever the case, there’s no denying the Bronco is intended to chip into the Wrangler’s market share. Most JL models sold in the United States and the rest of the world come with four doors (the JLU), and this sort of explains why Ford is likely to opt for a four-door, long-wheelbase Bronco.
As to why aluminum is better than steel, another reason for the Ford Motor Company’s choice is resistance to corrosion. An old-school Land Rover with aluminum panels hardly rusts even where the paintwork has worn down to the metal, but the downside to the non-magnetic and ductile metal is that it’s more expensive to repair. Aluminum welding, for example, presents unique challenges and a slightly different set of welding skills.
The document also talks about a $40 million investment in Woodhaven Stamping. “Legacy stampings will continue, with upgrades” doesn’t sound that interesting, but “stampings for all-new Mustangs will be added” is interesting given that the S650 generation is huge talk in the rumor mill.
Last time we’ve heard anything on the next ‘Stang, unconfirmed sources suggested that the S650 has been pushed back to the 2026 model year. Given that the S650 is scheduled to undergo a serious mid-cycle refresh, the rumor might be proven true. Oh, and by the way, the Mustang Hybrid could arrive at dealership lots as soon as the 2022 calendar year.
Could the Blue Oval be developing two- and four-door variants of the mid-sized utility vehicle? As far as we know, only a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited-rivaling model is in the pipeline with a 2.3-liter EcoBoost underhood and 10-speed automatic transmission tasked with rowing through the gears.
Whatever the case, there’s no denying the Bronco is intended to chip into the Wrangler’s market share. Most JL models sold in the United States and the rest of the world come with four doors (the JLU), and this sort of explains why Ford is likely to opt for a four-door, long-wheelbase Bronco.
As to why aluminum is better than steel, another reason for the Ford Motor Company’s choice is resistance to corrosion. An old-school Land Rover with aluminum panels hardly rusts even where the paintwork has worn down to the metal, but the downside to the non-magnetic and ductile metal is that it’s more expensive to repair. Aluminum welding, for example, presents unique challenges and a slightly different set of welding skills.
The document also talks about a $40 million investment in Woodhaven Stamping. “Legacy stampings will continue, with upgrades” doesn’t sound that interesting, but “stampings for all-new Mustangs will be added” is interesting given that the S650 generation is huge talk in the rumor mill.
Last time we’ve heard anything on the next ‘Stang, unconfirmed sources suggested that the S650 has been pushed back to the 2026 model year. Given that the S650 is scheduled to undergo a serious mid-cycle refresh, the rumor might be proven true. Oh, and by the way, the Mustang Hybrid could arrive at dealership lots as soon as the 2022 calendar year.
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