One of the most highly anticipated models debuting in 2019 is without a doubt the revived new Bronco from Ford. The nameplate returns to the landscape after nearly 25 years away; Ford sold the model between 1966 and 1996.
It won’t be the first splash Ford makes in the new year, however. The Off-Road.com website reports that the first item of business for the automaker will be the next-gen Explorer, and it will be followed first by the new edition of the F-150. Only then will the Bronco make its entrance.
This doesn’t actually mean the Bronco is being delayed; Ford has always given a 2020 target for the launch of the model. We also knew that the introduction of the new Explorer was imminent, more specifically at the next Detroit auto show in January. Details regarding the next-gen F-150 pickup were vaguer, however.
By using a little simple logic, and assuming the Bronco debuts next fall as a 2020 model, that puts the launch of the most popular pickup on the market sometime next summer.
The arrival of these models, and of the new Ford Ranger, will certainly help revive spirits if not sales over at Ford. Since the start of 2018, the company’s American sales are down by 3%; in November the year-to-year drop was an even more disconcerting 7.3%
Meanwhile, GM and the FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) Group are presenting new pickups, and RAM and Jeep in particular are posting strong numbers.
All of this makes 2019 a pretty critical year for Ford. The company knew that its decision to cut loose all of the cars from its North American portfolio (with the exception of the Mustang) would cause pain, and it has. But now, its bet could pay off if these four new SUV/truck models (counting the new Ranger pickup) do well; certainly they had better, since Ford’s eggs are all now in that basket…
