The News Wheel
No Comments

Report: Ford Bronco Development Underway in Australia

Decrease Font Size Increase Font Size Text Size Print This Page
2004 Ford Bronco concept

2004 Ford Bronco concept

Ford has not yet verified that it will be reviving the Bronco namebadge for the United States—though a UAW official ostensibly confirmed as much. A report out of Australia seems to indicate that the Bronco’s path back to America is already well underway in the Land Down Under.

According to Motoring.com.au, sources are reporting that the Ford Bronco is currently in development at the Asia-Pacific Product Development Center in Victoria. The center is responsible for the development of Ford’s T6 platform, which underpins the Everest as well as the Ranger pickup truck that is expected to be built alongside the Bronco at Michigan Assembly within the next four years.

Prototypes of both the next-generation Ranger and Everest have been spotted testing around the You Yang proving grounds, but Motoring’s sources insist that some of these vehicles represent the earliest Bronco mules. The revival of the Ranger and Bronco in the United States are expected to take place in 2018 and 2020, respectively, meaning that development of the latter is likely in its infancy.

The shared platform could also make the mid-sized Everest a viable contender to become one of the four new SUVs Ford intends to launch in the United States by 2020. Ford this week will reveal the first of these four new models in the form of the EcoSport.

Production of the Ford Bronco in the United States ended in 1996, and rumors of its revival have persisted ever since. The Bronco and Ranger have been rumored to be replacing the Focus and C-MAX at Michigan Assembly since Ford reached a new UAW agreement one year ago.

News Source: Motoring