Source: Ford Bronco and Mustang Could Become Their Own Sub-Brands

[Bikeman315]

https://www.autoweek.com/news/future-cars/a32651480/ford-bronco-and-mustang-could-become-brands/

Source: Ford Bronco and Mustang Could Become Their Own Sub-Brands
SUVs, sedans, coupes, convertibles are all possible in the Ford Icons group.

May 25, 2020

We sure have been bombarded with rumors and hints about Ford’s upcoming Bronco, and the Mustang Mach-E, for that matter.

Officially Ford is still saying it’s “too early” to talk Bronco details, but sources tell Autoweek the company is looking at turning both the Bronco and the Mustang into sub-brands, offering several models each, under what’s being called the Ford Icons group.

“We have to leverage what we’re good at,” a source told Autoweek. “What are we good at? Mustangs and trucks. Mustang is a niche product with a great legacy. We need to expand on that legacy. More Broncos is a no-brainer.”

Our spies tell us we’ll see the larger Bronco first and, in fact, we probably would have seen it at the canceled Detroit show. We’d previously heard Bronco production was supposed to start mid-July but was pushed to early September due to COVID-19. Our sources say production is now scheduled for the end of August. Whenever the Bronco drops, expect the smaller one a few months later.

There are two- and four-door versions of the larger, body-on-frame Bronco, sharing a platform with the Ranger pickup. The smaller Bronco Sport is probably a rugged-ish unibody crossover, and could spawn a pickup truck that might be called the Maverick. Engines range from 2.0-liter fours to a 2.3-liter turbo-four, and maybe Ford’s 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, with horsepower ranging from somewhere in the 200s into the 300s. The racing version is called Bronco R.

Our sources say eventually Broncos will come in two- and four-door form with EV and hybrid versions down the road.

Same with the Mustang. A source told Autoweek everything is on the table.

“Who knows what the timeframe is in this COVID atmosphere we’re in but yeah, we’re looking at more EVs, hybrids, sedans, crossovers, coupe EVs, convertible EVs, rear-drive, all-wheel drive, you name it. There’s probably going to be a fistfight over a pickup called Mustang, though,” our source said with a laugh.

Mach-E power ranges from 255 hp to 333 hp, with the more powerful GT model cranking out 459 hp, built on, our sources remind us, a scalable EV platform able to be shortened or stretched to support several body styles.

“The aim is for the Mustang-badged vehicles to be the more performance-oriented of the two sub-brands,” the source said.

We are watching both the Mustang and Bronco families carefully. Meanwhile, as we wrote a few months ago, you might as well start wrapping your head around cars such as electric Mustangs and Bronco pickups landing at Ford dealers in the 2020s.

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[IntenseGT]

Yep - I thought this when they came out with the Mach-E - Mustang will be it's own brand like Genesis and Scion did.

 

[DarthMalice]

Watering down the mustang name...ugh. They seem to think the Bronco is going to come back pretty strong.

 

[Schwerin]

I suspected as much for Mustang as the FORD name has been vanishing from it everyplace. The fact the new EV is a MUSTANG Mach-E GT, when normally Mach-E is usually a trim, now its a Model name. Making Mustang sound more like a Brand name, and not a model.

I'd be more surprised if Bronco was spun off as unless the Edge, and Escape become the Bronco Edge and Bronco Escape it would be unlikely. Also that the new EV SUV is Mustang. I find more likely that Mustang will be spun off, and new EV/Hybrid SUV's will be moved under the Mustang name. I'd have to see more models move towards using the Bronco name before I think it will be a brand. Perhaps the more Off-road vehicles will, but that would mean that it would have crossover with the F-Series and the current Explorer and other SUV's.

it would mean that FORD would have to be left with JUST the F-Series, MUSTANG would have the Mustang, EV's and Hybrids. Then all SUV's that can do any rugged work would be under BRONCO. That would leave Ford having to support like 4 brands which costs more than just having the 2 they have now. It would also mean that they could possibly have to market a Lincoln, Mustang, and Bronco version of teh same SUV under different names. It would be like the issue they had with Ford/Mercury all over again. Trying to sell the same car under 2 names, possibly 3, when its mostly just trim changes.

I can see them making Mustang work on its own, but not both Mustang and Bronco when Bronco is not as solid a name right now as Mustang is. I can't see Bronco as being anything more than being SUV's based on the F-Series platforms. I don't see that as being able to stand on a brand of its own. Only With the F-Series under the Ford name.

 

[nrc]

It's now a company now run by idiots. It's like Bill Ford slept through the entire Alan Mulally era. They just dumped a boatload of brands that weren't fooling anyone. You can't sustain a brand by slapping it on just anything. If your Ford Mercury, Ford Volvo, or Ford Aston Martin aren't best in class - or at least best a delivering on their brand promise - it's a losing proposition. It's about the product, dummies!

They bought into a central planner's wet dream that transportation is going to become purely a service. What brand image are you going to rent for 30 minutes to take you from your rental complex to your city center job or event? Tonight are you an unbridled and free Mustang, galloping across plains or a rugged, untamed, Bronco going your own way?

That notion was always overblown, but now it's dead on arrival. In a post COVID world who is going to want to share transportation or trust some central authority to get them where they want to go? Only fools.

It's pretty clear now that Ford sees "Mustang" as the feminine focused brand and "Bronco" as the masculine focused brand going forward. Those who think the Mach E will secure the future of the Mustang as we know it are sadly misguided.

Karen is not going want to be associated with a bunch of hoonigans running over pedestrians. She will complain to the management and the management will listen. Because Karen is finishing college at a 40% higher rate than those hoonigans and she's going to be spending the bulk of the transportation money in the future.

 

[ice445]

I think Ford is too confused as to what the future is going to bring. Too heavily leveraging everything on trucks and electric cars. Trucks they have experience with, electric cars none at all. So they're leveraging brand recognition to help transition the rough gaps that are coming. I don't agree with it, but clearly they think the future of the Mustang we know and love is at an end. I'm fairly convinced the Coyote will be going away in just a few short years. I think American manufacturers have always struggled compared to the Japanese and European brands because they seem to just try to find the next "big hit" instead of improving their products slowly but surely. There are some exceptions to this, like the Mustang, but for most of the commuter A to B stuff they just chase the next big thing. Probably because they're much more dependent on high margin vehicles. UAW has them by the balls when it comes to labor costs. The 2010's was turbocharging, the 2020's is going to be electric for the masses. I guess we'll see what happens.

 

[Spork3245]

If this is what allows things like a GT500 to exist in the future, I’m fine with it.

 

[Schwerin]

If this is what allows things like a GT500 to exist in the future, I’m fine with it.

The way the company is going we'll probably end up with a Bronco MACH-E GT500.

 

[samd1351]

would mean that FORD would have to be left with JUST the F-Series, MUSTANG would have the Mustang, EV's and Hybrids

Ford would also have the Ranger, which I don't think will be going away anytime soon. Plus the smaller version of the Ranger, the Maveric.

 

[Bikeman315]

Ford would also have the Ranger, which I don't think will be going away anytime soon. Plus the smaller version of the Ranger, the Maveric.

There will also be the new Fusion Active wagon in 2021. And I still beleive there will be other cars coming too with hybrid and/or all electric.

 

[dn1984]

the mustang already pretty much is. hasn't been ford branding on the outside in...well maybe never.

 

[Cobra Jet]

They need to get rid of Laurel (Farley) and Hardy (Hack-it)....

The ME will turn into another Edsel...

 

[1Bear]

It's now a company now run by idiots. It's like Bill Ford slept through the entire Alan Mulally era. They just dumped a boatload of brands that weren't fooling anyone. You can't sustain a brand by slapping it on just anything. If your Ford Mercury, Ford Volvo, or Ford Aston Martin aren't best in class - or at least best a delivering on their brand promise - it's a losing proposition. It's about the product, dummies!

They bought into a central planner's wet dream that transportation is going to become purely a service. What brand image are you going to rent for 30 minutes to take you from your rental complex to your city center job or event? Tonight are you an unbridled and free Mustang, galloping across plains or a rugged, untamed, Bronco going your own way?

That notion was always overblown, but now it's dead on arrival. In a post COVID world who is going to want to share transportation or trust some central authority to get them where they want to go? Only fools.

It's pretty clear now that Ford sees "Mustang" as the feminine focused brand and "Bronco" as the masculine focused brand going forward. Those who think the Mach E will secure the future of the Mustang as we know it are sadly misguided.

Karen is not going want to be associated with a bunch of hoonigans running over pedestrians. She will complain to the management and the management will listen. Because Karen is finishing college at a 40% higher rate than those hoonigans and she's going to be spending the bulk of the transportation money in the future.

I am a Ford guy like the rest of you fine folks but as a business person the first thing I think when I hear about splitting off product lines is it's "easier to go bankrupt and save what's making money".

Bear

 

[nastang87xx]

Yeah I thought this was somewhat common knowledge. Not surprised.

 

[Ace]

While I really don't like the idea of this, I totally see how this will turn out great from an economic point of view. Especially in export markets people connect Ford with reasonable priced cars and recently some great value in sporty ST and RS models. But when it comes to selling expensive cars like the recently european launched Ford Explorer Hybrid, people don't really tend to buy a Ford.
But the same people have a positive connection to the name Mustang. Slapping the name on a sedan, crossover, etc will have a lot of people run into the stores and be exited to buy "a Mustang" while the same car labelled as a new Ford might not be on their watchlist.

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