2025 Broncos... 2-door going extinct?

[Owl]

Well said Thunderflash! I'd also add that designers just can't leave well enough alone. They always like to go "bigger". Look at 4runner & Landcruiser, look at Montero, look at Jeep, and look at Bronco (in the past). Its too bad they just can't leave well enough alone.

I expect a G7 Bronco (if there is one) will be fatter, heavier, less-capable, and quite frankly uglier.

I've had 2 FJ40s, one 2-door Montero (talk about small), one Bronco II (does that count?), one OJ-sized Bronco, two 2-door Wranglers, and now one 2-door Bronco. I've like them all for different reasons, but I think I like THIS BRONCO best. I hope they can just leave it alone. If not... I've got mine and maybe I'll upgrade a few years... but that is probably it.

What can I say. I'm a happy 6gen 2-door Ford Bronco owner, but tend to see the writing on the wall... in regard to sizing. Dropping the 2-door... would only be the 1st step. Getting fat and not-so-sassy... would be next.

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[TheShark]

Well said Thunderflash! I'd also add that designers just can't leave well enough alone. They always like to go "bigger". Look at 4runner & Landcruiser, look at Montero, look at Jeep, and look at Bronco (in the past). Its too bad they just can't leave well enough alone.

I expect a G7 Bronco (if there is one) will be fatter, heavier, less-capable, and quite frankly uglier.

I've had 2 FJ40s, one 2-door Montero (talk about small), one Bronco II (does that count?), one OJ-sized Bronco, two 2-door Wranglers, and now one 2-door Bronco. I've like them all for different reasons, but I think I like THIS BRONCO best. I hope they can just leave it alone. If not... I've got mine and maybe I'll upgrade a few years... but that is probably it.

What can I say. I'm a happy 6gen 2-door Ford Bronco owner, but tend to see the writing on the wall... in regard to sizing. Dropping the 2-door... would only be the 1st step. Getting fat and not-so-sassy... would be next.

Man, I hope you are wrong. Look at the Land Cruiser though, it actually got smaller in it's latest incarnation.

 

[BAUS67]

My 2 cents......................if Ford still makes a standard/regular cab (aka 2DR) pickup truck, then I would think they would continue to make a 2DR Bronco.

 

[Owl]

Well, I think they sell a lot of regular cab pickups because they sell a lot of those to private/city/state organizations as work trucks. I don't see the Bronco falling into that category... but then again maybe it should!

 

[MNBigfoot]

Well, I think they sell a lot of regular cab pickups because they sell a lot of those to private/city/state organizations as work trucks. I don't see the Bronco falling into that category... but then again maybe it should!

Spot on, the only way to purchase a standard cab now is in the lowest trim (XL), about the only options is 4x4, cloth or vinyl, and with or without an ashtray and cigarette lighter. But that would be perfect for the 2-door Bronco, for enthusiast's.

 

[HalfmuleFarmer]

Spot on, the only way to purchase a standard cab now is in the lowest trim (XL), about the only options is 4x4, cloth or vinyl, and with or without an ashtray and cigarette lighter. But that would be perfect for the 2-door Bronco, for enthusiast's.

First Ford I had was a city fleet truck surplus inventory. White ‘85 Ranger, double radiator, no AC, AM radio, bench seat. That thing was a non-complainer for 150K miles. Got damn hot tho! (Was living in Louisiana)

 

[MNBigfoot]

First Ford I had was a city fleet truck surplus inventory. White ‘85 Ranger, double radiator, no AC, AM radio, bench seat. That thing was a non-complainer for 150K miles. Got damn hot tho! (Was living in Louisiana)

Did you have power steering?

 

[HalfmuleFarmer]

Did you have power steering?

Yeah, power steering and brakes. 5-speed manual. Just like this one except white with a gray interior. Solid.

 

[bf4445]

At the very least, there are times two-doors are better for off-roading. There are times the manuals are better for off-roading. It just depends upon what you're trying to do and where you're at. I live where there are forests with narrow trails and potential snow that I can rock out of, others live in the wide-open west in the sand and rocks trying to claw up high, steep faces where short wheelbases will struggle. Sure, we can poke fun, but there truly are pluses and minuses on both sides.

The only time i have experianced a situation in which the long wheelbase was superior was when towing long or Heavy loads. Its the longer wheelbases that tend to make the riffles in the trail that the little guys are out of tune with so they go right over them with ease. ....chuckle...even the original little Bronce was a bit to long for some trails that required extreme manuverability. That said when i bought my rene th I thought it would fall on its face if i got serious in the dirt only to find that it would out preform most others ONCE you took the time to learn how to use the paddle shifter to emulate a stick allowing keeping the engine in the power band. But I have the big engine, the 2.4 which generates power at lower rpms that the other teeny tiny lawn mower power plants used allowing better control and fuel economy.

 

[Bronco-saurus]

Looks like 2-doors are still available in the Base and Black Diamond. I'm glad I picked up my 2-door 2024 Big Bend as I really like this trim for what I use it for. Don't think I could do a 4-door, just not for me.

 

[C6ZZGT]

And to think my mother and father were able to stuff us five kids in a ‘57 two door Ford. Granted, there were no seat belts and it was before car seats, but four of us fit fine in the back seat and getting in and out was no issue. Of course it was more fun to get in and out with the top down!

Not just top down BUT a retractable Skyliner

 

[UncleBrad]

The only time i have experianced a situation in which the long wheelbase was superior was when towing long or Heavy loads. Its the longer wheelbases that tend to make the riffles in the trail that the little guys are out of tune with so they go right over them with ease. ....chuckle...even the original little Bronce was a bit to long for some trails that required extreme manuverability. That said when i bought my rene th I thought it would fall on its face if i got serious in the dirt only to find that it would out preform most others ONCE you took the time to learn how to use the paddle shifter to emulate a stick allowing keeping the engine in the power band. But I have the big engine, the 2.4 which generates power at lower rpms that the other teeny tiny lawn mower power plants used allowing better control and fuel economy.

Yes. It's as if the 2D MT enthusiast is being asked to ignore an up-front, obvious contradiction/logical anomaly. Also history: remember when one of the reasons why the Jeep Wrangler (and its military/CJ predecessors) were uniquely capable and "scrappy" due to their light weight and short wheelbase? These were the very attributes touted by "experts" for decades that led to Jeep's supremacy. Then came the (goofy) extended wheelbase TJ called the "Unlimited". Then, when the JK's hit, it was full-on weight gain and four doors, and nobody can protest, because "that's what everyone wants now." I'm not buying that - any more than the continued insistence by manufacturers that everyone wants their vehicles to be white, black or a shade of grey with black or grey interiors.

Of course longer wheelbases are generally better for towing. That's just physics: they are going to be more stable. They will generally ride better overall. But in order for it to do what a small, lighter vehicle will do under many (if not most) off-road scenarios you need the big tires, the lift and the power. Jeez. I thought the Suzuki Samurai settled that dispute.

 

[bf4445]

I think this is technically a 2 door

Nope, its a 4dr wishing it was a 2dr.

My favorite color

 

[UncleBrad]

Here's my rant....in case some dude in East BF might care-

What the bean counters and execs inevitably miss is the stigma and appeal of the 2-door (and the manual for that matter) on the market as a whole. I drooled over FJ40s, Scouts, Defenders, and Broncos in the '70s. AMC built CJ-5s were cool, too, even though AMCs problems in Toledo were shown daily on the news in NW Ohio. Good thing the government bailed out Chrysler in the '80s so they could buy the Jeep brand from failed AMC then crash the whole company again. What's Jeep now...Italian...French...who knows and Stilantis is doing a fine job.

Ford ponying up on a 2 door is what led me to buy a G6 Bronco. The fact that the 2 door exists showed a dedication to the segment because EVERYONE knows 2-doors are NO WHERE NEAR the bulk of the market. It puts the Bronco head to head with Jeep and brings a unique product interest that draws in buyers. In the end, many of those people drawn in will inevitably purchase a 4-door automatic for obvious life style reasons, even if they secretly lust for a 2-door manual. If I only had one vehicle, I'd have had to compromise with a 4-door, if I bought a Bronco at all (probably not).

If the 2-door (which represents the true Bronco heritage and tradition from Gen 1 thru Gen 5 that Ford markets so hard) ceases to exist or becomes uber rare, the Bronco becomes very ho-hum in a very crowded but small market space. Jeep is still king of the hill with a hardcore following. Land Rover has a 2 door and picks off the luxury lot or those that want something special with 2 or more doors. Then Toyota takes the rest with 4runners and Land Cruisers that are capable, will never die, and hold their value like crazy. The masses continue to buy *insert name here* unibody stuff. Removable top and doors are only taking it so far to stand out for general sales. The capable off-road truck with many compromises in the name of capability is a niche market space and small things like a 2 door option matter for posers and hard-cores alike.

IMHO, the Bronco line without the 2-door is just another SUV. "No more boring cars" Ford says....prove it and keep the 2-door in the forefront of the Bronco line. The 2 door is THE cool or fun or cute or bad a$$ or whimsical "F it, I love it" choice, forgetting life's daily constraints. Alas, the Bronco is likely doomed to become a square bodied Explorer in a future generation because these execs CANT HELP THEMSELVES when it comes to the effort required to invest in and build a unique product/brand having a dedicated following.

I sense it's the beginning of the end. I highly doubt it will get "better" as a whole with G7. So, get 'em while you can as G6 might be a flash in the pan!

Well said - excellent points. I think you nailed it. Did those crisply-dressed execs who can't help themselves, sitting at their shiny boardroom tables, sipping their lattes, also come up with the idea that everybody wants their vehicles in white, black or a shade of grey? Or that nobody wants a manual transmission any more? Are these proclamations by them true simply because it came from their lips?


By continuing to making available the enduring attributes of the classic, simple 2-door manual platform, Ford differentiates itself from the rest of the crowd.

 

[ThunderFlash]

By continuing to making available the enduring attributes of the classic, simple 2-door manual platform, Ford differentiates itself from the rest of the crowd.

For sure! I understand costs need to be managed and profits are a priority for any business, but they always miss the more obscure long term investment dividends. Maybe axing the BD as a standalone model in favor of an option package has some efficiencies to it. OK, fine. The Stroppe is cool, but it's basically a Wildtrak like I have with expensive paint. It looks cool, but that's not building the brand or bringing something new. I can get a custom wrap. What they should be doing is offering something MORE niche, like a "Super Sasquatch" package. Maybe a Shelby like off-road product line. Partner with Saleen on their Big Oly (THAT is cool BTW, particularly in the PNW). Lift some parts from the BRaptor, put 37" rubber on it, provide an OEM backseat delete option, offer a rack like the Gobi as stock, etc. Yeah, there is cost to it, probably a lot of work with gov requirements, and it may not be hugely profitable as a stand alone, but it creates buzz and interest keeping momentum and loyalty for the brand. Even as a financial break even proposition, it will have significant appeal and influence on this market. A lot of people waited A LONG TIME to get their Broncos and some did not even get what they asked for. There is still genuine interest in the brand. It's probably less than 5% of the people on this forum (probably the hard cores) that create 90% or more of the posts. Keep them excited about what's next. How many V6 or even GT Mustang buyers would not take a GT500 or a Dark Horse if money were no object? The Mustang by itself is already a huge compromise as a vehicle to live with, but it has legacy that overcomes all of that for many because of special offerings. COVID, supply chain issues, and Fords own quality challenges hampered the G6 for sure. But they have a lot invested in it already and pulling back now could be brand fatal. The Bronco can be another timeless model like the Mustang for Ford over coming decades, but they need to WORK FOR IT.

https://www.saleen.com/saleen-bronco/

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