2025 Broncos... 2-door going extinct?

[Oldhippie]

This. Let a buyer pick what they want, not settle for package hell. It would cost a little more, but then you get EXACTLY what you want.
[/QUOTE]

I loved the days when ya could order the options individually…would love to have a base 2d Sasquatch 3.0 with square fenders and mod top…

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[Lowcountry Bronco]

I loved the days when ya could order the options individually…would love to have a base 2d Sasquatch 3.0 with square fenders and mod top…

and manual!

 

[Oldhippie]

and manual!

No! Autos are far superior off road (ever operated a manual trans forklift)…gave up manuals for towing & off roading in the ‘70s…but manuals are fun in road toys (my model A is a manual) even though autos are faster these days…

 

[Big Boss]

I loved the days when ya could order the options individually…would love to have a base 2d Sasquatch 3.0 with square fenders and mod top…

I remember my dad always telling me about how back in the day you could just go and get any combination of options on a car back in the day. And if your salesmen knew the right people even get options that weren't offered. When he ordered his 69 442 he got it in a color that wasn't even offered on the 442

 

[Imaginary Friend]

I remember my dad always telling me about how back in the day you could just go and get any combination of options on a car back in the day. And if your salesmen knew the right people even get options that weren't offered. When he ordered his 69 442 he got it in a color that wasn't even offered on the 442

Yes, you could order up some truly hideous paint and interior color combos back then from all the manufacturers, and nobody would stop you.

One of the worst GM cars I've actually seen was a late-'60s LeMans that was dark blue with a black vinyl top and a greenish-gold interior.

 

[mpeugeot]

I’m not sure why lack of backseat room is an issue in a two door. I realize it’s more difficult to get back there but I’m 6‘1“ and my boys are 6‘5“ tall and I can ride in the backseat comfortably with them in the front seat driving.

Especially when the difference in leg room is 1/4" between the 2 door and the 4 door models.

 

[broncorik]

This. Let a buyer pick what they want, not settle for package hell. It would cost a little more, but then you get EXACTLY what you want.

I loved the days when ya could order the options individually…would love to have a base 2d Sasquatch 3.0 with square fenders and mod top…
[/QUOTE]
I was a kid during arguably what was the best of those days...my dad worked for General Motors, in endurance testing (not sales), and he shares with me about build sheets and where they were located. It was like opening a treasure chest when in late 60's/early 70's GM muscle cars one could find the magic slip under a seat or some other strategic location and find out all the cool stuff that a buyer had ordered on a particular vehicle. We can even tell what gear ratio a diff was without having to lift up either or both rear wheels (and counting revolutions... Both wheels for a posi or one wheel and doubling the rotation count for a one-legger). Certain folks were fortunate enough to be able to order unicorns like a Camaro Z28 with a 302 (and the twin four-barrel set up on a cross ram manifold that would be delivered in the trunk wrapped up like a present):

https://www.hotrod.com/features/cross-ram-september-1980-982-1174-42-1/

Or more pedestrian options like radio deletes...those were the days...the base model Bronco that is no longer an option seemed to be the last vestige of something even remotely akin to those days...sigh. I can only dream of what it would have been like had I been able to order a base model (2-door) Bronco but with Raptor upgrades including the engine, the suspension, the steering, without all the bloated electronics and other things that most owners strip off quickly and spend tens of thousands to upgrade.

Instead there are heaps of people waiting to choose from whatever packages the Ford folks dreamed up (for us) only to wait too long to get them, then pay too much for them, then eventually be driving exactly what the person a block away from them have in their driveways. Marketing genius for Ford (and the aftermarket companies) but a huge bummer for the rest of us.

 

[TheShark]

I loved the days when ya could order the options individually…would love to have a base 2d Sasquatch 3.0 with square fenders and mod top…

I was a kid during arguably what was the best of those days...my dad worked for General Motors, in endurance testing (not sales), and he shares with me about build sheets and where they were located. It was like opening a treasure chest when in late 60's/early 70's GM muscle cars one could find the magic slip under a seat or some other strategic location and find out all the cool stuff that a buyer had ordered on a particular vehicle. We can even tell what gear ratio a diff was without having to lift up either or both rear wheels (and counting revolutions... Both wheels for a posi or one wheel and doubling the rotation count for a one-legger). Certain folks were fortunate enough to be able to order unicorns like a Camaro Z28 with a 302 (and the twin four-barrel set up on a cross ram manifold that would be delivered in the trunk wrapped up like a present):

https://www.hotrod.com/features/cross-ram-september-1980-982-1174-42-1/

Or more pedestrian options like radio deletes...those were the days...the base model Bronco that is no longer an option seemed to be the last vestige of something even remotely akin to those days...sigh. I can only dream of what it would have been like had I been able to order a base model (2-door) Bronco but with Raptor upgrades including the engine, the suspension, the steering, without all the bloated electronics and other things that most owners strip off quickly and spend tens of thousands to upgrade.

Instead there are heaps of people waiting to choose from whatever packages the Ford folks dreamed up (for us) only to wait too long to get them, then pay too much for them, then eventually be driving exactly what the person a block away from them have in their driveways. Marketing genius for Ford (and the aftermarket companies) but a huge bummer for the rest of us.
[/QUOTE]
I remember when you could order a Camaro with both the RS and SS package. Everything was an option, you wanted a heater, you wanted a radio, you wanted a passenger side mirror, you wanted visors, you paid extra. You wanted A/C, that was about a 1/4 of the price of the car. Many cars had everything from a 4cyl to a 8cyl, 2-BBL, 4-BBL, heck some cars you could get a two snorkel air cleaner. When you ordered A/C tinted glass was an option. Even on Cadillacs you could order power windows but you better order power vent windows if you wanted them because if you forget you got cranks. We won't even talk about the all the colors available for the interior and exterior. It truly was a la carte as broncorik pointed out and you could come up with some pretty interesting combinations. I really think when Japanese cars started to become popular is when things changed because they gave you a long list of standard equipment (for the day) and things tended to come in packages since you really couldn't order from a Japanese factory. American automakers follow suit.

 

[JT58Bronc]

I remember ordering a Ford f150 back in 1981, in October. I spec'd it out- base short bed 4 X 4, XLS black out package with stripes, 302 V8 manual 4 speed. Black exterior, red interior. I ordered it exactly the way I wanted it and it came in as a 1982 model year in March if I remember right. When it came in, I immediately bought and had mounted 33" tires on custom chrome wheels. Didn't even need a lift kit. The truck got so many looks. But it was base- roll down windows no CC, pretty much a "work truck" these days. I end up adding Holly 4 barrel carb and dual exhaust. It was an awesome truck. I have never seen another truck like that one- wonder what that would be worth today?

Anyway if you can spec out and order exactly what you want you will love it and want to keep it forever. I love my 2 door base Sas. The only thing I would have done different or wanted was a 7 speed manual with the 2.7. Or better yet a 5.0 V8, but not for 100K, not even for 50 or 60K, LOL. Make it affordable- 45K I would have bit. Not offered so nothing I could do about it so 2.7 and 10 speed auto it is..........

 

[Imaginary Friend]

Jeep had a la carte optioning down to a science. I ordered all of my Wranglers exactly how I wanted them. My favorite was my '13 Sahara 2-door, which got almost every option but touchscreen sound system (I hate them). Threw a bunch of dealer installed Mopar accessories at that one too.

Covid saw them streamlining production a bit. Still, when I ordered my '23 Rubi I could pick and choose, fairly stripped for a Rubi, but I got the painted fenders I wanted (for a price). From '24 on Jeep's list of individual options have dwindled somewhat in favor of packages. Shame.

I'd love to buy a base Sasquatch Bronco with painted hardtop and squared fenders and a few other things, but that will never happen.

 

[UncleBrad]

"Back in the day" anything cool, with bucket seats and do anything attitude, had two doors. The GTO, 442, the Jeep, the Bronco, all the best imports, etc.

If someone wanted to build up a performance car, and the car was a 4-door, that was all he had at the time to work with.

And we all knew the girls would never go for a dude driving a four-door anything.

Two-doors were indicators that a name was special. For instance, Torinos came in 2-door, 4-doors and station wagons. That help make them loosers on the performance market past 1970. Might as well be driving Grandpa's Belvedere, with Grandma's Kleenex box sliding across the dashboard every time you tried to turn a corner.

Add to the 2-Door the manual transmission, properly on the floor, and you were a god in the high school parking lot.

Fact: for 2025, the 2-Door manual Bronco is only available in the Badlands, and then only with the 2.3L. Yeah, I know the base is coming back, but - is it? With all the turmoil in the economy, how do we know for sure?

I'm happy to have procured the last Big Bend 2-door with a a proper manual transmission. My 50-year high school reunion is coming up, and I will not be shamed.

 

[MNBigfoot]

"Back in the day" anything cool, with bucket seats and do anything attitude, had two doors. The GTO, 442, the Jeep, the Bronco, all the best imports, etc.

If someone wanted to build up a performance car, and the car was a 4-door, that was all he had at the time to work with.

And we all knew the girls would never go for a dude driving a four-door anything.

Two-doors were indicators that a name was special. For instance, Torinos came in 2-door, 4-doors and station wagons. That help make them loosers on the performance market past 1971. Might as well be driving Grandpa's Belvedere, with Grandma's Kleenex box sliding across the dashboard every time you tried to turn a corner.

Add to the 2-Door the manual transmission, on the floor as God intended them to be, and you were a god in the high school parking lot.

Fact: for 2025, the Bronco is only available in the Badlands, and then only with the 2.3L. Yeah, I know the base is coming back, but - is it? With all the turmoil in the economy, how do we know for sure?

I'm happy to have procured the last Big Bend 2-door with a a proper manual transmission. My 50-year high school reunion is coming up, and I will not be shamed.

Why did you buy a Bronco Sport?

 

[UncleBrad]

Because, being human, I experienced a brief period of confusion. I confess that I bought into the 4-door cult. Please forgive me. People were probably pointing and laughing at me.

Note that I only had the 2024 Bronco Sport for a few months. I kept stomping the floor where the clutch should be while wondering why I'm hauling around two extra doors.

 

[userdude]

People were probably pointing and laughing at me.

Were?

 

[UncleBrad]

Excellent! Check-mated by a (presumably) 4-Door fan.

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