bronco/defender

[bigbugga]

Rumors surrounding the next generation Defender have been floating around ever since Ford purchased Land Rover in 2000. Long term readers will remember reports of Defenders replacement reaching production in early as 2003, management changes and restructuring of future models resulted in a new Defender pushed back on Land Rovers list of redesigned models. Earlier reports suggested that Land Rover would rather kill off Defender than screw up its replacement.
Earlier this week, however, Automotive News quoted Fords, COO Nick Scheele stating the next Defender "has to have Land Rover capabilities and body-on-frame construction". Interesting news indeed, but in the same article J. Mays, Fords group vice president of design, suggested Ford and their upcoming retro Bronco could share platforms and even the same body panels with next generation Defender.

From Automotive News - Regarding Future Bronco: Off-road capability is important, Ford executives say. The concept Bronco is built on the Escape platform. Ford executives stressed that the Escape can go off-road.

But "if the stars were right, I would prefer to have it on a body-on-frame," Mays said.That points to the Ranger platform. But it is old; the Ranger's last major redesign came in 1993. And Ford COO Nick Scheele said the Ranger frame probably is too big for the Bronco.

Mays said that a production Bronco could share its underpinnings with a new Land Rover Defender. That would spread development costs across two vehicle programs and serve up a Jeep Wrangler fighter and a Hummer fighter all in one. It also would allow Ford to re-introduce the Defender nameplate to the United States, as executives have been itching to do.

"I maintain that if you were to redo the front end on (the Bronco), you could also have a Land Rover Defender that wouldn't miss a beat," Mays said.

But Scheele tempered that thought.

The Defender "has to have Land Rover capabilities" and body-on-frame construction, Scheele said, suggesting that any future Bronco might not.

*Message to Ford, Don't get confused! I am surprised J. Mays (who is well respected in the industry) would even consider the idea of some sort of badge engineering job. Stealing some of Defender's thunder might sell a boat load of Bronco's but it does confuse new Land Rover customers and in the long run will only harm Land Rover not to mention alienate existing enthusiasts. Bad idea, REALLY BAD!

http://www.thelandroverchronicle.com/new_page_431.htm

[Phoenix]

I saw that, very worrying.

Isn't that the first sign of the apocolypse? Ford cars sharing body panels with Land Rovers?

[juddo]

That would absolutely kill the defender and slur it's years of history and reputation.

Having said that, the pic of the bronco in the article looks cool!

[Phoenix]

Yeah, it looks like a nice set of wheels, and proposedly a cheapie as well, however it is far too close to the defender in looks for my liking. Ford can go and find their own look for a change.

[juddo]

Landrover seems to be the most "used" manufacturer on the market. Big manufacturer buys Landrover, steals all the good features and makes an X5; then goes and sells Landrover to another car company who steals all the good features and makes a bronco then ......

Then there are the companies like Toy#%# who steal all the good ideas and features off everyone else, do a better job at marketing the product, and sell 10 fold.