- 2021 Ford Bronco Sport production will now start in September, rather than July, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an Automotive News report.
- Plant shutdowns have led to parts not being shipped on schedule.
- The Bronco Sport was supposed to be unveiled at the New York auto show this month, but that event has been postponed until late August.
Well, if good things come to those who wait, the Bronco Sport will be everything it has been anticipated to be. Speculation around Ford’s new off-road SUV has been circling for months on end, and now, according to Automotive News, the wait has been prolonged. Production of the vehicle has been pushed back from July 13 to September 7 as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
The pandemic has shuttered Ford plants, as well as those of suppliers, for several weeks, and parts for the Bronco Sport pilot production had been scheduled to be shipped this month, AN said. Additionally, the Bronco Sport was supposed to revealed at the New York auto show around this time, but that event was moved to late August. Ford hasn’t yet set a new date for a reveal of the SUV.
“Bronco will have its world premiere this spring,” Ford spokesperson Jiyan Cadiz said in a statement to C/D. Ford has not officially acknowledged the Bronco Sport’s name. “Additionally, we will talk more about the all-new rugged Ford SUV at a later date.”
The Bronco Sport, the smaller version of the Bronco, is based on the same platform as the recently redesigned Ford Escape. It’s an off-road-oriented vehicle, and we expect it to have the same front-drive configuration as the Escape. We also expect it to offer all-wheel drive, a pair of turbocharged engines, and, in the future, a hybrid powertrain.
The Bronco in both two- and four-door versions is still expected to go into production in early 2021. Spy photos of both versions of the new Bronco have given us a pretty good look at what they’ll look like, especially as recent spy photos have shown the boxy vehicles without any camouflage. The rugged-looking off-roaders have the Bronco name scrawled across the grille along with a spare tire on the rear of the vehicles and, on some versions, a removable top.
This is only the latest on the list of new vehicles being pushed back as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. We reported last week that General Motors has paused development of new vehicles, delaying mid-cycle updates for vehicles including the Cadillac XT4; the Chevy Bolt EV, Equinox, and Silverado; and the GMC Sierra and Terrain,
Source: Motor - aranddriver.com