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The Jeep Wrangler is the quintessential all-terrain vehicle. It is the basis of the segment, its sales are constant and strong, and there is a strong community around the vehicle. But there is a newcomer to the neighborhood: the Bronco 2021 is bound to be a success and it is certain to reduce the hegemony of the Wrangler. We knew this worried Jeep, however, thanks to some material posted by dealers on the Bronco6G forums, we know how worried Jeep is.
The handout / infographic, titled “BRONCO: THE SINCEREST FORM OF FLATTERY” spends its entire four pages plying the features of the Bronco that Jeep says are inferior to those found on the Wrangler. Many of the Auburn Hills-based automaker’s points are picky – the Bronco has definitely been compared to the Wrangler, after all – but some may be enough to tip the right buyer one way or the other.
The first page is pretty straightforward, listing some of the Bronco’s features in a somewhat negative light, quickly pointing out that the Bronco Sport is based on the Escape crossover and the Bronco itself is based on the Ranger pickup platform. Both of those things are true, but that doesn’t necessarily take away the off-road capability of both vehicles.
As far as praise for its own Wrangler goes, Jeep has it pretty thick, as you would expect. It focuses on the heritage of the Jeep brand, stretching back as far as the original WWII flat-fender Jeeps. Jeep definitely has Bronco’s pace when it comes to heritage, but the legitimacy of that point in the context of car sales is certainly questionable.
The second of this page gives some details on the respective offroad capabilities of the trucks. Jeep also taps into the strong community around its vehicle while trying to make the enthusiasm for the Bronco seem artificial, saying Ford has hired a marketing company to build excitement around the new “Bronco Nation.”
Then, the details of the front axles of the two respective vehicles are compared. Ford’s truck has independent front suspension, which Jeep says is inferior to off-road. This is not necessarily an unfair statement. Solid front axles are simpler, more durable and less prone to damage on the trails. Jeep is also right that they are easier to modify. However, other claims about articulation and differential ground clearance are questionable. Solid front axles can move up and down a bit, but it’s safe to say that the independent suspension offers superior articulation.
The statement about differential ground clearance is also a bit of a half-truth. Vehicles with a solid front axle can only gain ground clearance by installing larger tires and / or portal axles (and the latter is quite rare). Vehicles with independent front suspension can be modified so that the center line of the wheels is well below the center line of the differential. This allows for a large amount of differential play.
The third page has several finicky details, like the power of the Jeep’s folding roof or how Jeep’s V6 diesel produces 10% more torque than Ford’s gasoline option. The bit about the limited-slip differential is true, however, it neglects to mention the Bronco’s available locking differentials or the quasi-LSD capabilities operated by the brakes. The whole debate over door and body mirrors is also a matter of guesswork, and possibly the hottest controversy that side mirrors have ever been involved in.
The little on the gear ratios of the tracks is legitimate, but also extremely picky. As is the number of accessory choices. The Bronco has yet to be sold to the public, but it already has over 200 accessory options. This is impressive, and that number will certainly increase as people start to receive deliveries from the truck. Everything else on this page is also pretty conjectural, aside from the Jeep Wave program. This is something Ford could probably counteract, however.
Regarding the last page, Jeep makes a good point by offering their Wrangler plug-in hybrid. It is suspected that Ford also has a Bronco hybrid on the way, however, there has been no official word from automaker Dearborn. As for almost everything else on the page, almost all of this is the result of the Bronco not yet sold. They mention the Rubicon 392 concept, saying there isn’t a V8-powered Bronco, however, you also can’t buy a Rubicon 392 just yet. Several other accolades the Jeep has received are also listed, but again the Bronco will challenge the Jeep for all of these accolades once it hits the streets.
Overall, Jeep makes some very good points and some quite questionable ones. The brand is going to have to play through every angle it can to try and keep its market share, so it’s no surprise that they are sending out documents like this to dealerships. Whether or not this sheet is enough to influence a buyer in one way or another, we have yet to see.
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