Ford’s main rivals aren’t worried about the born-again Bronco

The much-anticipated next-generation Ford Bronco is scheduled to break cover in the spring of 2020. Expected to arrive as a rugged, body-on-frame SUV, it will take Ford into a segment of the new car market that’s in the midst of an unexpected renaissance, and it could become hugely popular if priced right. The company’s rivals aren’t afraid of being caught off-guard, however.

Unsurprisingly, the born-again Bronco leaves Jeep parent company Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) unfazed. Jeep never left the off-roader segment, and the Wrangler has dominated it since 1986.

“We’re always in tune with the industry, with what’s going on with other OEMs, and what suppliers and customers are doing, but our focus is Wrangler and optimizing that. We’re not in a place where we’re reacting to others,” Mopar spokesperson Kim Mathers told Muscle Car and Trucks at SEMA.

General Motors is in a different position. It near gave its Hummer brand the Wrangler-fighting model that was previewed by the HX concept unveiled at the 2008 Detroit auto show, consigning the project to the automotive attic when it shut down its Hummer brand. The Detroit-based automaker also allegedly canceled a GMC-badged Wrangler rival. It’s not worried about the Bronco, at least not openly, but Chevrolet plans to keep a close eye on how off-road enthusiasts react to it when it lands.

“I guess when [the Bronco] gets here, we’ll evaluate what that means,” explained Hugh Milne, the Silverado’s marketing manager, in an interview with the same source. Toyota will likely be watching, too, because the Bronco will venture onto the 4Runner‘s turf. We bet Land Rover, whose second-generation Defender made its debut in September 2019, is getting a little bit antsy, too.

Leaks, patent filings, and industry whisperings have allowed us to fill in some of the Bronco puzzle, and the Bronco R prototype (pictured) built for racing gave us our first official look at the model, but the big picture remains blurry. We don’t know what it will look like, for example. Like Ford’s rivals, we’ll keep our ear to the ground to learn more about the off-roader as its unveiling approaches.