Mud Wrestling – Two iconic brands vie for the off-road crown.

After a 5-year wait (and a lot of hype), Ford has officially re-introduced one of its iconic brands – the Bronco. And it’s clear that they have their sights set directly on another iconic brand – Jeep.

So… how do you wrestle the off-road crown away from its longtime king?

First, Ford designers did a great job of putting a modern spin on the classic styling of the 60’s era Bronco. The new 2021 Bronco line includes the Bronco Sport (I’m gonna’ liken that to the Bronco II of the 80’s. I bet it’ll get the same nickname – Baby Bronco), 2-door model and the big 4-door.

Second, they took many of the things that people have loved about the Jeep and seamlessly incorporated them into the new Bronco’s platform. Features like removable doors and top, wheel flairs and a hose-it-out interior option for those serious mudders. The list goes on and on.

Third, you can have it your way. Yeah… I know that was a Burger King reference, but it applies to the new Bronco. Ford gives customers plenty of options to personalize their Bronco. The 2- and 4-door models are available in seven different trim levels with an optional Sasquatch package that includes whopping 35-inch mud tires and a multitude of other off-road features. Plus, Ford is planning to offer over 200 accessories allowing you to make your Bronco truly unique.

Those that know me, know I’m a Blue Oval fan… maybe that explains my apparent bias towards the Bronco. We’ll see… once the 2021 Broncos start popping up in the grocery store parking lots and neighborhood driveways, I believe even the most brand-loyal Jeep enthusiast will find themselves at a Ford dealership before they plunk down their hard-earned cash on a new Wrangler.

There’s a lesson here. You can evolve while staying true to your brand and, at the same time, give your customers something new and fresh that will make the say, “Wow!”

Nice job Ford! Now we wait and see how Jeep responds.

Rick