https://www.automobilemag.com/news/e...gladiator/amp/
Attachment 40195
Printable View
😳🤢🤮😖😞
Sorry… just my visceral reaction!
I'm done with the lack of real photos. Nothing but tease gets boring after a while.
It's like the worst parts of a first gen Bronco, a Land Rover Discovery, and a Ford Ranger.
Seriously though, I've been hearing about the Bronco coming back for, like, 15 or 20 years now. Geeze Ford, either build the thing or let it die already. Preferably the later because everything I've seen on a possible new Bronco looks terrible.
Are they going to make a enviro- weenie electric model too?
I'm hoping the finished product is better than the renderings I've seen so far. I've been a long time Wrangler fan, but hated driving the 4-door on the highway, and without a US diesel, gas mileage was shit, although improved in 2018. I'm hoping the Bronco will be more long-distance roadworthy with most of the Wranglers "outdoorsy-ness".
I could forgive some ugly for that.
It reminds me of the IH Scout. I kind of like it.
My Dad had a 1975 Scout. Color was Terra Cotta. 4 leaf spring suspension, bench seats, manual trans. He loved that thing. You could disassemble that truck with an adjustable wrench and a big screwdriver. It rode so rough that a trip tomthe corner grocery store required a kidney transplant.
New Bronco is such a tease. Just like a new rifle for the Army. Lots of fluff, no results. [emoji1787]
This.
I did some googling. It's not even clear to me that the "concept" renderings are coming from Ford. It's like when all the magazines had articles with pictures of the upcoming new Miata and none of them looked like anything Mazda was working on. Actual fake news.
There was the concept vehicle. I doubt production will be very close to that (and hope I'm right).
I hope the off-road capability is there. You can buy a Wrangler with credible running gear if you pay enough. One of the beauties of the original Bronco is that it was basically F-100 running gear in a compact package. Today, that would be a Ranger-sized SUV built with F-150 drivetrain and suspension underneath. Would be worthy. Is unlikely.
This is why I keep throwing money at my '97 4Runner. Even if I had the scratch for a brand new Bronco, there's no way I'd risk it in the woods until it was at least 4 years old and paid off, probably not even then.
Chris
My bikes ended up on their sides with frequency (on dirt). Way more fun than anything with four wheels, for me at least.
I hate mud.
I'm going to be in the market for something like a this in a year or two. I really miss my 91 Tacoma with the 4 banger, SWB, 4WD and high ground clearance. I'm not expecting Ford to bring back the Bronco but they did bring back the Ranger so one never know, do one. I was looking at the new Ranger at Costco a few days ago but really haven't made any in depth comparisons. The Colorado seems to be a good seller these days but I've had a Chevy pickup for 12 years and I'm not overly impressed. Lots of electrical/sensor problems like a 737.
One thing I noticed was US companies like to nickel and dime you on options. Toyota never got into that so will be looking hard at another Tacoma. I've had 4 Toyota pickups and they all were low maintenance.
https://www.autoblog.com/2019/02/28/...co-spy-photos/
Attachment 40197
Bearing in mind, protos are not only camo'ed in this way, they often have mis-matched panels and deliberate bulges to hide the actual shape.
I often wonder how many of these stories are because someone drafted an idea just to see how it would fly, and not incidentally to keep busy against the next round of downsizing. My brother in law was in Fords Light Trucks division, and had some paintings of rather unusual looking pickups on his den wall...
A new Bronco SUV would be cool. A new Bronco Pickup would compete directly with the Ranger, so I fail to see the point.
(I always felt that the Explorer Sport Trac helped kill the old Ranger. Maybe I'm wrong. Certainly Ford's marketing department has better info than my gut.)
(I hope.)
The Big 3 had, and probably still have, offices that exit solely to "camouflage" prototypes out on the road. GMs was imaginatively called "GM Camouflage Services."
EDIT to add: That dinky short bed looks like they've decided to go up against the Subaru Baja... :D
I thought the same thing after looking at a new Ranger. It's not a bad looking rig but wouldn't want a first year of anything. I have an 07 Duramax pickup, the one they changed 100% in Jan of 07 with the new body style and new engine. BIG mistake. Eats injectors and glow plugs for breakfast. I had to find a local mechanic (mom and pop operation) to afford the maintenance. I'm talking about 1K a year (dealer) average since I bought it. It's a good truck when it runs. ;).Quote:
A new Bronco Pickup would compete directly with the Ranger, so I fail to see the point.
They all cost too much $$$$
My most recent car purchase had been on the road for ~18 months when I bought it. ~$35k MSRP, I got it for under ~$20k. Apparently, I am the only person in Houston who wants that model with a manual transmission. I had actually considered insterstate commerce to find one before it appeared here.
I normally buy used and keep a car for 6-10 years. My 4Runner is an exception as we've had it now for 17 years (it's 22 years old). We've had our minivan for 8 years, it's an 08 model. Our newest vehicle is my daily driver, a 2013 Focus I purchased new in 2013.
Autos, if cared for, last a long time these days. I don't think it's at all unreasonable to get 200k mostly trouble-free miles out of a vehicle.
Chris
You people and your 10-15 year old cars. *laughs in cheap bastard*
https://scontent.fapa1-2.fna.fbcdn.n...15&oe=5DAD68C8
180,000 miles on the clock and going strong.
And for those rare occasions we actually get snow.
https://scontent.fapa1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...c7&oe=5DB1E937
If the NEW Bronco is not on a 1/2 ton chassis...... I dont even want to hear about it....
22 years and 215,000 miles. It recently hauled me, two Brits, luggage, and a bunch of guns from our Virginia office to a coworker's place in WV in 93deg temps and Friday NoVA/DC rush hour traffic.
Attachment 40207Attachment 40206
You were saying? :D
Chris
Hauling the British around is unpatriotic.;)
97 was a good year for those 4runners. I had one that left with a divorce. My ex promptly sold it to someone who lives nearby. I see it from time to time. It had 80K on it when it left. Still in good shape and a daily driver. I live on a small island so I see a lot of the same vehicles and same people. Those look like stock wheels.
I'm starting to see Jeep Gladiators on the roads here in Phoenix. They are as hideous in real life as they were in photos.
Well, Chevy is recycling the blazer name, so why not?
https://jalopnik.com/the-2020-chevy-...-bi-1834142769
https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/6W...irst-drive.jpg
You guys should check out this thread on T4R.org:
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...t-mileage.html
There is an astounding number of people who have over 300k and a mind-blowing number who have over 400, 500, 600k on 4 runners.
The thread was started in 2008. The had to prune it with folks posting only 200k miles.
Even if it was to expose them to a weekend of American Culture (BBQ, Booze, Guns, and West "By God" Virginia)? I mean, one of them was completely anti-gun and scared of them, but I not only got him shooting my suppressed 22lr pistol, I coached him into multiple hits in a row in trap shooting, and had him shooting full auto guns before I dropped them off at the airport that Sunday. The other had done this trip before and wasn't anti-gun at all. However, he's already making a list of guns he wants should he move to the US. My mission was completely patriotic! :D
As for the 4Runner, I agree the 97 was probably one of the better years for the 3rd Gens. Any bugs from the first year were worked out, but they hadn't yet started tarting them up with wheel flares, covered bumpers, and the like. They're just good, solid, trucks. I just put new tires, new springs, and new shocks on mine. It should be good for another decade (which will be about 30k miles at the rate I drive it these days).
Chris
I stopped participating in Toyota forums years ago, before most 4Runners were getting into the 300k+ range. It was always more of a circle-jerk regarding the brand (Toyota didn't put a light in the engine compartment because you never need to work on it at night because they're so reliable). Also, it was either people trying to turn their 4x4 into street racers or folks going in the other extreme and turning them into non-street-legal rock crawlers. At the time, overlanding, closer to my use case, wasn't a thing.
It is impressive though. I'm still shocked when I see 300k or more posted on a board somewhere. Around here it isn't uncommon to see a used 3rd Gen with 200k going for a premium price because they are potentially only halfway through their useful life. The biggest threat is frame rust, not mechanical failure. I spend a lot of time cleaning and painting surface rust and tapping around the frame to make sure it's solid on mine.
Chris