The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport is already populating dealer lots after the new off-road-focused crossover entered production at the Ford Hermosillo Assembly Plant in Mexico on October 26th, 2020. However, Ford Authority recently spotted a large number of 2021 Ford Bronco Sport models sitting outside the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant, where the Ford Ranger and Ford Bronco are produced.
While this may seem strange on the surface, it’s likely that these Ford Bronco Sport models were completed at the Hermosillo plant and then shipped to Michigan as a stop point for distribution to dealers. Regardless, we’re betting that this sight has been confusing for at least a few folks who have driven by in recent days.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen some brand new Blue Oval products filling up parking lots, either. In recent weeks, thousands of 2021 Ford F-150 models were spotted at the Detroit Metro Airport and Ford Kansas City Assembly Plant (as well as surrounding properties). According to Ford, those new pickups are early production models awaiting final quality checks before they ship to dealers, however.
Meanwhile, the Bronco Sport, which shares a platform with the Ford Escape yet differs dimensionally from that crossover, has proven quite popular with buyers thus far. Ford actually expects it to outsell its big brother – the 2021 Ford Bronco – despite the fact that over 190,000 people have plunked down $100 to reserve the latter.
One advantage the Bronco Sport has over the Bronco is availability, however. Buyers can purchase a Sport right now, while the regular Bronco is facing yet another delay due to COVID-19 related supplier issues. The big Bronco also recently received a price bump that, when coupled with the delay, has caused some reservation holders to cancel their plans of buying one. The Bronco Sport also received a price increase recently, albeit a modest one.
We’ll have more on the Bronco Sport very soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Bronco Sport news and around-the-clock Ford news coverage.
Comments
How does the Bronco expect to increase Ford’s overall market share? I can’t help but think it will only steal sales from existing Ford SUV and some pickup truck sales. There is no way the incremental volume increase from the Bronco will offset the loss from the Fusion and MKZ. Bad decision in my opinion
I totally agree!
Make sure there aren’t any drugs being smuggled across the border. It happened with some Fusions made in Mexico.
Market share is Detroit 1980s think. New business theory is maximize profits. Would you rather sell 500k cars at break even price in low 20’s or 400k SUV or CUV at 40k and make a great profit? Big 3 went bankrupt chasing market share
The Big 2 went bankrupt chasing bad business deals it had nothing to do with selling sedan or SUVs Ford didn’t go bankrupt
WOW, true ford did not “go bankrupt”, but when it came time for federal (tax payer) bail out money, ford lead the way-yes that is correct-lead the way with 15.9 BILLION dollars of bail out (tarp) money. In other words,$$$$15,900,000,000 of tax payer dollars. Rather than talking about who went “bankrupt” let’s talk about how much money the auto mfgs got from the tax payers. One way to say thanks to the American Tax Payer may be to build in the USA, as I don’t recall mexico lending ford any money.
Ford didnt take Tarp money Ford took government loans that they paid back in full
Is this NADA’s idea? That being, to cause an artificial shortage allowing dealers to add a premium to the sticker price? This has been the practice for years with the “limited edition” Shelby’s and other vehicles. Some of this has been misdirected to the CAFE standards, which have been based on obsolete reasoning like dependency on foreign oil.
You are correct. The area to the east of the Michigan Assembly Plant (and old Wayne Assembly) is a distribution point for many Ford products to regional dealers.
I really wish companies such as Ford and others would abandon Mexico. The vehicles produced there typically have huge issues: Focus (transmission), transmission for the Mustang, Ranger quality issues to name a few. I had a VE Jetta about 10 years ago that was manufactured in Mexico and it was junk and even had substandard and pattern parts installed (axles and part of the suspension), which came to light when problems arose down the road. I hope the Bronco Sport is different but I have zero expectations for anything coming out of Mexico.
The Ford Focus, Mustang, and Ranger (that are sold in the USA), are / were assembled in Michigan, not Mexico. The fact that a vehicle is made in Mexico has nothing to do with quality. That might have been true in the past. But for many years, the Mexican plant does exactly what Ford’s head office in the USA tells the plant what to do. The parts come from suppliers located around the world, which is the case no matter if a vehicle is made in Mexico or the USA.
Prior to 2012, Focus 3 and 5 doors and the SVT variants were made in Mexico. Prior to that Escort and Tracer wagons (the non sedans) were made in Mexico. The only Foci and Escort/Tracers made in Wayne were the run of the mill 4 door sedans from 1997-2011, I had a 1997 Tracer and 04 Focus ZTS from Wayne Stamping + Assembly.
The Mustang (not electric version) have been assembled in their history at Dearborn, Flat Rock, Edison and San Jose.
The Ranger has been made in Louisville, Wayne, Edision, and Twin Cities.
Sorry but you are wrong about what is coming out of Mexico. I speak from practical experience.
I spent the fall configuring my Bronco, only to discover last week that the configurator pricing was off by thousands of dollars. Also, there’s no X pricing for shareholders. I was going to save a few thousand by ordering the soft top, and get the hard top later. But Ford won’t include the hard top wiring and washer hose in soft top builds. I’m postponing my purchase for a few years, i think.
You sir are grossly misinformed. Can you say bad transmissions? I’ve seen “quality” from Mexico with poor fit and finish and many parts used in vehicles manufactured there end up having big issues. If you have a Mexican vehicle get the extended warranty. Ford is paying dearly for bad transmissions from Mexico.
Saw them on a carrier on the way to dealers in PA/DE this past weekend.
This vehicle should be built at the Louisville Assembly Plant where the Escape is built. KEEP AMERICANS WORKING!!!!!
Agreed. Shares the Escape platform, why not just build it at LAP?
Great Post-not just assembled, but assembled with American Made Parts. Love your post!
Ford’s mexican plant has a history of ford production (as per wiki):
Current
Ford Bronco Sport (2020–present)
Past
Lincoln MKZ (2007–2020)[9]
Ford Fusion (2006–2020)[10]
Mercury Milan (2006–2011)
Lincoln Zephyr (2006)
Ford Focus (hatchback) (2000–2005)
Ford Escort (1988–2002)
Mercury Tracer (1988–1999)
Mazda 323 (5-door) (1988–1990)
For those acting as if ford has not been selling mexican made fords, or producing mexican made fords, they are just wrong, poorly informed, or have a problem looking up the information themselves. I hope this will help them out, evidently their wiki look-up ability has been blocked, or……
BTW, the ford 6DCT250 Ford Powershift—trans used in the focus is mfg in mexico and China, a tiny bit of research would point this out. And has been the cause of huge law suits/class action law suits. this piece of crap transmission often fails around the 30,000 mile mark. don’t be fooled, the new bronco when it is actually produced, will have as one of its transmissions, a 7 speed manual-made in china. the BS bronco mfg in mexico, with parts made in mexico, and other places (china et. al) is in no way similar to the quality of the original broncos, but it does have the same name-I guess that is something.
Very true, the list of some problem years and makes for Ford.
Very sad to hear of the “bump up” of prices for both the Bronco And Bronco Sport. They were on my radar depending on interior space and driving position, looks like they might be escaping my price range…
BRONCO SPORT stashed in Michigan???? Shipped from Mexico to Michigan, to later be re-shipped to dealers. What the hell is going on? This makes zero economic sense. Are the ford higher ups waiting until after jan to start shipping, thus impacting economic numbers for 2021???? Why wouldn’t these BSs coming out of their mexican production plant, go directly to the dealers waiting for them?? Perhaps the quality control in the mexican plant is such that ford wants to double check the quality in their michigan plant???? Something isn’t right about this.