Ford Bronco hard top supplier Webasto struggled to meet greater than expected demand for its product early in the SUV’s lifecycle, and after some time, owners discovered quality issues that prompted Ford to push unscheduled 2021 Bronco orders into 2022 and replace all of those existing tops, destroying the old ones in the process. Those same Ford Bronco hard top woes are still causing problems with production, even today, but they’ve also been rather expensive for Webasto to overcome, according to Automotive News Europe.
“It took a lot of energy, nerves, and money,” Webasto CEO Holger Engelmann said last week during the company’s annual press conference. “We still successfully countered the ongoing pandemic, semiconductor bottlenecks, and exploding material costs last year, and further investments in the future were also factored in. But one single, extremely challenging, technological innovative major project of highly strategic importance for the Americas region meant that we again had to absorb a negative result.”
Indeed, Webasto estimates that it will invest a whopping $200 million euros ($213 million USD) into the Ford Bronco hard top project by the end of this year, which is a staggering sum for one product. However, the molded-in color (MIC) hardtop is also a massive moneymaking project for the company, one that will generate $2 billion in sales for Webasto over its eight-year lifespan, which covers 2018-2026.
The company estimates that the Bronco MIC top will account for a whopping 20 percent of its sales in the Americas region (which includes the U.S., Canada, and Mexico) beginning this year and continuing for the next several years. Ultimately, Webasto plans to build around one million roof systems for the rugged SUV, which will eventually consist of six different types of tops.
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Comments
What a joke. The company says it spent $213 million on its Bronco top and it still can’t make any in any color other than black. Sounds like the early Model T before Ford decided to join the 20th century and start making cars in different colors. It needs to take its Bronco top manufacturing in house and make them in colors that match the vehicles they go on.
I really like to order a Bronco but I’m always being delayed until different stories I’ve been a Ford owner for years now and bought over 25 vehicles from Ford and relatives and friends
With all the talk with how they are progressing, they keep launching newer models ect.., but can’t filled the orders they already have. Stop proceeding with newer versions of broncos and fill the orders you have. I have a 1/20/2021 order for a bronco and have yet to see any update on my order both dealer and your customer service can’t tell me anything. Is Ford going to offer special financing options or rebates for the people that have been waiting on their orders to be built. % rate have gone up since many of us placed order by 4% is that fair for the customer to have to suffer due to Ford not building orders already placed. It seems Ford wants theses orders to go away so they can either take off the books and or the dealers get them whenever they are built. If I should ever get my Bronco it will be the last FORD I will buy.
You couldn’t have said it better i placed my order on 6/2/2021 and haven’t heard a word from dealer or Ford. I could care less about seeing raptors and everglades at this point. Fill your orders first before you begin offering other broncos.
Reading between the lines but 8 different tops and they said the product line was for an 8 year lifespan. That must mean that different variants are on the way. I’m in no hurry for my bronc because of the hardtop complaints, current fuel prices, and Ford dumping factory nav that I’m still being charged for in the Mid package. If they push mine to 2023 and offer a hybrid and/or better hardtop options I’d be ok with that.
It would be great if Ford would tell us anything. I made my reservation in 2020, placed the order in 2021, then again in 2022. Since then I have gotten 1 email from Ford and zero updates on when I can expect it to even begin production. My dealership either doesn’t know anything or won’t tell me. I understand that there are production issues, but that is no excuse to leave customers in the dark for years.
Perhaps they can also make matching buckets for catching dropped valves 🤣🤣
So I guess ordering 2023 2 door base manual bronco on August 15th is a waste of time? Thanks
How/where can I get a 4 piece hard top for my 2023 Bronco?
I live at 10,000 ft and can get over night snow fall of 3 feet. Any info/ help would be greatly appreciated.