There have been numerous rumors over the years and now Ford has officially affirmed what many believed all along. The automaker is planning to produce the greatly missed Ford Ranger and Bronco at its Michigan Assembly Plant, and we couldn't be more excited about the news. The Ranger is slated for a return in 2019, while the Bronco is due to arrive in the 2020 model year.
When the new 2019 Ford Ranger goes on sale in the Atlanta area, it will likely be very close to the version currently sold in other markets. Executive Vice President of Technology Raj Nair told Autoline, "It will fundamentally be the same Ranger we have globally with some changes for U.S. laws." The global edition of the truck just recently received a full redesign and offers Ford's suite of must-have features, including Pro Trailer Backup, which is a popular option on the U.S.-spec Ford F-150.
Regarding the Bronco, Nair says its size will fall in between the smaller version of the SUV that was available in the '70s and the larger version that was released in the '90s. Nair also eased worries that the 2020 Ford Bronco might be a rebranded version of the Everest, a model offered in other markets. He says the new Bronco will be "a separate vehicle" that's "completely unique" from the Everest. In addition, he noted that it will offer a body-on-frame design to support its rugged off-road performance.
There are few other details available right now, but as more details emerge about the upcoming 2019 Ford Ranger and 2020 Bronco, we'll keep you apprised on our blog.