[UCFJWH]

It just shows how the market has evolved. Gone are the days of who ever has the largest SUV wins. Guys with active life styles want a reasonably priced mid size that is rugged and tough. For me, the Xterra never filled the gap.

The only vehicle, to me, that would be better.......

FORD------ARE YOU LISTENING!!!!!!!

Bring back the 70s style BRONCO!!!!!!!!
Take that Mustang magic and wave the wand in a new direction.

I loved my old Bronco.

 

[granger]

I miss the old Broncos, maybe the FJ will motivate them to put this into production

http://media.ford.com/newsroom/feature_display.cfm?release=16642

Unveiled this year at the North American International Auto Show, a concept version of Ford's pioneering 1960s sport utility vehicle retains the original Bronco's authentic, no-nonsense design and adds a turbocharged diesel engine for added kick.

 

[StealthEldorado]

Any former Isuzu Amigo owners out there? The FJ reminds me a little of my '88 Blue Amigo, first model year (not the sissy-fied newer versions). At the time it was the coolest looking SUV in its price range. Mine cost $15,500.

The early model year Amigos were truly utilitarian. Same rubber floor, minimal dash, half-cab soft top over the rear bench seat that would fold up for cargo storage, great ground clearance, skid plates, and I had the 31" Michelins (got 120k mi outta em). I used to haul compost in it - just threw a tarp in first for easier clean up. Added a second set of speakers myself. Kinda under-powered 4 cyl, but good gas mileage with a monster tank at 21 gals.

I'm certainly not a hard core off roader, but I took my Amigo for some serious four wheelin' once and nearly flipped it. Pulled a bogged down CJ outta some water, and got it airborne off a jump. Great warm weather ride.

My one FJ concern albeit minimal is the rear seats will be claustraphobic if the rear windows don't roll down. My Amigo rear seat ride was as is the ride in the Isuzu VehiCROSS. A/C will compensate a little, but those fatty B-pillars will make you feel a bit closed in.

It won't stop me from buying one pronto though. I'm getting more excited every day. Saving my downpayment and working two local dealerships right now.

 

[FJ-FEVER]

I LOVE THAT CONCEPT BRONCO! don't think its going to happen though

 

[UCFJWH]

HOLY COW!!!!!!!!!!

Never saw that Bronco. That is really nice.

I share your thought on the back seat. I am afraid that huge pilar will be really nast for rear passenger ride.

 

[mpd8488]

That Bronco is great...
But it shares underpinnings with the Escape, so all show, no go, especially on the trail. The escape uses an "automatic four wheel drive" system that only shifts power after wheel slippage occurs. There is also no low range.

I love all Broncos but it would be an insult to the name if ford was to bring it back as nothing more than a glorified statin wagon.

 

[granger]

I agree mpd. The nitrous tank is a bit much too.

 

[bheathain]

I was under the impression that Bronco prototype had Land Rover Defender roots....figured it shared much of the underpinnings with the Defender 90.

Check it out

 

[mpd8488]

I was under the impression that Bronco prototype had Land Rover Defender roots....figured it shared much of the underpinnings with the Defender 90.

Nope, but that would be a great way to bring over the Defender. Maybe Ford could build something off of the the Explorer platform (as long as it has live axles) similar to what toyota is doing with the FJ.

I really wonder if these higher gas prices are pushing soccer moms away from SUVs so the automakers can return to building simple, rugged, durable vehicles like the FJs, CJs, Defenders, and Broncos of old rather than glorified station wagons like the CRVs and Escapes that we see today.

 

[bubbahotep]

The Bronco would have done very nice in todays market. But Ford screwed up again !! They think the F-150 will hold their sales for the next 100 years

 

[mini2nut]

Wow, do I agree!!! Ford blew it big time not building the Bronco concept. A real to goodness back to basic 4WD truck. Simple, durable, and affordable. Loved the simple look with the exposed door hinges. Drop in a small 4 cylinder 25 MPG turbo-diesel motor and my dream truck has come true! SHAME ON YOU FORD!!!

 

[Percy]

Actually, you should thank Ford for not building that thing. I thought it looked cool, too but I read up on it and it's built on the - are you ready for this - FESTIVA platform. Not even a truck. So they get the big loser of the year award.

The FJ that we are all so happily waiting on is built on the Prado platform. Which has already proven itself in other countries as being absolutely badass.

Enough nonsense, bring on the FJ!

 

[csherrill]

I believe that I saw this at the Houston Car Show last year. Along with the Jeep Gladiator, very interesting concept if anyone has seen it. I am not sure, but I believe I was dissappointed by the size of the Bronco...it was not like the OJ Bronco but more the size of the Bronco II. Somewhere in between would actually make it cool

 

[mpd8488]

csherrill, early ford broncos (from 64? to 77) were small vehicles, smaller than the FJ cruiser, and just a little larger than Jeeps. A smaller Bronco would probably fit the nameplate better (though I personally would love nothing more than a full-size 78-79 Bronco). Percy is right it is car based, I thought it was on the Escape platform, which is derived from the contour? maybe? I'm not entirelly sure, but either way it sits on car underpinnings and lacks live axles and probably a two speed transfer case.

 

[Percy]

I was in love with that concept until I saw the FJ and learned of it's greatness. Other people (4 Wheel and OffRoad I believe) actually theorized that the release of the FJ might force Ford to build the concept Bronco. Now let me preface this by saying that between my house, my inlaws house, and my parent's house, we own over 12 ford vehicles. I have three just at my house. I would love to have another Ford that kicked a bunch of ass, but no matter how they make the 1.8 ltre nitrous injected diesel sound, the thing is built on the Ford FESTIVA platform. How do you expect to get any respect whatsoever while driving a beefed up Festiva? Screw that.

I will continue to wait anxiously for my FJ. And yes, make it yellow with a big black ARB front end. When Ford does build it's really cool looking weenie-mobile, I won't let it hurt my feelings when I leave it's drivers looking at my tail-lights and my "remove to tow H3" receiver hitch cover everywhere I go! The concept Bronco is just that. It's a badass concept that lacks attention to detail on the follow-through.

 

[Topless4runner]

personally i hope to see many of the badass concept vehicles from a variety of manufactures make it to production; such as the Bronco concept (but as a real truck, of course), the various heep concepts (rescue, gladiator for example), some kind of badass K5 blazer type thing from chevy. competition makes everyone more competitive, expecially in a market like this for speciaty market vehicles. Toyota has made it a habit of looking at a market segment they wanted into, developing ideas for a while, then dominating the segment by building the best vehicle available. i would like to see them do it with the compact recreational 4x4 segment, AGAIN.

So; BRING IT ON FORD, give toyota a reason...

 

[Percy]

Yeah, competition in this segment would benefit all of us. Who knows what a decade will bring us... Diesel? Factory snorkel? TRD suspension designed after Toyota's factory off-road team vehicles? A lot of good could come from this.

 

[mpd8488]

Competition is great. Ever since the SUV craze not a single manufacturer has really gone after Jeep with a great 4X4, maybe that will change as the four-wheeling comunity is growing and fewer soccer moms are looking for car-like, luxurious SUVs with these higher gas prices.

I would also love to see a hybrid powertrain in a 4wd vehicle. the electric motor has all of its torque available right off of rest and that would be sweet when crawling over rocks or tackling that tricky section on the trail.

Ohh, I guess the gas savings would be nice too.

 

[Percy]

I would love to see a hybrid offering in the FJ. They are offering one for the highlander. I would imagine that with time they will master the hybrid example in the highlander and be able to provide a higher output model for the FJ. How cool would that be? Out wheeling everyone else on the road and having a high enough fuel economy rating to spend all your extra money on mods instead of gas?!

I see good things happening for the FJ. Let it out-sell the Xterra in it's first year and I would bet Toyota dumps an ass-load of money into making this thing eat up the rest of the competition in the 4x4 off-road market segment.

 

[mpd8488]

Unfortunately, the hybrid system in the prius, highlander, and the upcoming camry will not be compatible in any RWD vehicles. The system is FWD based so they would have to design a new system, and they could not use the CVT transaxle design. A CVT cannot take the abuses of higher torque motors and the extra stress that heavy payloads and trailors provide. They would need to mate an electric motor with the flywheel so that regular transmisions could be used, rather than combine the output forces of the two seperate power sources (I.C. gas & electric) with a planetary gearset built into the transmision as is done with the current FWD based systems.