The Ford Bronco returned to the brand’s lineup for the 2020 model year and instantly became a strong seller for the Blue oval. With the Bronco Raptor, Ford also has an answer to the most powerful and hardcore versions of the Jeep Wrangler but apparently, General Motors is not interested in joining the duo with an off-road competitor. At least not until the internal combustion era is over.
Speaking with media representatives at the 24 Hours of Daytona, Mark Reuss told The Drive “I’m not gonna do a Bronco” when asked about a potential off-roader. Reuss believes the brands under GM’s umbrella are “late to the party” and it basically makes no sense to make a huge investment into a segment that already has two very strong models.
Also, the second reason is that a combustion-powered off-roader would hurt GM’s corporate average fuel economy, which will be a step back from the company’s current strategy. Reuss told the publication Ford offers the Maverick with a hybrid powertrain to compensate for the higher fuel consumption of vehicles such as the Bronco.
All that said, General Motors isn’t saying no to a Bronco competitor in longer term. Reuss was asked whether he is against an electric off-roader to which he replied “I didn’t say that,” hinting at some potential for the future. A report from October last year claimed a midsize electric SUV with a Hummer logo could be under development and that’s another hint at a zero-emissions Bronco-rivaling off-roader.
And even though GM’s boss doesn’t want a combustion-powered Bronco competitor, a designer from the automaker envisioned what a potential two-door off-roader could look like. Shared on GM Design’s Instagram account about a month ago, the digital drawing previewed a robust-looking crossover with Blazer vibes. With 117,057 Bronco and 181,409 Wrangler sold last year, it doesn’t seem so stupid to us to invest in a more rugged SUV. But, apparently, GM’s boss doesn’t think so.
