Breaking News: Ford Forced To Delay Launch of Full-Sized Broncos By Coronavirus
The coronavirus has claimed many victims since it may have first appeared about a year ago. Yes, some outlets believe the COVID-19 virus that has cost the country so much may have first appeared in the United States just before Christmas last year.
Examples Of Coronavirus Effects
Here are some of the victims the coronavirus has claimed:
- A baseball season
- A basketball season
- Two major car shows
- Several major international car shows
The coronavirus has also messed up the football season pretty well and cost the Navy one of its newest carriers, the USN Bon Homme Richard. The human toll of the COVID-19 pandemic is both quantifiable and unknowable at the same time.
It's easy to point to the daily drumbeat of the terrible news from the battle's front lines against the disease. At the same time, though, it is tough to know just what the toll on those still working and those on the front lines of the coronavirus battle. (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co is delaying the launch of its Bronco SUV next year to the summer from the initial spring target due to coronavirus-related issues with its suppliers, a company spokesman said on Friday. My colleague Jimmy Dinsmore has written
What we've also known is that the coronavirus is ripping up the economy, though, by one measure, the stock market, the economy is percolating right along. Most of the time, good news like the stock market's rapid rise to new records is good for everyone because we all benefit one way or another (as the old saying goes, a flood tide raises all boats). That is about the brightest piece of news making the rounds today.
Coronavirus Dominates The News Cycle
The coronavirus is dominating the news cycle. Day after day, the virus spikes the record book with new levels of awful. It is to the point where most of us are on automatic overload as we await daily updates. We wonder what is next; what is the next shoe to drop.
Well, that shoe dropped with a massive thud in the middle of the evening Friday. The latest coronavirus casualty was Ford's eagerly awaited SUV, the Bronco. Because of supply chain issues caused by the coronavirus, Ford slapped the "hold" button on the Bronco. Bronco has been the subject of many articles, but the vehicles that used are pre-production. Deliveries of the full-sized two- and four-door Broncos are now off the table.
Ford spokesman Said Deep said that the automaker expects deliveries "will begin [in] the summer rather than the spring. That's being driven by COVID-related challenges some of our suppliers are experiencing." Reuters interviewed Deep.
Ford had expected to begin deliveries of the sold-out series of two- and four-door models now. However, Deep said, some suppliers, who were not named, have had to slow things down due to tooling development issues. The pandemic delayed the tooling.
Deep noted that Ford is monitoring the situation closely.
Ford Has Felt Virus' Effect Before
This isn't the first time in 2020 that the auto industry has found itself staring down the barrels of a shotgun labeled corona. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the auto industry to halt all production for a couple of months earlier this year as the auto industry sought to launch a search and destroy operation on the virus. The effort was successful as the industry has halted the virus's spread through its facilities.
Meantime, the pickup piece of the industry has been disappointing. Though the sales numbers have been disappointing for the top-selling truck manufacturer, sales elsewhere have been worse. Indeed, it looks like Ford's position as the king of the hill in truck sales will remain for the 44th year.
Deep told Reuters that the manufacturer expects to start building the Bronco at its Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich., in the spring. Meanwhile, the news for Ford's retro revival SUV series is still positive. Fortunately, Ford has already begun delivering the smaller Mexico-made Bronco Sport.
For those who had hoped to place new orders for the sold-out Bronco, the ability to place orders through the Ford portal has been delayed from Dec. 7 to sometime in mid-January, Deep continued.
Ford Feels Coronavirus And Other Things
There is one other dark cloud on the Bronco's horizon, a shortage of computer chips. Ford officials told Reuters that a shortage of the computer chips used in auto manufacturing might disrupt production next year. The issues aren't related, Deep said.
Marc Stern has been an auto writer since 1971. It was a position that filled two boyhood dreams of being a car writer. When I took over as my newspaper's auto editor, I began a 32-year career as an automotive columnist. There isn't much on four wheels that I haven't driven or reviewed. My work has appeared in Popular Mechanics, Mechanix Illustrated, AutoWeek, SuperStock, Trailer Life, Old Cars Weekly, Special Interest Autos, etc. Today, I am the Ford F150 reporter for Torque News. I write how-to and help columns for online sites such as Fixya.com and others. You can follow me on Twitter or Facebook. Most of my work appears here, where I cover Ford trucks and SUVs with my colleague Jimmy Dinsmore. Check back again and search for Torque News Ford F-150 news for more F-150 truck news coverage.
