Ford dealer chair: Bronco sales all in timing

Ford Motor Co. says it has received roughly 190,000 deposits for the Bronco SUV due out this summer.

Tim Hovik, chairman of the Ford National Dealer Council and owner of San Tan Ford in Gilbert, Ariz., expects anywhere from 50 to 70 percent of those deposits to eventually be converted into sales.

"I'd give a little variance of the number because of the time frame involved," Hovik told Automotive News. "Logically, the people who get theirs sooner are less likely to fall out. When you get into the second year, you could have some orders that have converted but they may still fall out."

Some of that could depend on whether Ford is able to smoothly launch the SUV, which will be sold in two- and four-door versions. The automaker in December said the expected spring delivery date would be pushed back to the summer because of COVID-19-related supplier issues.

Ford executives have since said they don't expect any further delays, and Hovik said the jury is still out on how big a deal the delay will be.

"We're just in the process where our customers will tell us how big of a problem it is," he said. "My feeling is it will be a little messy. We'll have to work through that with them because they've waited a long time for this."

Ford executives have said they've seen no noticeable drop-off in the number of Bronco deposits following the delay. The company told customers it would provide them with FordPass Rewards points that can be used to purchase accessories as a reward for their patience.

"It's one of those things where you're so close but still so far," Hovik said. "It's frustrating for all of us. As they say, patience is a virtue. We hope our customers have a lot of virtue."