The Brand New Ford Bronco
Toyota's Scion brand has been a runaway hit for the Japanese automaker ever since being launched in 2003. Designed to appeal to Generation "Y" buyers, the autos are popular, edgy - some would say hideous - and have given Toyota a crucial toehold with young buyers. GM, Ford, and Chrysler are preparing to reply to Scion, but in other ways. GM is intending to import more cars from its Daewoo subsidiary while Ford and Chrysler are expected to build all new Scion fighting automobiles in Mexico, good news for motorists looking for affordable and quality vehicles. Let's have a look at what's coming down the pike.
For the record, Scion isn't the sole car made for the Generation Y crowd. Honda's Component and shortly to be released Fit subcompact are Scion competitors while the Chevy Cobalt, Dodge Caliper, and Saturn ION are also directed toward young drivers. With that having been said, Dodge [Chrysler] and Ford must respond and it seems that both automakers will be fielding Scion fighters in the next two years.
The Dodge Hornet
Lo and behold, Dodge is nearing the finalization of its plans to build the Dodge Hornet. According to industry sources including Edmunds, the Hornet will be based on the VW Polo, a subcompact car built by Volkswagen and popular in the EU market. This deal is astounding as Volkswagen and Mercedes [a DaimlerChrysler division, as is Dodge] compete fiercely, especially in Europe. VW has a plant in Mexico that likely will produce the Hornet as the company has excess capacity and the price tag advantage that no Yankee manufacturing plant can offer. For its part, VW gets to sell rebadged versions of the Dodge Caravan minivan.
If based on the Polo, the Hornet is predicted to use the Polo's 1.6L engine and be twinned with a VW transmission. Beyond that, look for the vehicle to be closer in appearance to the Scion xA design, sport a five door hatchback design, and seat five passengers. Currently, the xA sells for just over $13,000, so expect the Dodge to challenge at or below the Scion price.
The Ford Bronco
Don't expect Ford to chill and watch from the sidelines as the market trends toward more Scion-like vehicles. In 2004 a concept Ford Bronco, taking styling cues from the 1966 Bronco wagon, made its appearance at vehicle shows. Now, Ford appears ready to go ahead with the Bronco which will be built in Mexico.
Featuring a boxy design, the Bronco will be similar in design to the xB and to the Hornet and will probably be built on the current Fiesta platform to hold costs down. Indeed, Ford is hoping that a budget Bronco will sell for under $10,000 as it battles inexpensive imports expected from China as well as other Generation "Y" automobiles on the market.
Yes, the vehicle wars never end and more battles are certain to ensue. Both Nissan with its Versa and a tiny Toyota by the name of Yaris will soon be released and competing on the market before the Wasp and Bronco arrive in 2008 as 2009 models.
Have you ever seen a supercar? Check out some of the coolest and most exotic cars in the world at thesupercars.org and also check have a look at used Ford Expedition.
Related Reading:
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
