By @David #144
Ford announced today that the black painted modular hard top option for the 2021 Ford Bronco will be delayed to the 2022 model year. The top was announced at the Bronco launch last July but subsequently designated a late availability item last fall. In January, Ford estimated that the top would be available in late summer of 2021. Given today’s news, they were not able to make that timeframe either.
The announcement comes on the heels of a note to dealers last week notifying them that the sound deadening headliner option would now come standard with all hard tops. As discussed in our forums, initial communications to Bronco Nation that focused on the feature change only called out the mold-in-color (MIC) hard top. However, dealer communications stated the feature would be added to all hard tops, presumably including the modular hard top as well.
While all Bronco hard tops are modular, the painted modular hard top features removable side windows and a top portal designed to provide rear seat passengers with a more open-air experience. Due to the announced delay, many Bronco enthusiasts –– both in our forums and across the Bronco-sphere –– had already chosen the MIC as their top option in order to ensure the earliest delivery possible.
Yesterday, we profiled some of the challenges that Ford and top manufacturer Webasto are probably facing. Ramping up a new supplier is always a significant undertaking, COVID hasn’t made anything easier, and this is a completely new product. Today’s news would verify that the challenges are very real, and while Ford is still expecting to deliver Broncos to customers this summer, the feature set of those Broncos will be less than they originally announced.
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