Ford Motor Company is swallowing a big lumpy pill. Local dealers are the ones really taking the hit though. Ford is holding off on its launch of the Bronco SUV. It's one of the most highly anticipated new vehicle launches in a long time for Ford.  Instead of allowing dealers from taking orders from pre-launch reservation holders this week, that is now delayed for about another month, back until mid-January.  A company spokesman is putting most of the blame for the delay on COVID-19 virus-related supplier problems.

And considering the issues that Ford suffered from the release of the revamped Explorer last year. It was a big problem with some of them coming off the Chicago area assembly line with wire harness problems, some seating issues, and software that was just – buggy. A whole bunch had to go to Flat Rock for repairs.

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Ford is determined the new Bronco release won’t turn out like that. Car and Driver reports Bronco reservation holders now have until late March to decide on the details of their build, pick a dealer, get a price locked in, and officially wrap up the order.  The original deadline for all that had been the end of January.

Another aspect of the delay is the much-anticipated Sasquatch package and manual transmission now won’t be ready until the 2022 model year. The package includes everything from 35-inch tires, bigger fender flares to accommodate the big tires and beefier shocks.

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