2021 Ford Bronco SUV production finally kicks off

When Ford launched its reincarnated Bronco SUV last year, the new design captured the hearts and minds of just about everyone who saw it and preorders flew in by the tens of thousands. In fact, at last count, the Blue Oval had over 125,000 orders on the books.  Since then, the wait for the 2021 Bronco to hit the streets has been tough, with numerous hiccups leading to product changes and delays, much of it attributed to COVID-19. Now, however, it appears the wait is finally over. 

According to a Tuesday announcement from the Dearborn automaker, we’re one big step closer to seeing Broncos on the street and in garages. That step is, of course, actual production, which Ford kicked off for the Bronco at its freshly revamped and retooled Michigan Assembly Plant. That revamp wasn’t cheap, either. In fact, it cost Ford $750 million to get it ship-shape. Of course, it’s not just about new machinery, Ford says it is adding around 2,700 jobs to the plant.

Ford is also hard at work on a 1.7-million square-foot Modification Center which will live next to the assembly plant and handle Bronco customization for customers — think roof racks, graphics packages and extra lights, along with just about everything else that’s available in the official Bronco accessory catalog.

Ford is celebrating the launch of the Bronco online on Tuesday as well, with the premiere of the Bronco Celebration featuring NPR correspondent and ‘Bring Back Bronco’ podcast host Sonari Glinton. The celebratory video is set to go live on Ford’s YouTube channel Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET and will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the 2021 Ford Bronco’s development.