Ford to boost production of its most affordable models

[Sherminator98]

https://www.autonews.com/events/nada-show/an-nada-ford-meeting/
 

Paywalled though. 

[02MustangGT]

https://fordauthority.com/2025/01/ford-plans-to-increase-production-of-entry-level-trims/

[jpd80]

So their first thought was to introduce lower priced base models, not lower prices on existing trims…

[Sherminator98]

34 minutes ago, jpd80 said:

So their first thought was to introduce lower priced base models, not lower prices on existing trims…

 

Bronco dropped the base trim, the other models introduced Active with their refreshes.

[02MustangGT]

23 minutes ago, Sherminator98 said:

 

Bronco dropped the base trim, the other models introduced Active with their refreshes.

Base trim returns to Bronco for MY 2025 (you are probably aware).  I find this new “plan” somewhat ironic since ATP/profit per vehicle will likely decrease.  

[Sherminator98]

53 minutes ago, 02MustangGT said:

Base trim returns to Bronco for MY 2025 (you are probably aware).  I find this new “plan” somewhat ironic since ATP/profit per vehicle will likely decrease.  

 

But by how much is the real question. The pricing on the lower range of the Bronco is all over the place-I paid like $47K for a loaded Big Bend with a V6 for 22MY. Then last year, same Bronco without the V6 went for $50K and the 2025 Bronco Big Bend is back at $47K, but has been worked over with decontenting (Can't get the higher end LED lighting on it for example) and I think they went back to cloth seating surfaces instead of the MVG. 

[02MustangGT]

13 minutes ago, Sherminator98 said:

 

But by how much is the real question. The pricing on the lower range of the Bronco is all over the place-I paid like $47K for a loaded Big Bend with a V6 for 22MY. Then last year, same Bronco without the V6 went for $50K and the 2025 Bronco Big Bend is back at $47K, but has been worked over with decontenting (Can't get the higher end LED lighting on it for example) and I think they went back to cloth seating surfaces instead of the MVG. 

Yeah, to clarify, my comment regarding ATP wasn’t specific to the Bronco.  
 

If Ford’s plan is to build up inventory of lower priced trims and/or reintroduce base models as they allude to in the article, surely ATPs will decline across certain models.  How much?  Who knows, but this plan seems like the opposite of Ford’s intentions in recent years.  I’m not surprised though.    

[akirby]

1 hour ago, 02MustangGT said:

Base trim returns to Bronco for MY 2025 (you are probably aware).  I find this new “plan” somewhat ironic since ATP/profit per vehicle will likely decrease.  

It says they aren’t getting as many higher end sales as they wanted.  But IMO there is no reason to have stripped down fleet specials.  Just cut prices on the lower end but decently equipped models.

[02MustangGT]

10 minutes ago, akirby said:

It says they aren’t getting as many higher end sales as they wanted.  But IMO there is no reason to have stripped down fleet specials.  Just cut prices on the lower end but decently equipped models.

Agree.  Continue with the simplified approach (fewer trims/available options), but cut pricing on those existing models/trims.  I’m sure the plan will change again in the near future anyway.  

[jpd80]

10 hours ago, Sherminator98 said:

 

Bronco dropped the base trim, the other models introduced Active with their refreshes.

In the article, I think the emphasis was more on producing base models Escapes but not sure that’s what

customers want over say incentives on higher trim levels…..of course I understand Ford resisting that move.

 

Going back pre-covid, I remember Ford pushing F150 XLTs with a luxury pack  so I wonder,

 does that approximate Lariat or did Ford decide to push the latter as the basic Retail trim…..

Buyers are feeling everything getting dearer and dearer, so here comes the push back,

Im betting that Ford will try basic trims with some models but be forced to do strong cash

incentives with vehicles like F Series simply because combined inventory is already ~250,000

Edited January 29 by jpd80

[rmc523]

16 hours ago, akirby said:

It says they aren’t getting as many higher end sales as they wanted.  But IMO there is no reason to have stripped down fleet specials.  Just cut prices on the lower end but decently equipped models.

 

Or just stop drastically increasing prices on top models.

 

I remember looking at '24 Bronco pricing vs. my '22 - for the same vehicle, same equipment, MSRP was $8k more than my out the door price.

[Sherminator98]

12 minutes ago, rmc523 said:

 

Or just stop drastically increasing prices on top models.

 

I remember looking at '24 Bronco pricing vs. my '22 - for the same vehicle, same equipment, MSRP was $8k more than my out the door price.

 

Have you checked the 2025 pricing? Then again wasn't the Wildtrack discontinued for the 2025MY? I know on the Big Bend the price is roughly similar to what I paid for mine loaded, but its also been decontented 

[rmc523]

14 minutes ago, Sherminator98 said:

 

Have you checked the 2025 pricing? Then again wasn't the Wildtrack discontinued for the 2025MY? I know on the Big Bend the price is roughly similar to what I paid for mine loaded, but its also been decontented 

 

Yup, just priced one - I made it as close as I can get without adding the step, which isn't a factory option on badlands with the rock rails, or the black appearance package (I would order this as it includes the black grille and other things as well as the black painted top I originally wanted, but for comparisons sake, I went with the same MIC top I wound up with).

 

It came out to $70.5k MSRP vs. roughly $62k out the door for my '22 Wildtrak.

 

So from '24 to '25 it seems to have stayed relatively flat, but still would be a rougly $10k increase in just 3 years without any additional equipment.

[akirby]

18 minutes ago, rmc523 said:

 

Yup, just priced one - I made it as close as I can get without adding the step, which isn't a factory option on badlands with the rock rails, or the black appearance package (I would order this as it includes the black grille and other things as well as the black painted top I originally wanted, but for comparisons sake, I went with the same MIC top I wound up with).

 

It came out to $70.5k MSRP vs. roughly $62k out the door for my '22 Wildtrak.

 

So from '24 to '25 it seems to have stayed relatively flat, but still would be a rougly $10k increase in just 3 years without any additional equipment.

But you aren’t factoring in the dealer ADMs which were $5k-$10k.  Ford was simply adjusting their MSRP to match the actual market prices instead of letting the dealers get huge markups.   And now they’ll keep prices flat or drop them as the market adjusts.

[rmc523]

35 minutes ago, akirby said:

But you aren’t factoring in the dealer ADMs which were $5k-$10k.  Ford was simply adjusting their MSRP to match the actual market prices instead of letting the dealers get huge markups.   And now they’ll keep prices flat or drop them as the market adjusts.

 

dealers still put ADMs on top of the increased prices.  I get wanting to cash in on a supply limited market from a business standpoint, but for customers it sucks.

 

They're "dropping" prices by reintroducing base models.  Prices rarely come down after they go up.

[fordmantpw]

There were also rebates at the end of the year on Bronco as well.  Ours had a $3500 rebate, coupled with $5000 off MSRP on our Wildtrak, we paid right in line with what you paid for your '22. Ours is a 2 door, but we paid $58k out the door for a $66k+ MSRP.

[rmc523]

10 minutes ago, fordmantpw said:

There were also rebates at the end of the year on Bronco as well.  Ours had a $3500 rebate, coupled with $5000 off MSRP on our Wildtrak, we paid right in line with what you paid for your '22. Ours is a 2 door, but we paid $58k out the door for a $66k+ MSRP.

 

So basically, they need to return pricing to what it was and they could do it without incentives lol.

[T-dubz]

Nobody wants the “base” trim. Maybe on bronco so they can mod it themselves, but no one buys the base trim on other models. People still want options and tech in their vehicles. Ford needs to find a way to make things cheaper without sacrificing quality.

[rmc523]

42 minutes ago, T-dubz said:

Nobody wants the “base” trim. Maybe on bronco so they can mod it themselves, but no one buys the base trim on other models. People still want options and tech in their vehicles. Ford needs to find a way to make things cheaper without sacrificing quality.

Agreed.

[ZanatWork]

I have to believe that another "entry level" vehicle is in the cards. The Escape is circling the drain, and not everyone wants a "Maverick" or any truck as their cheap/first car. In big cities, small cars are still kings as far as parking and usability.

[akirby]

2 hours ago, rmc523 said:

 

dealers still put ADMs on top of the increased prices. 

Huh?  Around me Broncos are $6k-$8k below MSRP.

[rmc523]

4 minutes ago, akirby said:

Huh?  Around me Broncos are $6k-$8k below MSRP.

 

Your comment referred to when Bronco came out there were crazy ADMs so Ford raised prices to equal that - dealers still put ADMs above those increases.  Maybe those have come down and reversed now, but there was a time where that was true.

Why not lower prices again and get rid of incentives?

[Sherminator98]

7 minutes ago, rmc523 said:

Why not lower prices again and get rid of incentives?

 

Depends on the product-if demand picks up for the Bronco, what is stopping dealerships from putting ADMs back on them, if the sticker price goes down?

[Sherminator98]

1 hour ago, T-dubz said:

Nobody wants the “base” trim

 

So I'll share this story-

 

My Wife bought her 2017 Escape and her 2024 Bronco Sport off the lot, at price she had budgeted for them. She isn't super picky about her cars and said to me I know I'm killing you right now because I special order my vehicles to what I want in them and like bells and whistles in them. 

 

So there are a decent amount of buyers out there that purely buy on price/affordability. The other issue is that majority of basic options are very well covered by base models...this isn't the old days of AM only radios and hand crank windows. You might not get a push button start or remote starter (but can use the app instead) on a base model, but the vast majority of must haves when it comes to safety/functionality are covered by lower end models. 

 

I went through this myself when I spec'd out my Bronco-I was looking at a Outer Banks originally, but I wasn't a fan of the painted handles and mirrors and spending an extra $5K for stuff I really didn't need or use regularly. 

[akirby]

22 minutes ago, Sherminator98 said:

 

So I'll share this story-

 

My Wife bought her 2017 Escape and her 2024 Bronco Sport off the lot, at price she had budgeted for them. She isn't super picky about her cars and said to me I know I'm killing you right now because I special order my vehicles to what I want in them and like bells and whistles in them. 

 

So there are a decent amount of buyers out there that purely buy on price/affordability. The other issue is that majority of basic options are very well covered by base models...this isn't the old days of AM only radios and hand crank windows. You might not get a push button start or remote starter (but can use the app instead) on a base model, but the vast majority of must haves when it comes to safety/functionality are covered by lower end models. 

 

I went through this myself when I spec'd out my Bronco-I was looking at a Outer Banks originally, but I wasn't a fan of the painted handles and mirrors and spending an extra $5K for stuff I really didn't need or use regularly. 

These base models are not nicely equipped - they’re missing features that most buyers want (and the competition has).  There is always a step up version that adds a few basic features which is only $1k - $2k more.  Like the STX package on the F150 XL.  That’s what retail buyers want not the base XL.