i remember the talk at the time was of debating whether they were tying up with Toyota on it, because it had a very Tacoma look.

Come on....exaggerate much?  Yes, everyone is going to die because the wheels turn a bit more....   Many luxury sedans and SUVs already do this, and it helps to reduce turning radius.   You're making it far more drastic/dramatic than it is.

That’s a tough problem IMO because what buyers want and what they can afford may be two completely different vehicles.  It appears that there is some marketing backpedaling behind the scenes to close this gap, while not offending or turning off buyers in the process.   We may be seeing a new marketing ploy to get buyers to think that Ford is working to build the types of vehicles the masses are asking for so Ford come out looking like the good guys responding to their wishes.  IMO it is Ford’s way of changing buyer expectations because manufacturers now see that pushing buyers into higher and higher cost vehicles that too few can afford, or will buy, isn’t sustainable long-term.   For a long time the auto industry has been doing their best to get buyers to purchase more expensive vehicles which carry higher profit margins, and it worked so well that now too many buyers “want” vehicles they can’t afford.  The want is still there but the money isn’t.  I think Ford is preemptively setting the bar lower on expectations by using marketing buzzwords like “affordable” and “aspirational” to make the new cheaper vehicles more desirable to greater number of buyers.  They are casting a wider net before the vehicles are even out by suggesting cheaper cars can also be cool to own.

You’re correct that wheels don’t turn 90 degrees, but in theory you could parallel park with less available space by zigzagging back and forth at whatever the maximum wheel angle is; usually limited by rear wheels.  Example would be to go 2 feet at 20 degrees, stop, reverse direction and turn wheel opposite direction, and keep repeating while moving closer to curb with each cycle.  No one would realistically do that in my opinion other than to show off, but I can see wanting to zigzag out of a tight spot where some selfish idiot boxed you in.   Normal 4-wheel steering should also reduce necessary parking space because rear tires could turn parallel to curb while vehicle is at an angle backing in.  Doing the same with regular vehicle could make rear tire climb onto curb.  I can see occasional benefits, especially when towing, just wonder if added cost is worth it for average buyers.  The very rich will probably like it.

I think the Bronco resulted in that kind of “gotta have it” passion. Maybe even the Maverick.

Um, they debuted that with the Hummer EV and have carried it over to the Sierrado EV's.  The rear steer is all computer controlled and you wouldn't notice any change in handling other than the ability to turn tighter at low speed.  At higher speeds the angle of the rear tires is very limited.   Also I don't know how you would change lanes sooner, the timing of a lane change is completely dependent on when you signal and turn the wheel, you aren't getting over faster just because the rear wheels my slightly change angle.

I suppose it could come into play for some parallel parking scenarios where there is PLENTY of space, because I'm quite sure the steering angle doesn't reach 90 degrees, so it would still be tricky and the inexperienced driver might hit a left-front fender corner of the car parked behind.

You have a point there, it's been awhile, maybe years since I've heard someone get excited and say "OH I really aspire to purchase that vehicle"...seems everyone I know just "picks" a vehicle, because they have to, none of them have been passionate over it.

Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? All of this feels like Ford is trying to make people like the types of vehicles it wants to make, not make the vehicles it know people want to buy……or maybe it’s just clueless about what the market wants exactly because those buyers really don’t know themselves…

Absolutely correct.  Here's a quote from a Detroit News article (behind paywall) about how Detroit could react to Trump's regulatory rollback.  Erik Gordon of U-M talks about how powerful investors can be:   "Can they resist pressure from investors is a tough question, because it's not just a matter of personal fortitude," said Erik Gordon, a law and business professor at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business.  He continued: "It's not accurate to frame it as, 'Are the big shots of the car companies courageous enough to stand up to the investors?' — because the investors can win. The investors can get you fired. You can have all of the courage you want and just be fired."   Very few people realize how controlling the investment community can be.  They are not your friend.   https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/2025/02/21/automakers-mixed-on-trump-cues-of-regulatory-slashing-analysts-warn-ev-pullback-ford-gm-stellantis/79303237007/