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Ford Bronco launch delayed until summer 2021; manual Sasquatch pushed to 2022



The 2021 Ford Bronco launch has been delayed until summer due to COVID-related supplier delays, the company said. The Sasquatch package for manual transmission models has been pushed back from late 2021 availability to the 2022 model year.

Ford spokesperson Jiyan Cadiz confirmed to Autoblog that Bronco order banks will now open in mid-January rather than on Dec. 7, as originally planned. Hopefuls who reserved a 2021 Bronco back when it first debuted will now have until March 19 to confirm and finalize their builds with their local dealers; the original deadline was Jan. 31. Deliveries of 2021 models will begin in the summer.

"All-new Bronco two-door and four-door customer deliveries will begin in the summer, rather than the spring, due to COVID-related challenges suppliers are experiencing," Cadiz said. "We are committed to building Broncos with the quality our customers expect and deserve."

Ford says it has more than 190,000 pending reservations for the '21 Bronco; customers seeking to simply buy one off the lot may have to wait at least a year for the opportunity. Ford also confirmed that those who want the Sasquatch off-road package paired with the 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and manual transmission will have to wait until order banks open for the 2022 model year, after announcing earlier this year that it would be a late-availability option for 2021.

The Sasquatch package bundles several enthusiast must-haves, including electronic locking front and rear axles, Bilstein shocks, 35-inch mud-terrain tires, beadlock-capable wheels and wider fender flares. The Badlands trim, which brings electronic sway-bar disconnect, remains an option for the hardcore crowd, and is still available with a manual transmission and four-cylinder for those with more financial flexibility.