Ford Bronco racks up 165.000 pre-orders in 3 weeks, highest below Tesla Model 3 and Cybertruck

The Ford Bronco ranks third most successful launch in automotive history…

Within three weeks of its July 13 unveiling, more than 165.000 people reportedly placed $100 online deposits to order one of the three versions of the new Ford Bronco, generating interest unseen since the launch of the Tesla Model 3 back in 2016. According to Ford, customer response to the reveal of three all-new Bronco models has been “unprecedented” in Ford history, which for once is not PR fluff but a correct assertion as we’ll see further down. The company originally intended to build 2.000 specially marked “First Edition” models, but has now increased this figure to 7.000.

The Tesla Model 3 generated 373.000 online pre-orders within a month in 2016.

Originally marketed from 1966 to 1996, the Bronco nameplate quickly reached cult level in the US, and Ford executives say customisation and personalisation are key to the marketing and promotion of the new Bronco Two Door, Bronco Four Door and smaller Bronco Sport. To this end, more than 200 accessories already are in inventory for installation at either Ford assembly plants in Wayne, MI, where the body-on-frame Two Door and Four Door models are built, or in Hermosillo, Mexico, which is building the unibody Bronco Sport. According to Wards Auto, Ford is also returning the Bronco to off-road racing by participating in the Baja 1000. The original Bronco won the Baja back in the 1960s.

The Tesla Cybertruck triggered 250.000 online pre-orders within ten days in 2019.

The 165.000 pre-order figure unofficially positions the Bronco as the most  most anticipated SUV in automotive history and third model overall. It trails only the Tesla Model 3 which generated 373.000 orders within one month of its unveiling on March 31, 2016 and the Tesla Cybertruck which reached 250.000 orders within ten days of its unveiling on November 21, 2019. Although pre-orders are definitely not confirmed sales, which is why we mostly refrain to report these figures, the Tesla Model 3 has gone on to sell over 500.000 units globally as of March 2020, so these extravagant pre-order figures in 2016 proved to be verified “in the flesh”.

The Renault Tondar 90 collected 100.000 orders within a month in 2007.

The fourth biggest launch in history is the Renault Tondar 90 (aka Dacia Logan) which generated 100.000 orders within its first month of production in Iran when it launched there in 2007, and the fifth biggest is believed to be the Citroen DS which generated 12.000 pre-orders on the very first day of the 1955 Paris Auto Show and 80.000 by the time the Show was over a week later. We will need to wait until early October this year to find out first sales figures for the Ford Bronco in the US.

80.000 Citroen DS were ordered in one week back in 1955.