This is a big year for Ford as it prepares to launch an array of new SUVs, as well as the complete makeover of the ever-popular F-150. And the automaker hopes to boost appeal for that pickup, as well as the new Bronco and Bronco Sport utes by showing off an assortment of customized versions during a virtual SEMA Show webcast.
And the other important new product isn’t being ignored during today’s “Ford Auto Nights” event — the already sporty new Mach-E battery-electric vehicle gets an upgrade intended to make it a serious competitor on the track.
The annual SEMA show, which normally is held around Halloween, was scuttled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. But, “From upfitters to outfitters, and from hot rodders to outdoor adventurers, the show must go on, and our first-ever Ford Auto Nights SEMA Show Special keeps the customization and innovation going virtually,” said Kim Cape, director of Ford global brand and integrated marketing. “This passionate, die-hard audience with an appetite for our Ford brand is vital to us.”
(First Drive: 2021 Ford F-150.)
Cape isn’t exaggerating. On average, F-150 buyers spend about $2,000 on accessories, everything from bedliners to hitches to off-road gear. The automaker has promised to have hundreds of aftermarket parts available when the new Bronco Sport reaches showrooms in the coming months, with more in the works for the Bronco and, of course, the 2021 F-150.
Along with the four new models, the Ford Auto Nights event also will show what’s available for another one of the maker’s extreme machines, the new 2021 Ranger Tremor, which will be offered with an array of “bolt-on modifications,” Ford noted in an advance release.
(Toyota reveals four custom concepts during virtual SEMA show.)
Among the most interesting custom models that will be shown off during Ford Auto Nights:
- The MAD Bronco Sport Badlands. Ford paired up with project vehicle builder MAD Industries to come up with this rig it envisions as the “ultimate for overlanding adventures.” It features a customized roof rack that can handle a kayak and other off-road gear, as well as a trailer geared up to let a Bronco owner spend extensive time off the grid.
- The Ford Bronco Badlands Sasquatch 2-Door Concept. One of the unique features of the new Bronco, the automaker notes, is its modularity, the ability to swap out parts that include its front fenders and rear quarter panels. An owner could swap them out for a weekend adventure using impact-resistant alternatives to avoid damaging the stock parts that can be put back on during the week. The Sasquatch Concept also replaces the stock doors with stepover replacement panels, a throwback to the very first-generation Bronco Roadster that enhances the SUV’s open-air feel.
- The Ford F-150 Limited Hybrid SuperCrew. One of the big draws for F-150 buyers is the broad range of trim, cab, bed and powertrain options it offers. Then there’s the extensive aftermarket parts catalog. Ford shows off some of the options in this project car put together by BDS Suspension. Billed as a “foreman’s truck,” it can carry all the tools needed during the work week – while also making use of the 2021 F-150’s built-in generator. Come Friday, the concept loads up on tools for a weekend adventure, including bikes and kayaks.
- The Ford Ranger XLT Tremor SuperCrew starts out with Ford’s latest performance take on the midsize Ranger, adding an array of accessories and performance parts for weekend adventurers, “all the gear needed for a day of hitting the trails and the lake,” it suggests, including bikes, kayaks and other toys.
- The Mustang Mach-E marks Ford’s first entry into the long-range battery-electric market and will be offered in at least three different versions. That includes the high-performance Mach-E GT which, in stock form, will be able to launch from 0-60 in just 3.5 seconds. The Mustang Mach-E 1400 takes the BEV a step beyond. “It’s an all-electric road rocket that shows just how much performance can be harnessed without using a drop of gas.,” Ford declares, adding that this joint effort of Ford Performance and RTR Vehicles’ Vaughn Gittin Jr. could compete on the track, drag strip or gymkhana course.
(Chevrolet charging into to electric aftermarket with K5 Blazer conversion for SEMA show.)