2021 Ford Bronco Is Officially OKTB!

After so many delays, bad news, a global pandemic, and various small and significant problems with suppliers, Bronco fans are due for some good news. Yesterday, on June 15th, their favorite off-road SUV finally got OKTB permission from Ford. 

OKTB stands for “OK To Buy,” which means that the preproduction period is over, assembly lines are set up (mostly), and the supplies of parts and components have been established. Finally, the first batch of vehicles has been completed and ready to be shipped to dealers and buyers.

To be honest, the first units were shipped from the Michigan Assembly Plant last week, but those were only the demo cars that aren't for sale to the general public. The first Broncos that are destined for customers were shipped yesterday, making it a big day for Ford and Bronco fans everywhere.

Ford is more than eager to get production moving at a fast pace. With over $750 million invested in their new facility and more than 2,700 new jobs created, many people are depending on the success of the new Ford Bronco. Not to mention over 125,000 reservation holders, along with who knows how many potential customers planning to get the resurrected Bronco in the following years.

At the moment, the first cars that have been completed are the 7,000 First Edition models and a couple of hundred VIP cars that have been shipped so far.

Currently, Ford’s capacity is at around 120 Bronco bodies per day, and it's expected to be up to 150 bodies very soon. However, although that sounds pretty strong, this is far from what the predicted output would be, and when the Michigan Assembly Plant gets up to speed, we can expect up to 750 cars per day -- possibly more.

We just hope that the supply chains and parts companies will be able to keep with the requirements. Although those 750 vehicles per day would represent a more than healthy output for any factory, Ford has met with an incredible demand for the Bronco, which means that a big part of those 125,000 reservations will be shifted to the 2022 model year and produced months from now.

Some specific trim and drive train combinations reserved earlier this year can only be made for the next -- models like manual-equipped Broncos with the Sasquatch package, for example. However, even with all delays, very few potential customers have decided to cancel their orders because they're tired of waiting.

It looks like Bronco fans are ready to endure anything to get their hands on the hottest SUV of the decade.

The first official test drives and reviews will be available later this month, and we can't wait to see how the new Bronco will perform and what the first impressions are.  

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