2021 Ford Bronco Priority Orders

We're just a couple of months away from the 2021 Bronco's official release date and start of the sales. The hype surrounding this model has been unreal and, with over 65% of reservations already turned into orders, the new Bronco has the industry's leading average in that category -- that goes to show its popularity among off-road fans.

Saying that Ford has hit a home run with this one would be an understatement. The new Bronco is not just a hot new SUV model but represents a whole new concept of off-road vehicles and is a true game-changer.

As with any highly anticipated vehicle, the first question centers on its availability. Ford did expect that Bronco will be popular but never anticipated that it would have problems producing enough of them to meet the demand. The latest reports state that only about 80,000 Broncos will be made for the 2021 model year. As we know that over 130,000 Broncos ordered, that means that some 50,000 customers will have to wait until the 2022 model year to get their hands on the hottest SUV of the decade.

So, if you're planning on being a future Bronco owner, you're likely trying to figure out how to get your vehicle as soon as possible. One way would have been to bid on the 2021 Bronco First Edition, which was recently sold at the Barrett-Jackson auction for a staggering $1.1 million.

The other way would be to get your hands on one of Ford's recently introduced priority orders. This is a newly developed system, so you're probably asking "What are Bronco priority orders?"

2021 Bronco Priority Order

 As you've probably guessed, Bronco Priority Order is Ford's internal program, designed to allow certain dealers to get specific vehicles early and deliver them to customers. The only requirement fore the program is that the vehicle had to have been ordered before March, 19th  2021. The idea is to have specific VIN numbers moved to the front of the cue and produced early. The Priority Order Program will only be in place for 2021 Bronco models, regardless of their spec, engine, and trim, and will not be available for 2022 (and later) models.

Which Dealerships Will Get Priority Orders?

Ford will choose which dealerships will be invited to participate in the Bronco Priority Order system based on their size, location, and importance, so not all dealerships will get this offer. You can bet that large Ford dealers will be included, but even the smaller operations could get priority orders if they have a good location or service a large area. Dealerships can't actually apply to participate the Priority Order program -- if selected by Ford, they will be offered the chance to do so, which they can accept or pass on.

We're sure that all of them will accept the opportunity, of course. Dealerships were informed about this program a couple of weeks ago.

How Many Priority Orders Will There Be?

The biggest question of all: How many cars will be available through this program? Although there is no way of providing you with an exact number, chances are that very few Priority Order Broncos will be made in total.

Here's the reason. Most dealerships offered this chance will be getting just one or two cars. Of course, some won't be offered any at all, as we explained. Ford will be producing the batch of Priority Orders Broncos in late May and early June, and that will be it. We're talking about fewer than 1000 vehicles in total. Once the Priority Broncos are produced, the program will be over.

How Can You Get Your Hands On A Priority Order?

Only dealerships given a chance to participate can provide their customers with priority order cars. Dealerships will likely use this option to offer VIP customers their Broncos before anybody else, or have them prominently positioned on their showroom floors and sell them with big markups. There's no way that customers can get their hands on a priority order Bronco without a dealer knowing about it. If you do happen to have a close connection with your local dealer, you can ask them for a BIG favor and hope that they will help you.

Will This Affect Delivery Times?

Right from the start, no. The priority order program will not affect the expected build and delivery dates of regularly produced cars. Since the number of vehicles produced under this program will be quite small -- inconsiderable when compared to the overall number of 2021 Broncos being built,-- your own build and delivery dates should remain on schedule.