Towards the end of last year, we learned that all faulty Molded-In Color (MIC) hardtops for the Ford Bronco had been replaced. This led to many assuming that the Bronco hardtop constraint had come to a close. Meaning it was now okay to place orders for Broncos with the option without any delays. However, it looks like that line of thinking is false as Ford Motor Company has been consistent with telling the community that if you wish to receive your 2022 Bronco faster, it might be good to consider switching from a hardtop to a soft top.
Image copyright Manoli Katakis, Muscle Cars & Trucks.## 2022 Ford Bronco MIC Hardtop: Most Constrained Commodity
According to The Bronco Nation, Bronco brand manager Esteban Plaza-Jennings addressed the commodity constraint the other night during a Bronco Nation community Q&A session. “MIC top is still the number one most constrained commodity from an order perspective.” He stated.
The reasoning behind the hardtops causing delay has not been detailed, but it can likely be due to Ford’s supplier Webasto, which builds soft top and hardtop roofs for the Bronco. As of December, they had expanded hardtop production to a new plant in New Hudson, Michigan, and stated that they plan to employ 370 people with various roles that will help the company keep up with the high demand and prevent future Bronco delays. However, 370 is a large number, and it could be challenging to find that many people to employ, let alone train them. So the fix with keeping up with the high demand isn’t subject to be an instantaneous one.
On another note, Esteban also stated during the Q&A that there had been positive movement from the Michigan Assembly Plant (MAP).
“MAP is ramping up their production right now, so we’re continually building more and more Broncos per month.” He stated. If you have been paying attention to the cars on the road, you may have noticed that there’s been an increase in the number of Ford Broncos out and about over the last month, which is still steps in the right direction, just not as quickly as some may hope.
Image copyright Manoli Katakis, Muscle Cars & Trucks.
