More vehicle launches are getting delayed at the Ford backyard as reports confirm the official debut of the highly anticipated Bronco and Mustang Mach-E will be pushed back to a later date.
Just before the company resumed its normal operations this week, The Detroit News gave Ford customers a heads-up on possible delays with regard to the launch of the two models. Part of the reason why is the two-month shutdown of operations in Ford’s facilities across the United States to give way to coronavirus mitigation efforts.
The report was based on Ford Product Chief Hau Thai-Tang’s statement on the hurdles the pandemic created for the company during a recent analyst conference hosted by Bank of America.
“Given our inability to work in the assembly plants during the shelter-in-place restrictions, it will have an impact [on] program timing, in terms of the launches,” Thai-Tang said. He also added that the launch delays will be based on how long production for the models was offline.
Ford closed its doors in all of North America on March 18 and just restarted operations on May 18. Following Thai-Tang’s timeline, the Ford Bronco and Mustang Mach-E launches will be delayed by two months.
In a separate statement, another Ford representative told online publication Roadshow that the company still expects to “deliver the all-new Mustang Mach-E to customers late this year.” The executive, however, refused to speak about the possible delay in production and launch.
Ford is building the Mustang Mach-E in its Mexico facility. It was supposed to be launched during the first quarter of this year. Owing to recent happenings with regard to the pandemic, however, all scheduled launches in Ford’s timeline are affected.
As for the new Bronco, it is expected to go on sale sometime in January 2021.
Aside from the two models, Ford is still gearing up for the release of other equally anticipated models. The upcoming Bronco Sport is reportedly debuting at the New York Auto Show. It will be followed by the next-generation F-150, although the truck may also arrive later than initially planned.
