Baby Ford ute confirmed for 2021

Ford has confirmed it will reveal yet another all-new vehicle in 2021, further extending its new product purple patch.

Leveraging iconic nameplates to good effect, Ford has in recent months revealed the three-model Bronco family, the all-new Mustang Mach-E electric SUV, the new Ford F-150 pick-up and the upcoming Puma small SUV -- the only new model so far confirmed for Australia.

So what is this new Ford?

Referred to as a ‘Whitespace’ vehicle, the model in question was hidden under a blue cover in a slide presented during a corporate fireside chat with Bank of America.

It is the first official confirmation of another all-new Ford model coming in 2021 and, despite appearing to be an SUV under the cover, the image is almost certainly a visual red herring.

Previous reports all but confirm Ford has finished exterior design and major engineering work on a small pick-up truck based on the same C2 monocoque platform architecture as the Ford Focus small car, Escape and Ford Bronco Sport SUV.

Last year Automotive News quoted Ford’s global vice president for marketing and sales, Jim Farley, as saying “You can expect new nameplates below where we compete today,” which would see the company invest “…in more affordable versions of our truck business”.

The Maverick name has been attached to the small ute but there’s the possibility the new model could leverage the Bronco name, potentially by being called the Bronco Sport pick-up. The Ford Courier name has also been bandied about.

Ford’s current global strategy to 2025 is to wind down its passenger car offerings and concentrate on three areas: pick-up trucks (utes), SUV/4x4s and performance vehicles.

The slide shows Ford’s legacy vehicles on the left and its new heroes on the right, with the Ranger, Bronco, Bronco Sport and ‘Whitespace’ on the left.

The Bronco and Ranger are built in Michigan, Detroit, and with the Bronco Sport to be produced at the Hermosillo plant in Mexico, it’s likely the small ute will also be manufactured there.

Around 100,000 of the small Ford utes are tipped to be built per annum, but it’s not clear whether the compact ute – which would slot underneath the Ford Ranger – will be made in right-hand drive or sold in Australia.

Based on a stretched version of the C2 platform, the new Ford ute – like the Focus and Bronco Sport – will most likely be offered with a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol three-cylinder and 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engines.

As evidenced by other C2-based vehicles such as the Focus, the platform is compatible with hybrid and diesel powertrains as well. Front- and all-wheel drive versions will also be available.

The Ford Maverick/Courier/Bronco Sport pick-up’s price tag is expected to be around 20 per cent less than the Ford Ranger’s.

Despite the ongoing class-action over its Powershift automatic transmissions in Australia, Ford’s global fortunes have improved dramatically in the last couple of years as its product portfolio continues to improve.

If the Blue Oval can successfully execute the launch of the next-generation Ranger in 2021, it’ll be a force to be reckoned with.