Since 2021, the domestic hard-core off-road market has ushered in a long-lost spring, and now the popularity continues to increase, and it has become a key track for major car companies. According to the data, as of November 2023, the sales of hardcore off-road vehicles have reached 2240,000 units, and the annual unit is expected to exceed 250,000 units, reaching a record high.
In 2024, a much-anticipated "square box" originator model will be launched in China, which is the 58-year-old Ford Bronco.
Water Drop Auto understands that long before the term SUV officially appeared, the original Ford Lie Ma took the lead in proposing the concept of Sport Utility. At that time, it won the love of a large number of American families with its bold and simple shape, spacious and comfortable space, stable and reliable four-wheel drive system, flexible handling brought by short wheelbase, and a number of breakthrough designs such as front coil spring suspension and front and rear limited-slip differentials. To date, Lie Ma's sales in the North American market have exceeded 1.2 million units. In China, Ford Lie Ma is also the "pioneer" of a series of hard-core SUVs such as the Tank 300.
The latest sixth-generation model introduced in China is the first blockbuster SUV product of Jiangling and Ford in the transformation of the domestic passenger car business, and has attracted the attention of both shareholders. At the first tasting event held a few days ago, the senior leaders of JMC Ford Technology and the person in charge of product research and development in the United States were all present to stand for the renewed brand and products.
However, companies are also aware that China's market environment and user needs are very different from those in North America. At present, the volume of domestic hard-core off-road is still very small, accounting for only 2 percent of the overall SUV sales14 percent, compared to 16 in the United States8%；Not only that, the concentration of the Chinese market is still very high, and the Great Wall tank series occupies an absolute leading position; At the same time, the trend of new energy and intelligence is obvious, looking up to U8, Equation Leopard 5, Mengshi 917 and other products with high traffic, there is a momentum of hot sales on the market.
We have noticed the unique needs of Chinese consumers, who are much more receptive to new technologies than their American counterparts, and value the sophistication and sense of technology of their products. Marc Lapine, vice president of technical product marketing at JMC Ford, said.
More importantly, the domestic car culture has not yet been formed, and the underlying psychology of mainstream consumers is still very concerned about the practicality and cost performance of the vehicle. This explains why some "square boxes" with mediocre off-road performance will have good sales, and also explains the reason why new energy off-road vehicles with both comfort and fuel consumption have sprung up.
From the existing products on the market, it can be seen that most models choose to smooth out some edges and corners, as much as possible to hold the user's full-scene car needs, so that the whole family is satisfied.
In contrast, Liema is a maverick being. Ma Leping said that although Liema has made a lot of upgrades to the preferences of Chinese users after localization, including increasing the soft coating of the interior, the whole system is equipped with 8155 chips and dual 12-inch large screens, and is also equipped with maps and L2 driving assistance systems, but it is still a true to itself, the original American pure-blooded off-road.
At present, the manufacturer has preliminarily announced the configuration parameters of the two models of the wasteland and the swamp version: 23L EcoBoost turbocharged engine with a rated power of 202kW and a maximum torque of 429N·m, paired with a 10AT gearbox; Approach angle 45 °, departure angle 37 °, passing angle 26 °, ground clearance 273mm; The original factory comes standard with Goodyear 35-inch OD mud tires with 47. Rear axle ratio, Dana front and rear electronically controlled mechanical differential lock, EMOD intelligent full-time four-wheel drive system, Bilstein three-stage nitrogen reduction; It is also equipped with a smarter anti-roll bar disconnect function, which improves vehicle passability by increasing the free travel of the one-sided suspension and maximizing contact with the ground with the wheels.
In addition, the Ford Spirit's modular body design, self-removable roof and frameless doors, and multiple re-entry holes are available to unleash the full potential of modification and personalization.
There are three main types of users: moderate off-road enthusiasts, tuner car players, and tough guys who want to be manly. "We will make some balance in terms of comfort, but the positioning of the Liema is mainly the second car of the Chinese family, or a personality car with high playability." The history of the Ford Flame shows that it was never a model that catered to everyone. We don't intend to pretend to be suitable for opening in Shanghai or Beijing. Fierce horses are more suitable for driving in Gansu, Xinjiang, Ningxia and other places, which is the real destination of fierce horses. ”
Ma Leping said that Ford has seen the actions of Chinese friends, including not only tanks, Haval, BAIC, Yangwang, Equation Leopard, but even Jietu, Mengshi, and Polar Stone are also in their attention.
The product technology of Chinese manufacturers has its own advantages, but at this stage, we have three concerns about electric off-road. He explained that the first is the problem of torque transmission, and the tram's ability to get out of trouble under extreme conditions may be relatively weak. The second is the safety of the battery, and although many electric vehicles claim to have good protection for the battery, there is still a risk of damage. Finally, there is the problem of charging, especially for pure electric vehicles, which may become a major pain point for users in **charging.
The last thing we are willing to compromise on is the ability to go off-road, which is the core philosophy of Liema. However, Ma also said that Ford is also considering range extension and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) directions.
Shuidi Automobile learned that although Ford Liema chose the former between pure and all-round after domestic production, JMC Ford is actually very entangled: insisting on the hard-core off-road nature means that Liema may be framed in a smaller market segment, and according to the earlier research report of Northeast **, the expected sales volume of Ford Liema in 2024 is 150,000 units, referring to the 2023 hard-core off-road market ranking, such a volume is enough to stand in the fourth position.
In addition, the staff of JMC Ford revealed that the pricing of the Liema will also be an internal game. At present, there is no clear ** range, but the mainstream saying is "about 300,000 yuan", on the one hand, the company hopes that the brand tonality will be established at the beginning of the game, and keep up with the Jeep Wrangler, and is unwilling to be in the 200,000 yuan Red Sea market and the cost performance of the opponent volume, on the other hand, they are worried about the high and low. There is speculation that JMC Ford may launch a "beggar version" of the horse within 300,000 yuan, lowering the entry threshold, and the kingpin's bigfoot version of the wasteland and swamp is more than 300,000.
Perhaps, not changing the hardcore background is the reason why the Ford Flame Horse has become a classic for more than half a century, but can the original American off-road "conquer" discerning Chinese consumers?
Ma Leping is full of confidence in this, he does not think that the time for the new car to be launched is late, on the contrary, it is "just in time". "The Chinese market is changing rapidly, and it is difficult to ** in the future. Today's situation may be very different next year, just as the pandemic has made more people willing to go out into nature and outdoors. Therefore, we believe that the opportunity or trend of market expansion is coming. ”
The industry view is that from 2020, hard-core off-road will enter the "first decade". Under the neutral assumption, in 2030, China's hard-core off-road vehicles will account for 5% of the overall sales of SUVs, and the market volume will be about 800,000 units.
In the short term, the Ford Flame Horse will form a new "hardcore off-road" product matrix with the Ford Ranger Ranger launched earlier. At the same time, the new channel brand "Ford Zongheng", which was announced in August last year, is also rapidly laying out its network. As of January this year, Ford has opened 79 dealerships in 62 cities, and the number of Ford Indulgence spaces will reach 180 by the end of the year.
In addition to the Ford Spirit, Ranger and Raptor F-150, the Ford Indulgence Space will also offer a wealth of personalized modification options and off-road services. With the dual efforts of new cars and channels, JMC Ford's sales are expected to increase significantly this year.
In the long run, JMC Ford aims to build a one-stop outdoor off-road ecosystem and become a leader in the top outdoor off-road lifestyle. To achieve this ultimate goal, it is necessary not only to have attractive products, but also to build an off-road culture and atmosphere that is widely accepted by Chinese users.