AUSTIN, Texas — The inspiration for a novel feature on the 2021 Ford Bronco — and key differentiator from archrival Jeep — came from an unlikely source.
For Ford designers, the proverbial lightbulb came on after talking with a 21-year-old nanny from Los Angeles named Bianca. (Ford didn't disclose her last name.)
She owned a Wrangler and liked to take advantage of the West Coast's warm climate when she got off work but spent virtually all day at someone else's house and had nowhere to store the vehicle's removable doors.
"For her, the difficulty of taking the doors off a regular truck and lack of anywhere to put them seemed like an inhibiting factor," said Paul Wraith, the Bronco's chief designer and 2020 Automotive News All-Star. "It led to a good idea."