Ford Bronco Fans Launch Petition to Expand Manual Gearbox Availability

While some fans are busy watching and analyzing the first few videos of the all-new 2021 Ford Bronco taking on challenging off-road conditions including the legendary Rubicon trail, others are urging the automaker to expand the availability of the seven-speed manual gearbox.

A petition was actually started on Change.org three weeks ago and, as we write these lines, over 4,300 people have signed it.

• Also: Some 2021 Ford Bronco Customers May Not Get it Until 2022
• Also: 2021 Ford Bronco vs. 2020 Jeep Wrangler: The Numbers

The problem comes from the fact that the manual transmission can’t be ordered with the 2.7-litre EcoBoost V6 (only the smaller 2.3-litre EcoBoost four-cylinder) or the highly desirable Sasquatch package.

Also, it is limited to base, Big Bend, Black Diamond and Badlands trim levels, meaning the Bronco Outer Banks, Wildtrack and First Edition (U.S. only) get the 10-speed autobox exclusively.

Will the decision makers at Ford listen to those fans and change their mind? That would certainly help attract more potential customers, but how many, really? Manual transmissions are less and less popular across the industry. On the other hand, the Jeep Wrangler offers one (a six-speed unit) on several trim levels and configurations.

Since its debut on July 13, the new Bronco has generated tremendous interest. Sources say more than 150,000 people have made a $100 deposit via the Ford website to reserve a copy.

Those reservations will be turned into actual orders when the process starts in December. Deliveries are scheduled to start next June. We should find out by then the take-rate for manual Broncos.