The new Bronco has been extraordinarily well-received by enthusiasts, but a group is calling on Ford to offer the seven-speed manual transmission on more variants.
Those who want to row their own gears in the 2021 Bronco can only do so with the entry-level 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder that produces 270 hp and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm) of torque. What’s more, the manual isn’t available on four-cylinder models equipped with the optional Sasquatch package.
Ford’s decision to offer the manual on just one variant of the Bronco has prompted a petition over at Change.org to be made, asking the automaker to “offer the manual transmission with any combination of engines or packages.” This would include the range-topping 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 with 310 hp and 400 lb-ft (542 Nm) as well as the 2.3-liter four with the Sasquatch package.
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At the time of writing, the petition had surpassed 5,000 signatures. While that is only a tiny fraction of the more than 230,000 people who have placed a reservation for the 2021 Bronco, Ford has said it is open to taking feedback from potential buyers before it kicks off production of customer vehicles.
The manual transmission in question has six traditional gears and one crawler gear. Many off-road enthusiasts prefer stick shifts, hence why the manual option remains quite popular on the Bronco’s direct rival, the Jeep Wrangler. The only other transmission offered for the new Bronco is a 10-speed automatic.
Ford will officially open the order books to the new Bronco in December, with the first deliveries scheduled in for spring 2021. However, due to the huge number of people placing reservations for the off-roader, many buyers will have to wait until 2022 to take delivery.
