What do you do when your job requires you to redesign, from the ground up, an iconic product beloved by millions? That was the challenge facing Paul Wraith, Chief Designer for the new 2021 Ford Bronco.
The truck has an iconic history. The collector and “Resto-Mod” markets have gone crazy. Prices of old Broncos, along with Toyota FJ40s and Land Rover Defenders have skyrocketed, so Ford understood there was huge demand for a new Bronco if they could get it right.
Wraith began by digitally scanning his boss’s (Ford’s design chief, Moray Callum) stock 1976 Bronco as a reference point. The CAD design software used this as a frame of reference for proportions, size, and shape for the new truck.
They seemed to have hit their mark: Outdoor magazine calls the new Bronco “the Most Capable SUV Ever. The base 2- and 4-door versions start at $28,500 and $33,200 while option packages can send the Bronco up to $60k.
A list of his favorite books are here; A transcript of our conversation is available here.
You can stream and download our full conversation, including the podcast extras on iTunes, Spotify, Overcast, Google, Bloomberg, and Stitcher. All of our earlier podcasts on your favorite pod hosts can be found here.
Be sure to check out our Masters in Business next week with Claudia Sahm, former Section Chief at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and Senior Economist at the Council of Economic Advisers for the Obama Administration.
