Auto Industry News: Overland Expo Mountain West Heads Off-Grid, Rivian Goes Public, and Bronco Owners Receive More Bad News

While tangled supply chains and growing chip shortages continue to dominate automotive-related headlines, we here at The Engine Block managed to uncover a few other happenings this week. Depending on how you feel about things like electric vehicles, international trade, and the possibility of a Bronco truck, it may not be good news, per se. But hey, at least it’s different news, right?

And if overlanding, off-grid adventure, or simply unplugging and stepping outside are activities that you enjoy… scroll down for some exciting enthusiast news.

Overland Expo Mountain West Wraps Inaugural Event

The first-ever Overland Expo Mountain West wrapped up August 29 in Loveland, Colorado, closing a 22-month gap between in-person events for the organization of do-it-yourself adventure travel enthusiasts. Judging by the attendance numbers, social media chatter, and photo coverage, all signs point to a resounding success!

“The excitement of finally being able to gather together was palpable amongst the 280 onsite exhibitors and the thousands of fans who came through the gates on Friday,” the organization said in a recap of the first day of the Expo. Indeed, the go-to descriptive word from sponsors and exhibitors seems to be “fantastic,” with many people stressing how great it felt to bring the overland community back together, face-to-face. More than 17,000 people attended, from all over the world.

Amidst the attractions – including 300+ classes, seminars, demos, activities, slideshows, and films – Overland Expo raised $10,000 for its non-profit foundation. Developed to keep overland travel accessible and sustainable for future generations, the foundation raises money to protect public land, defend the use of overland vehicles and adventure motorcycles, as well as promote and fund trail restorations and cleanups.

Exciting New Rigs

True to the theme of Overlanding, the event took place entirely outdoors. (If you’re kicking yourself for not making the trek out, there are a few eye-catching photos from Motortrend highlighting the top builds.) The event touted big names like Dometic, REDARC, Valterra, and Earthroamer, plus major auto manufacturers who are breaking into the Overlanding market with new builds, like GMC.

The automaker showcased its Canyon AT4 OVRLANDX off-road concept vehicle at the show, a spin on the existing Canyon AT4.

“Our mission was to build a GMC Canyon AT4 based overland vehicle capable of taking people and gear off the grid, with the tools necessary to be comfortable and self-sufficient in remote locations,” said GMC Senior Creative Designer for Performance, Motorsports and Accessories John Owens. “We wanted to show owners what is possible, starting with such a capable vehicle and hopefully inspring owners to build the AT4 OVRLANDX of their dreams.”

The rugged vehicle definitely packs plenty of features for the trail life, like front and rear locking differentials and AEV Crestone Dualsport Wheels with Beadlock Rings for extra traction at low pressure. Those are matched with a whopping set of 33-inch BFG Mud-Terrain tires to trample the worst of muddy roads.

There’s also an integrated winch and LED lighting on the front bumper, plus more lighting added on the back wheel flares for plenty of illumination on those remote areas after dark. GMC topped the design off with accessory rock sliders on each side of the vehicle to protect the OVRLANDX in rugged conditions.

Don’t Miss Out!

Both the OVRLANDX and the Overland Expo are continuing a tour across the country, as the vehicle will appear at the next two upcoming series events. Overland Expo West takes place in Flagstaff, Arizona, Sept. 24-26, followed by Overland Expo East in Arrington, Virginia, on Oct. 8-10.

And if the photos from the Mountain West stop are any indication, it’s certain there will be plenty of products for the hardcore Overlander on hand, ranging from generators and solar tech to all-points basecamp setups for extended off-the-grid living.

Speaking of rough-and-tumble rides…

Ford Scraps 2025 Bronco Truck But Captures Lightning in a Bottle

Sorry to say: If you had your heart set on a new Ford Bronco pickup, it’s not happening.

At least not any earlier than 2024.

While Ford continues to see success with its Bronco Sport crossover, the automaker recently announced the 2025 Ford Bronco pickup was a no-go, despite previous rumors.

The automaker did not give a reason as to why it was scrapping the pickup. However, there is smart speculation that adding another truck to the company’s existing lineup would cause internal competition. That includes models like the Ranger, Maverick, and F-150. Although, we can’t help but feel that a new version of the Bronco pickup could have presented some solid competition for the Jeep Gladiator, as it had in previous years.

While the news might dash the hopes of hardcore Bronco fans, there are certainly no signs of Ford’s truck sector growth slowing.

The Blue Oval recently said it was doubling its production target for the F-150 Lightning based on heightened demand for the electric truck. That’s a production goal of 80,000 trucks for 2024, versus the automaker’s initial target of 40,000. “We are excited with customer demand for the F-150 Lightning and already have 120,000 customer reservations,” Ford told Reuters last month. “We will continue to look for ways to break constraints and meet customer demand.”

If Ford can turn all those reservations into actual purchases, they’ll be off to a running start. They’ll also be up against some persisting supply chain issues. Still, the automaker discussed other potential strategies in recent weeks, including shipping partially-built trucks to dealers while they await microchips.

I Spy, With My Little Eye…

The Bronco pick-up may be a pipe dream, but it looks as if another rugged iteration may hit the trails soon enough. Spied on the streets of metro Detroit last week was this unique Bronco prototype that SEMA dubs “Overland Sasquatch.”

According to the aftermarket behemoth, the prototype features a reworded front fascia along with a noticeable Warn winch, and passenger-side A-pillar-mounted snorkel. “A raised roof suggests extra lighting, a cargo basket or maybe even a tent,” adds SEMA. “What’s more, this particular Bronco prototype is riding on a unique set of wheels that we haven’t seen before. The tires are Goodyear territory MT 315 70R17, which is used on the Sasquatch package.”

Color us interested.

Rivian Going Public

While Ford’s taking reservations for its forthcoming trucks, Rivian’s pulling in some serious money without even selling vehicles. Even with its R1T electric pickup and R1S electric SUV delayed until next year, the EV startup raked in $2.5 billion in funding in July. The company’s got some extra backbone thanks to investments from Amazon and, funnily enough, Ford Motor Company.

Now, Rivian says it’s going public, with an $80 billion valuation target. That’s more than both GM and Ford’s valuations (roughly $72 and $51 billion, respectively).

Innovative automakers going public isn’t all that uncommon. What’s different about Rivian is its decision to sidestep the use of a SPAC – a popular choice for many startups. This could be due to increased SEC scrutiny on SPAC-backed startups. But, thanks to Rivian’s deal with Amazon, there’s likely some healthy forthcoming funds in the war chest. The startup already raised more than $10 billion total – including its July round – and it’s got a big purchase on deck from Amazon. The e-commerce giant promised to buy 100,000 electric delivery vans from Rivian.

Rivian’s also targeting more of a high-end market than, say, the F-150, which also probably contributes to its high valuation mark. The R1T truck starts at $67,500, while Rivian’s SUV offering, the R1S, starts at a cool $70,000.

Mexico Challenges USMCA Trade Rules Interpretation

As if current international affairs aren’t aggravating enough, it appears the USMCA – or “new NAFTA” – is now facing some internal strife.

Late last week, Mexico made clear its desire to go back to the table and revisit trade discussions. The country recently submitted a request to settle a dispute over the U.S.’s interpretation of how it calculates the percentage of cars built across Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. On August 27, Canada joined the request.

Under the current agreement, for a vehicle to be considered from North America, it needs to be made from 75% North American parts. Mexican leadership argues that right now, the text of the agreement is confusing, expensive, and might push automakers to seek production elsewhere.

According to Automotive News: “The U.S. insists on a stricter way than Mexico and Canada believe they agreed to for counting the origin of certain core parts including engines, transmissions, and steering systems in the overall calculation. That makes it harder for plants in Mexico and Canada to meet the new threshold of 75% regional content, up from 62.5% under NAFTA, in order to trade duty-free.”

Luz Maria de la Mora, Mexico’s undersecretary of economy for foreign trade, even went so far as to tell Bloomberg that the USMCA could become “inconsequential for trade in the auto sector in North America because companies may decide not to bother with even complying.”

Under Mexico’s filed request, the U.S. has 30 days to respond and a 75-day window to reach an agreement. If not, Mexico can request a panel to hear arguments from both countries. Our southern neighbor made one thing very clear: It is not interested in negotiating. De la Mora stressed that conversations leading up to now have not resolved the issue, including recent discussions back in July.

The arguments over fine print may be a moot point if COVID continues to upend any hopes of international travel and trade.

On the Northern border, Canada started allowing vaccinated Americans to cross the border earlier this month. However, non-essential travel into the U.S. is still banned until Sept. 21. Depending on how border accessibility plays out, this could impact trade agreements (like USMCA) since the pandemic stifled progress. Plus, with international supply chains in a noticeably fragile condition, the idea of goods not having to ship across the Pacific sounds puhretty good to many industry leaders.

“You can’t help but think that there might be opportunity for the future as buying decisions maybe turn an eye back inward toward a North American strategy,” Jeanine Lassaline-Berglund, president of Automate Canada and the Canadian Association of Moldmakers (CAMM), told Automotive News Canada last week.

But even if COVID cases start receding again, the vaccine could complicate movement across the border. Canada administered the AstraZeneca vaccine, as well as mix-and-match doses – both of which were not approved in the U.S. What determines “essential” worker status for auto industry professionals is still up in the air, too.

Despite the confusion, it sounds like the Canadian and American governments are trying to find a compromise.

The Engine Block is your one-stop source for any and all auto industry news. Keep an eye on our weekly round-up of enthusiast coverage, product reviews, vehicle spotlights, auto show/expo features, and more. Be sure to tune in Wednesday and learn exactly what makes a retractable tonneau cover special – and why you should consider investing in one.