2021 Ford Bronco has reportedly racked up over 150,000 reservations [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Automotive News' Michael Martinez quotes Ford Chief Financial Officer Tim Stone as saying Ford has received more than 150,000 reservations for the Bronco. "More than" could be as much as the 230,000 cited by Bronco6G, of course, but the exact number is probably somewhere in between. Previous story appears below:

Ford recently confirmed motorists who haven't reserved their 2021 Bronco yet will need to wait until 2022 to take delivery. Although it hasn't published the number of reservations it has received, an enthusiast forum keeping track of where and how customers are buying the off-roader pegs the number at nearly a quarter of a million.

Citing anonymous but what it called reliable sources, Bronco6G reported the Blue Oval is sitting on at least 230,000 reservations for the born-again Bronco. Keep in mind that doesn't mean Ford has sold 230,000 examples of the off-roader; a reservation is a refundable $100 deposit that represents little more than a spot on a waiting list. Still, it's an impressive number that confirms interest is immense in the Jeep Wrangler's first true rival in decades.

Bronco6G has kept track of reservations made by forum members since the model made its debut on July 13, and the data it has gathered is telling. About 30% of the 2,444 motorists who recorded their reservation on the forum are current or former Wrangler owners. Approximately 20% of them are first-time Ford owners, and most are located in Texas. California and Florida are in second and third place, respectively, while Wyoming is in last place, which is surprising considering it's home to the kind of rugged, mountainous terrain the Bronco was designed to feel at home in — though not home to many people.

What's less surprising is that, while a majority of reservation holders (62.6%) have chosen the more spacious four-door model, the two-door has proven itself more popular than we would have guessed. And, the upmarket Badlands trim level earns the popularity crown with 28.1% of buyers ticking its box. It's followed by the Wildtrak (17.2%), the sold-out First Edition (14.5%), the Outer Banks (13.4%), the Black Diamond (11.5%), the base model (8.4%), and the Big Bend (6.8%), which is positioned a step above the entry-level variant.

Bronco reservations skyrocketed on July 13, when Ford said its website was "stampeded," and they leveled off later in the month. Reservation holders will be asked to confirm their order in 2020, so we'll soon have a better idea of how many deposits the company manages to turn into sales. What's certain is that it won't begin manufacturing stock units until it has filled every paid order it receives, so the best way to put a Bronco in your driveway in a relatively timely manner is to get in line by making a reservation.