Ford says it saw a 'stampede of reservations' for the new Bronco SUV that crashed its website

• Reservations for the 2021 Ford Bronco opened on Monday evening.
• The "stampede of reservations" crashed the reservation website.
• The Bronco's cultlike following and off-road capabilities make it a highly anticipated vehicle for many people.

Nearly 25 years have passed since we've gotten a new Ford Bronco. On Monday evening, Ford changed that with the 2021 Bronco.

But this time around, buyers will get three body styles to choose from — a two-door, four-door, and the smallish SUV sport model — plus many trims and options. And the biggest kicker of all? The base-model Bronco two-door will have a starting price under $30,000.

Ford opened its reservation books on Monday evening, and the site was immediately flooded with interested buyers, effectively crashing it.

—Squirrel (@LatexSquirrel) July 14, 2020

"We were blown away by the stampede of reservations last night, but rest assured the site is fully up and running now," the official Ford Twitter account tweeted on Tuesday morning, acknowledging the site difficulties.

—Ford Motor Company (@Ford) July 14, 2020

The enthusiasm makes sense.

The last Bronco came off the Michigan Truck Plant assembly line on June 12, 1996, according to Ford. But long before production ended, Broncos were beloved for their off-road capabilities and classic design. They became collector's items, and a company that makes bespoke cars even redesigned the vehicle with fashion top of mind.

For the next quarter of a century, the Ford lineup remained Bronco-less. According to the automaker, the market shifted more favorably toward the four-door Expedition and it had to answer.

But with the current surge in popularity of SUVs and pickup trucks — basically, the big vehicles — there really wasn't a better time to bring back the Bronco. It really seems like there can never be too many SUV offerings today.

Love for off-roading and "go-anywhereness" never went away, as evidenced by fans and buyers of the off-roading Ford F-150 Raptor pickup truck. Match that enthusiasm with the return of a body-on-frame, cartoonishly boxy four-wheel-drive off-roader with a famed nameplate and cultlike following, and it could challenge the Jeep Wrangler. No wonder customers said the site crashed.

Now it's just a matter of seeing how many Broncos Ford manages to sell — and if Jeep has anything to worry about.