What do the Honda e electric city car, the newly announced BMW M3 wagon, and the Hyundai i20 hot hatch all have in common? They're all fantastic cars - in different ways, of course - that won't be sold in North America. Yes, where you live determines which cars the world's leading automakers will send your way.

But for once, the latest big news is more of an issue for Europe than it is for North America. Apparently, the much-hyped Ford Bronco and Ford Bronco Sport won't be sold in Europe. This is according to a Ford Germany spokesman who was speaking to Automobilwoche in response to rumors that the off-roader would be sold there.

"The Bronco has been developed entirely for the North American market," said the spokesman. "There are currently no plans to bring it to Europe." This will be disappointing news for off-road fans in Europe, who were no doubt buoyed by the strong reception to the Bronco in the US; in fact, the Bronco has proved such an early hit here that the First Edition quickly sold out and customer deliveries are expected to be delayed due to the high demand.

The spokesman went on to say that it's not as simple as loading the Bronco "onto a ship" and sending it to Europe. The SUV would need to undergo considerable re-development to meet the EU's radical emissions standards. After all, if the little Suzuki Jimny can't pass these tests, what chance does a big SUV like the Bronco have?

Ford would also need to meet differing consumer tastes in the European market, where models that have notoriously struggled in the US perform a lot better there. The Ford Focus is one such example of this.

So, unlike the Mustang, another American Ford icon that has since made its way to other parts of the globe, the Bronco is less likely to leave our shores. New rumors that a Bronco Hybrid with 450 horsepower is in the works has done nothing but further build our anticipation for the rugged off-roader.