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New Ford Bronco: revived Jeep Wranger rival revealed

The long-running nameplate is brough back for new family of rugged off-roaders, including two-door, four-door, and road-biased Bronco Sport models
James Attwood, digital editor
News
4 mins read
14 July 2020

Ford has revived the long-running Bronco nameplate after a 24-year absence for a new family of rugged SUVs. The line-up will include two-door and four-door versions of the four-wheel-drive Jeep Wrangler rival, along with a more road-focused Bronco Sport. 

The Bronco was launched by Ford as a two-door Jeep rival in 1965, but has been out of production since 1996. The long-awaited revived versions are prt of Ford's increased commitment to the lucratice SUV segment, and designed for the hugely popular off-road market in America. There are no plans to offer either version in the UK.

Both the Bronco and Bronco Sport are now available to order in the USA, with deliveries due to start later ths year.

Bronco two-door and four-door

Ford boss Jim Farley claims the new sixth generation Bronco is “built with the toughness of an F-Series truck and performance spirit of Mustang”. It is based on the same platform as the Ford Ranger pick-up, and the classic two-door model will be joined by a four-door version for the first time.

The model features ‘heritage-inspired’ styling deigned to evoke the Bronco’s history, with the firm saying initial design work was developed from a full-size digital scan of a first-generation model.

It features short overhangs, square bodywork and a wide stance designed to east off-road use, and is built on a steel chassis that Ford claims offers 17 per cent more suspension travel than rivals. The machine sits on tyres up to 35 inches in size.

The Bronco will feature a ground clearance of 11.6 inches, a maximum 29-degree breakover angle and a 37.2 degree departure angle, along with the ability to ford water up to 33.5 inches deep.

The Bronco will be offered with a 2.3-litre Ecoboost four-cylinder engine producing 266bhp and 310lb ft, and a 2.7-litre Ecoboost V6 engine offering 306bhp and 400lb ft. It will be offered with a seven-speed manual transmission that features a crawl gear as standard, with a 10-speed automatic also available.

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Independent front suspension will be standard, with a solid axle at the rear that features coil springs and five locating links. Long-travel Bilsten dampers will be available as options. There will also be an optional semi-active hydraulic stabiliser bar, which Ford says offers extra articulation and increased ramp angle.

The Bronco will feature a new Terrain Management System that features what Ford terms GOAT – standing for Go Over All Terrain – drive modes. The system will offer seven settings: Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery, Sand, Baja, Mid/Ruts and Rock Crawl.

Two 4x4 systems will be offered. The base set-up will use a two-speed electronic shift-on-the-fly transfer case, while the optional advanced system is built around a two-speed electromechanical transfer case that can automatically switch between 2H and 4H.

A range of driver assistance systems named Trail Toolbox will also be offered, and will feature the likes of low-speed off-road cruise control and an off-road turn assist function.

Two-door models will feature a three-section removable roof system as standard, while four-door models will have four removable sections. Frameless doors, designed to be easy to remove, are also standard.

The interior of the Bronco features an instrument panel inspired by the first-generation model, with Ford putting a focus on “tough and rugged” materials to ensure durability and ease of use when off-roading. The 8 or 12in touchscreen features the latest version of Ford’s Sync 4 infotainment system, and has access to more than 1000 curated trail maps.

The Bronco will be offered in six trim levels with the base version joined by Big Bend, Black Diamond, Outer Banks, Wildtrak and Badlands specs. There will also be more than 200 accessories.

The starting price for the base two-door model in the US will be $29,995 (£23,700).

Bronco Sport

Launched alongside the new off-roader, the Bronco Sport is described by Ford as “the Bronco of small SUVs”, and expands the nameplate to a more road-focused vehicle for the first time. As with the standard Bronco, there are no plans to launch it in the UK.

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Although the Jeep Compass-rivalling Bronco Sport takes its retro styling cues from the regular Bronco it is built on a different platform, utilising Ford’s C2 architecture that also underpins the Focus and Kuga. 

While built with more of a focus on on-road use, the Bronco Sport still offers four-wheel-drive as standard and is designed to offer significant off-road ability. High-end models will feature an advanced 4x4 system that features a twin-clutch rear-drive unit with a differential lock.

The Bronco Sport will be offered with a choice of two Ecoboost petrol engines: a 1.5-litre unit producing 179bhp and 190lb ft, and a 2.0 unit with 242bhp and 275lb ft. Both engines will use an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard.

As with the regular Bronco, up to seven GOAT driver models will be offered, depending on trim. All models will feature independent front and rear suspension, while higher-end models will gain specially tuned front struts with hydraulic rebound. The Trail Control suite of off-road driver assistance systems will also be offered.

The Bronco Sport features a more comfort-focused interior, although still features washable rubber flooring and easy-to-clean cloth seat covers. The boot is designed to accommodate two standing mountain bikes, while LED floodlights can be built into the boot lid. The rear window can open separately from the boot, and a slide-out working side table is also offered.

The eight-inch touchscreen features Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system. More than 100 factory and aftermarket accessories will be offered. 

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Comments
1

jason_recliner

14 July 2020

This is going to be a HUGE win for Ford, and will blow the lame-duck Defenderr out of the water.

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