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| © Ben Summerell-Youde/Fox Syndication Ford's rugged SUV will make its triumphant return next year, and we have plenty of information about it. |
- Ford is bringing the Bronco SUV back to its lineup for the first time since the 1990s.
- It will again be a rugged, truck-based SUV and it will be targeted at the popular Jeep Wrangler.
- The new Bronco will make its debut next year, going on sale sometime late in 2020 as a 2021 model.
The return of the Ford Bronco is starting to feel as slow-moving as
O.J. Simpson's 1994 car chase through Los Angeles. Ford made the
announcement that the Bronco was coming back in January 2017,
and it will finally arrive sometime in 2020. But even though the Blue
Oval has been relatively mum on details regarding this exciting new
model, we've gotten a clearer picture of the rugged SUV over the past
few years thanks to rumors, illustrations, parts guides, and various
other reports about the revived Bronco. Here is everything we know so
far.
It Will Have a Turbo-Four Engine
This
tidbit of information about the Bronco's powertrain came from a
Canadian Tire parts database, which showed a DOHC 2.3-liter inline-four
available for the 2021 Ford Bronco. We took this to mean that the Bronco
will share its engine with the Ford Ranger pickup truck, which uses a
turbocharged 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder with 270 horsepower and
310 lb-ft of torque. A 10-speed automatic transmission is likely to be
the Bronco's gearbox of note, although some rumors have suggested it may
offer a manual transmission as well.
Platform Shared with the Next Ranger
The
Bronco will be a truck-based, body-on-frame SUV and its underpinnings
will be shared with the next-generation Ford Ranger mid-size pickup. Leaked images of the next Ranger
surfaced earlier this year, which may give us an indication of what the
Bronco's styling will look like. We also know from Ford's teaser photo
that the Bronco will have a boxy profile with a rear-mounted spare tire
in the grand tradition of off-road SUVs.
There Will Be a Bronco Hybrid
Ford has said
it will offer hybrid powertrains for most models in its lineup, and the
Bronco will be one of them. We're not sure at this point what
configuration the gas-electric Bronco's drivetrain will take, be it a
conventional hybrid or a plug-in hybrid. Ford has talked about the
possibility of an onboard generator system for the F-150 hybrid, and
that system could be shared with the Bronco.
Roof and Doors Will Be Removable
If
it wasn't already clear that the Bronco was targeting the Jeep
Wrangler, the info that the Ford will have a removable roof and doors
just like the Jeep cements it. Both two- and four-door versions will
have doors that can be taken off for more open-air fun, complementing
the removable hardtop that will also be offered. According to a report
from Automotive News from a dealer meeting, the Bronco's side mirrors
will be mounted on the A-pillars and the doors will be stowable in the
cargo area. Patents for the door-removal system show a set of latches, a
far simpler solution than the Wrangler's doors which require you to
remove screws and bolts.
It Will Be Built in Michigan
Ford
has officially announced that the new Bronco will be built at the
company's plant in Wayne, Michigan, replacing the now-discontinued Focus
and C-Max. In a nice historic touch, this is also the plant where
Broncos were built from 1966 to 1996.
There Might Be a Pickup Version
A report from a few months ago suggested that the Bronco would eventually spawn a pickup variant to do battle with the Jeep Gladiator,
which itself is based on the Wrangler. This may seem redundant given
that the Bronco and the Ranger pickup will share components, but the
idea is that the Bronco pickup would be more off-road capable, more
expensive, and cooler-looking than the Ranger. If it happens, the rumor
is it will appear by 2024, or around four years after the standard
Bronco.
