Dearborn, Michigan - Ford has officially reincarnated its Bronco as a rival to the Jeep Wrangler, and it promises to be an adventure vehicle of note.
Like its US rival, the retro-styled Bronco is available in two-door and four-door configurations, with removable doors and roof panels. Four-door models have four removable roof panels, including separate left and right front units, while the two-door variants have three panels. A cloth soft top is standard on four-door models.
The Bronco models are built around a fully boxed high-strength steel chassis that’s said to deliver best-in-class suspension travel.
All models come with four-wheel drive as standard, but buyers can choose between two systems. The base 4x4 option utilises a two-speed electronic shift-on-the-fly transfer case, while the optional advanced system receives a two-speed electromechanical transfer case that adds an auto mode for on-demand engagement to select between 2H and 4H.
The vehicle also uses advanced electronics to make life easier on the trail, including Trail Control, which is a cruise control system for low-speed off-roading, Trail Turn Assist, which tightens off-road turning radiuses through torque vectoring, and One-Pedal Drive, which assists with slow-mode rock crawling.
Depending on the options selected by the owner, the Bronco has a ground clearance of up to 295mm, and it also promises best-in-class water fording capability.
Up to seven driver-selectable modes are offered including Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery and Sand, with Baja, Mud/Ruts and Rock Crawl for off-road driving.
“Bronco’s advanced four-wheel-drive technology is at the core of its off-road capabilities, and at the heart of it all is Bronco’s exclusive Terrain Management System with GOAT Modes that is designed to help drivers better navigate any type of terrain,” said Bronco marketing manager Mark Grueber.
Buyers will get to choose between two turbocharged petrol engines - a 2.3-litre with estimated outputs of 200kW and 420Nm and a 2.7-litre V6 with around 230kW and 540Nm. Tranny choices include a seven-speed manual gearbox with an available crawler-gear ratio of 94.75:1, and buyers can also opt for the familiar 10-speed autobox.
Customers in the US can choose from over 200 factory-backed accessories to create their ultimate 4x4 adventure vehicle.
Sadly, the Bronco will remain forbidden fruit for South African buyers as the model is being built in left-hand-drive configuration only.