The All NEW Ford Bronco

Although, as of yet, there are no plans to ship it over to the UK and Europe, Ford’s all new Bronco is still worthy of a mention.

It's available with either two or four doors, and will be on sale from next spring with a starting price of $29,995. With quick-release and stowable roof panels and doors on select versions, Ford say that it’s infinitely customisable with more than Bronco 200 factory-backed aftermarket accessories for more capability, personalisation and style.

Ford also state that they’re built with the toughness of an F-Series truck and performance spirit of Mustang, and come wrapped in one of the most stunning and functional off-road designs that’s true to the original Bronco design DNA. I’m not going to argue with them.

Bronco features 2 powerful EcoBoost engines, a 2.7-litre V6 petrol, which is projected to produce 310 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque, and a 4 cylinder 2.3-litre that’s targeted to deliver 310 lb.-ft. of torque with an expected 270 horsepower. Both come with a 7 speed manual gearbox.

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 G.O.A.T. Modes that are designed to help drivers better navigate any type of terrain.

There’s no doubt that it’s designed of off-road pleasure, with best-in-class 94.75:1 crawl ratio, 35” tyres and up to seven driver-selectable modes are offered including Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery and Sand, with Baja, Mud/Ruts and Rock Crawl for offroad driving.

There’s even cruise control for low-speed trail driving, while Trail Turn Assist tightens off-road turning radiuses through torque vectoring, and the innovative Trail OnePedal Drive acceleration/braking control makes for more precise and confident slow-mode rock crawling.

Two 4x4 systems are offered on all Bronco models, a base setup and advanced 4x4. The base system utilises a two-speed electronic shift-on-the-fly transfer case, while the optional advanced system features a two-speed electro-mechanical transfer case that adds an auto mode for on-demand engagement to select between 2H and 4H.

On the subject of transmission, power is distributed to a Dana 44 AdvanTEK solid rear axle and Dana AdvanTEK independent front differential unit – both with available Spicer Performa-TraK electronic locking differentials for improved traction over rough terrain.

Speaking of rough terrain, the Bronco has almost 295mm ground clearance, maximum 29º breakover angle and 37.2º departure angle, plus water fording capability of up to 901mm, which is 1mm better than a Range Rover. Ford say that they’ve created the new Bronco family to elevate every aspect of off-road adventure and equipped them with class-leading chassis hardware and exclusive technologies to raise the bar in the rugged 4x4 segment and take people further into the wild. Things like offroad mapping and drive technologies that give novice adventurers as much fun as hard-core off-road experts.

Off-road capability is further reinforced by exposed tow hooks in the front and rear and available heavyduty modular steel bumpers with integrated Ford Performance accessory winch mount.

Thanks to Bronco’s legendary Baja racing DNA, each model brings with it a thrilling off-road experience and delivers it with modern, heritage-inspired style. It all began in a Ford design studio with a life-size digital scan of a first-generation model that served to influence the proportions and design of the all-new Bronco for maximum off-road capability and performance. Similar to the first-generation model, Bronco’s square proportions, short overhangs and wide stance are optimised for off-road adventure.

If you enjoy the wind in the air experience, both Bronco two and four-door models make the open-air experience quick, easy and fun. The two-door model come with a standard three-section roof system, whilst the four-door has four removable roof sections. Roof panels on all models can be removed by one person by unlocking the latches from the interior.

A cloth soft top, standard on four-door models, provides easy access to the open air and a unique tiltup function for quick access to the rear cargo area. For customers who don’t want to choose between a soft or hardtop, the four-door model can be optioned with both.

There’s more, every Bronco comes with frameless doors that make them easier to remove and stored onboard with protective door bags.

Inside, the instrument panel is inspired by the firstgeneration model, with gauges and controls clearly visible and intuitive and all materials are tough and rugged. Select Bronco models come with washable rubberised floors with integrated drains and marinegrade vinyl seating surfaces that resist mildew. Instrument panel surfaces are wipeable, with seamless silicone rubber on the dash-mounted hero switches, while rubber touch points protect against dirt and water.

Protection wise there’s a modern high-strength steel roll cage with integrated side curtain airbags in the upper structure and seats helps protect passengers from side impacts and complements driver and front passenger airbags.

There are pages upon pages of more interesting facts about the new Bronco, and although we’ll probably never see them in UK showrooms, I guess we can take solace in the fact that it's just too big for a lot of UK lanes anyway, much like the new Defender, but I’d still love to get my hands on one!