Photo: Magna Getrag
It was October 2018 when the seven-speed manual transmission rumor for the 2021 Ford Bronco started circulating around the WWW. And since then, not much has been heard about the 7MTI550 from Magna Getrag. Happily, however, the rumor is back and it’s better than it used to be.
According to The Fast Lane Truck and as per the headline, the 7th gear “will strictly be a crawler gear for low-speed driving.” Think rock crawling and other serious off-road scenarios, the kind of stuff that enthusiasts can’t get enough of. If the all-new Bronco does get the 7MTI550 as an option, then Ford would one-up the Jeep Wrangler that features six regular gears.
It should be highlighted the MTI Next Generation inline transmission family is scalable, and it can be adapted to torque ratings as high as 800 Nm (590 pound-feet) “for a broad number of applications” including light-duty commercial vehicles. Given that the 2021 Bronco pretty much previews the body-on-frame chassis and suspension components of the next-gen Ranger, it should be obvious that the 7MTI550 makes a lot of sense in the mid-size SUV.
As for the torque rating, let’s talk about engine choices. The 2.3-liter EcoBoost – as is or as a plug-in hybrid – is more than adequate for the seven-speed stick shift. As for the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 we’ve heard in a promo clip of the Bronco R dune basher, 335 horsepower (340 PS) and 380 pound-feet (515 Nm) can easily be handled by the Magna Getrag MTI Next Generation.
TFL Truck further understands that tow versions of the 2021 Bronco are in the pipeline, and the main difference will be the rubber shoes. The off-road package promises 285-width tires – mirroring the Rubicon trim of the Jeep Wrangler – while the “street version” may feature 255s on all four corners.
As for the biggest “what if” in regard to the Bronco, that would be the Raptor. Yes, there’s a Ranger Raptor pretty much everyone across the world but not in the U.S., and yes, Ford is developing the next generation as a Raptor as well. Given this information, it wouldn’t be too hard for the Ford Motor Company to join the Bronco and Raptor nameplates into an off-road warrior.
It should be highlighted the MTI Next Generation inline transmission family is scalable, and it can be adapted to torque ratings as high as 800 Nm (590 pound-feet) “for a broad number of applications” including light-duty commercial vehicles. Given that the 2021 Bronco pretty much previews the body-on-frame chassis and suspension components of the next-gen Ranger, it should be obvious that the 7MTI550 makes a lot of sense in the mid-size SUV.
As for the torque rating, let’s talk about engine choices. The 2.3-liter EcoBoost – as is or as a plug-in hybrid – is more than adequate for the seven-speed stick shift. As for the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 we’ve heard in a promo clip of the Bronco R dune basher, 335 horsepower (340 PS) and 380 pound-feet (515 Nm) can easily be handled by the Magna Getrag MTI Next Generation.
TFL Truck further understands that tow versions of the 2021 Bronco are in the pipeline, and the main difference will be the rubber shoes. The off-road package promises 285-width tires – mirroring the Rubicon trim of the Jeep Wrangler – while the “street version” may feature 255s on all four corners.
As for the biggest “what if” in regard to the Bronco, that would be the Raptor. Yes, there’s a Ranger Raptor pretty much everyone across the world but not in the U.S., and yes, Ford is developing the next generation as a Raptor as well. Given this information, it wouldn’t be too hard for the Ford Motor Company to join the Bronco and Raptor nameplates into an off-road warrior.
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