Praised by Donald Trump and anticipated by pretty much every off-road enthusiast out there, the 2021 Bronco is right around the corner. Expected to enter production in the second half of the year in Michigan at the same plant where the Ranger is made, the mid-size SUV intends to steal customers away from Jeep.
Because the Wrangler is available with two- and four-door configurations, so will the Bronco. Spied time and again in both body styles, the body-on-frame newcomer should be a little better off the beaten track with two doors.
The rule of thumb is “the shorter the wheelbase, the better.” This helps with turning radius and breakover angle, two details that are of utmost importance when you’re navigating through woods and on the rocky trail. For reference, the JL Wrangler Rubicon has a wheelbase of 96.8 inches (2.46 meters) while the JLU Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited measures 118.4 inches (3.01 meters).
Turning our attention back to the Bronco, would you like the two-door model to look like the renderings from Mo Aoun? The production designer from Seattle took plenty of styling cues from the real deal – be it camouflaged prototypes or pre-production SUVs snapped at the factory. We’re also presented with two grille options and a grille guard made from black pipes.
“Sources familiar with the project” claim that the mid-size SUV will be offered with three grille designs. These are the Classic that pays tribute to the original from the 1960s, the Custom with “a more shiny and upscale look,” and the Modern option. Also rendered in Raptor specification with meaty mud terrains, the two-door Bronco certainly looks the part.
Rumors about the Bronco Raptor suggest that Ford may level up from the 2.3-liter EcoBoost that's standard in the Ranger to the 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine, a twin-turbo V6 that’s suitable for both the Edge ST as well as the F-150. When you think about it, Raptor may be Ford’s answer to the Rubicon.
Also from the rumor mill, the Bronco is expected with a seven-speed manual in addition to the 10-speed automatic from the Ranger. Referred to as 7MTI550 or MT-88, the stick shift can handle up to 406 pound-feet (550 Nm) as per the specifications sheet from Getrag. Given that the 2.7-liter mill cranks out 380 pound-feet (515 Nm), it would be a perfect fit.
Raptor or no Raptor, manual or no manual, the truth of the matter is that Ford is going to sell a lot of these four-wheel-driven bad boys.
The rule of thumb is “the shorter the wheelbase, the better.” This helps with turning radius and breakover angle, two details that are of utmost importance when you’re navigating through woods and on the rocky trail. For reference, the JL Wrangler Rubicon has a wheelbase of 96.8 inches (2.46 meters) while the JLU Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited measures 118.4 inches (3.01 meters).
Turning our attention back to the Bronco, would you like the two-door model to look like the renderings from Mo Aoun? The production designer from Seattle took plenty of styling cues from the real deal – be it camouflaged prototypes or pre-production SUVs snapped at the factory. We’re also presented with two grille options and a grille guard made from black pipes.
“Sources familiar with the project” claim that the mid-size SUV will be offered with three grille designs. These are the Classic that pays tribute to the original from the 1960s, the Custom with “a more shiny and upscale look,” and the Modern option. Also rendered in Raptor specification with meaty mud terrains, the two-door Bronco certainly looks the part.
Rumors about the Bronco Raptor suggest that Ford may level up from the 2.3-liter EcoBoost that's standard in the Ranger to the 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine, a twin-turbo V6 that’s suitable for both the Edge ST as well as the F-150. When you think about it, Raptor may be Ford’s answer to the Rubicon.
Also from the rumor mill, the Bronco is expected with a seven-speed manual in addition to the 10-speed automatic from the Ranger. Referred to as 7MTI550 or MT-88, the stick shift can handle up to 406 pound-feet (550 Nm) as per the specifications sheet from Getrag. Given that the 2.7-liter mill cranks out 380 pound-feet (515 Nm), it would be a perfect fit.
Raptor or no Raptor, manual or no manual, the truth of the matter is that Ford is going to sell a lot of these four-wheel-driven bad boys.