Introduced for the 2021 model year with Escape underpinnings, the Bronco Sport is available with two engine choices. Trim levels ranging from the Base to the Outer Banks rely on a three-cylinder turbo, the 1.5-liter EcoBoost with 181 ponies and 190 pound-feet (260 Nm) on deck.
Customers who simply cannot fathom a three-cylinder mill in a compact utility vehicle have to upgrade to the Badlands, which is $33,935 excluding taxes and optional extras. The “pinnacle of Bronco Sport off-road performance” is hiding a 2.0-liter EcoBoost under the hood, which offers a segment-leading 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet (376 Nm) of torque.
If that still isn’t enough, Vivid Racing is much obliged to squeeze out more with the help of the VR Tuned ECU Flash Tune. Priced at $600 with free shipping, this piece of kit improves throttle response all the way to the redline and bumps up the power by 55 ponies and 75 pound-feet (102 Nm) at the crankshaft. On the dyno, the Bronco Sport with the VR flash tune is much obliged to lay down 222 horsepower and 300 pound-feet (408 Nm).
That’s really good for the vehicle’s curb weight and footprint, although the go-faster product is not legal for use in highway, street vehicles, or other non-racing competition off-road vehicles. On the upside, the customer is able to switch back to stock if necessary. According to Vivid Racing, Bolt-on performance parts will not require a retune of the engine control unit, and higher-octane fuel isn’t a problem either,. Bear in mind, however, that more power than stock will obviously take its toll on the off-road model’s oily bits.
For this ECU flash tune, Vivid Racing can sweeten the deal with a more aggressive exhaust system, pops and bangs that may wear the catalytic converter down, a top speed delimiter, and always off auto start/stop.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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