Developed as a thank you to the Ford Motor Company for announcing the 2020 Bronco, the one created by Maxlider Brothers Customs in collaboration with MJR Industries is hailed as “the most exotic Bronco ever created.” Considering that there’s no sound deadening on the wheel wells, we’re not exactly sure about this claim.
The project started with a 1966 Bronco SUV, stretched and supercharged to 670 horsepower. The Coyote V8 where the suck-squeeze-bang-blow happens is linked to a six-speed manual transmission, which is an interesting prospect for those who’re more interested in off-roading than cruising.
Regarding the stretching process, Maxlider Brothers Customs chopped the donor vehicle in half to add a 23-inch section in the middle. A roll cage, seating for six people, and lap belts for the rear passengers are also featured, along with baseball glove-inspired vinyl upholstery with contrasting stitching.
Priced in the ballpark of $250,000, the Bronco from Maxlider has been created over 4,000 man hours. The project was made possible by a long list of suppliers, starting with Roush and continuing with the likes of Fox Racing for the shock absorbers, Wildhorses 4x4, Centech, MPT Custom Tunes, EPAS, Currie Industries, and Yukon Gear & Axle.
We’re still not sure about the four-door conversion, more so when you remember that the first generation of the SUV started life as a three-door station wagon, two-door pickup, or zero-door roadster. Like the one that’s coming for the 2020 model year, the original Bronco was manufactured in Michigan, the stomping ground of the Ford Motor Company and Henry Ford.
As opposed to the original, the 2020 Bronco will be an evolution of the Ranger-based Everest the automaker’s Australian division sells in Australasia. The mid-size proportions and body-on-frame chassis will be complemented by a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 with Edge ST levels of suck-squeeze-bang-blow, and with a bit of luck, a seven-speed manual might also happen.
On the other hand, expecting customers will have to wait for the 2020 Explorer and 2020 F-150 to be revealed before the Bronco makes its world debut. There’s even talk Ford will put it on sale for the 2021 model year, so here’s hope the newcomer will be worth the wait.
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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