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The 2022 Ford Bronco Warthog Looks Too Wide for Narrow Off-Road Trails

Spied on numerous occasions and previewed by Ford as well, Warthog is how the ultimate Bronco is called. Expected for the 2022 model year when the "Mansquatch" will also enter production, the most hardcore spec has been recently caught on video in Wyandotte, Michigan.
2022 Ford Bronco Warthog prototype 23 photos
Photo: @idchillforyoursins via @broncos_south on Instagram
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Camouflaged from head to toe and covered in plenty of dirt, the Bronco Warthog prototype flaunts a full-size spare on the tailgate. The rear axle is a good ol’ solid design, which is exactly what off-road enthusiasts want.

“Sitting as tall as an F-250 and towering over a Tacoma,” this mule also happens to be really wide. Camouflaged fender flares barely cover those chunky tires wrapped around beadlock wheels, adding to the visual drama and compromising the Warthog’s maneuverability on narrow trails.

On second thought, we shouldn’t forget what Ford is trying to do here. Instead of a rock-crawling utility vehicle, we’re actually in the presence of a dune runner in the same guise as the Ford F-150 Raptor. The Warthog is expected to roll out exclusively with four doors and a longer wheelbase, and as opposed to the crawler-gear manual with a ridiculous rock-crawling ratio, the off-road warrior will most likely feature an automatic.

Spotted and teased with 35- and 37-inch rubber shoes, the baddest Bronco of them all is codenamed U725, according to a leaked document. The Warthog nameplate was indirectly confirmed by a shock cover last year, and when you think about it, Raptor would have been a big mistake.

Ford introduced the Raptor more than a decade ago for the F-150 pickup truck, then the Ranger followed suit as a 2019 model. Unfortunately, the smaller truck isn’t sold in the U.S., at least not for the time being.

As to what’s hiding under the hood of the Warthog, there are three possible candidates to consider. The 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 comes to mind, followed by the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 of the Explorer ST. The final nominee would be a twin-turbocharged sixer with plug-in hybrid assistance, a powertrain that has been directly and indirectly confirmed by Ford and a third party.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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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.
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