After months (that may have seemed like years to some people, particularly reservation holders) of only teasing the new Bronco in static presentations, footage of Ford's Jeep Wrangler rival in action is starting to come from all directions, and it's not doing anything to pipe down the excitement.
Quite the opposite, really, because the more we see the Bronco out in the wild, the more we realize just how badly the world needed an alternative to the Wrangler. Well, the world will have to wait since Ford hasn't announced plans to ship the Bronco abroad just yet, but we'd be surprised if a few units didn't get snatched by buyers from abroad who just can't wait to get their hands on the hottest prospect on the off-road market at the moment.
The reason behind the quick review you can watch at the bottom of this page is the guys at Baja Designs and Bestop taking a pair of Broncos (a 2-Door and a 4-Door) out to test some of the aftermarket products these companies are preparing for the model. Ford's decision to let everyone simmer in wait for the vehicle's official debut also meant there was plenty of time for third parties to develop all sorts of accessories, and just like with a Wrangler, there's no point in owning a Bronco if you're not going to do a little bit of personalization.
The two-door one finished in what seems to be Race Red paint sports a Black Diamond trim coupled with the Sasquatch Package, which is a must-have for any kind of mild-to-serious off-roading. Sadly, we only get to see some very light trail driving for now but expect a more hardcore rock-crawling session to follow soon.
However, even if the Bronco didn't even have to get out of bed to cross the kind of terrain it was asked to go over in this short test, it's still enough to admire how composed its ride is over this type of obstacle. Besides, it's not like the vast majority of owners are necessarily going to take their cars rock crawling—this is probably the most common type of off-roading that'll be required of the Bronco.
Between its four-wheel-drive system, front independent suspension, 35-inch tires (factory spec), and the 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6 engine, the Ford SUV has absolutely no problem making its way forward through the forest, prompting the reviewer to give it the "awesome trail rig" stamp of approval. The Bronco is off to a flying start, and after seeing it climb the Hell's Gate in reverse, there's no doubt it can handle itself in more serious situations as well.
"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie) Full profile
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