On paper, the Bronco has a few notable features that trump those of the Jeep Wrangler. Comparing the Sasquatch Package to the Rubicon is the most obvious thing to do, but the off-roader from Wayne, Michigan has a few tricks up its sleeve that make a lot more sense in the real world rather than on the specifications sheet.
Trail Turn Assist, for example, uses torque vectoring to reduce turn radiuses by a mind-boggling 40 percent. The Bronco Nation uploaded a video on YouTube of a prototype with this system, controlled from the HERO switches on the dashboard.
I can’t tell you how many three-point turns are on the menu when you’re driving the Wrangler on a narrow trail. But by locking the inside rear wheel during cornering, the Bronco makes these butt-pucker moments off the beaten path a bit of a breeze.
The second photograph in the gallery is there to showcase where the HERO switches are located. Just above the SYNC 3 or SYNC 4 infotainment system, to be more precise. From left to right, the buttons are labeled with icons that stand for front-diff lock, rear-diff lock, Trail Turn Assist, ESP off, and the hazard lights.
What comes as a bit of a disappointment is that Trail Turn Assist won’t be available on the seven-speed manual transmission with a crawler gear instead of overdrive. Ford has developed the system with the 10R80 torque-converter automatic in mind, and the Sasquatch off-road package is exclusive with this transmission as well.
For many years now, we’ve known this feature – or technique, to be blunt – as the dig. The science behind it is rather simple. The driver locks one axle, leaves the other in neutral, and installs a second parking brake to lock up the rear wheel of choice. Toyota, on the other hand, has a similar system to Trail Turn Assist in the full-size Land Cruiser but it’s marketed as Turn Assist Control.
Last, but certainly not least, here’s a question for you. What is The Bronco Nation and why do they have so much unique content on the all-new Bronco? The answer to that is external marketing agency Jackson Dawson, which runs the “independent enthusiast community” from the shadows on behalf of the Ford Motor Company.
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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