Ford's new Bronco the unabashed star of the past year
There's no question Ford's new Bronco is the story of the year, and would be the unabashed star of the Vancouver International Auto Show.
The Bronco was introduced for 1966 as a direct competitor to Jeep. Ford interviewed Jeep owners to see what they didn't like about their vehicles, and engineered those improvements into the Bronco. Ford says it did the same this time, once again to try to out-wrangle the Wrangler.
The original Bronco was later joined by the smaller Bronco II, and now alongside the new Bronco is the milder 2021 Bronco Sport. The Sport is in showrooms now, while the bigger Bronco arrives in the summer, in two- or fourdoor configurations.
The Bronco will range from $40,199 to $61,994, ranging from the base two-door to the top-trim four-door. The Sport starts at $32,199 and tops out at $40,199; for that price, will you take a loaded Sport or a base Bronco two-door?
The Bronco sits on a fully-boxed frame and it's meant to be modular.
Ford says with a wrench and an hour, you can “strip it almost to its bare bones” — all the easier to install some of the 200-plus accessories offered at launch. The bumper caps come off for more clearance, the inside grab handles can be moved around, and roof cargo such as a canoe can be tied to the hood loops, which double as trail sights.
The doors are frameless and come off — they average about 21 kilograms each — and unlike the Wrangler, they stow inside the vehicle and the mirrors stay on the body (although Jeep still has that folding windshield in its favour).
Depending on the Bronco's trim, you get a cloth top, or a removable hard roof with smaller, easier-to-handle sections. The crossbar is behind the rear seat, so everyone gets a full view of the sky.
There are six trim levels: Base, Big Bend, Black Diamond, Outer Banks, and the tougher Wildtrak and Badlands. The U.S. also gets a limited “Special Edition” at launch that won't be offered in Canada.
Every Bronco is powered by an EcoBoost engine — that's Ford-speak for turbocharged. The base 2.3 litre four-cylinder makes 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, but you can upgrade to a twin-turbo 2.7-L V-6 good for 310 ponies and 400 lb.-ft. of torque — more horsepower than any production Wrangler, and you only get more twist if you opt for Jeep's diesel.
Four-cylinder Broncos can be ordered with a seven-speed manual — actually a six-speed with a “crawler” gear. A 10-speed automatic is optional on the turbo-four and standard on the V-6.
Two transfer cases will be available: two-speed with shift-on-the-fly, or an advanced system with an “auto” 4x4 setting.