It only seems so fitting that OJ was placed on parole today, as the new Ford Bronco is (barely) officially announced by Ford. The car maker finally dedicated some website real estate to an actual Bronco landing page, though it severely lacks any substance so far.
The New Bronco’s Features
But that matters not. Some critical details have come to light through other sources, and we’re here to spill the details: The new Bronco won’t be offered in a two-door configuration (Ford says four-door SUVs simply sell better), its entire concept is being benchmarked as a competitor against the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, it’ll offer removable roof panels, and the standard engine is said to be a 2.7L turbocharged V6 that’ll push out around 325 horsepower. For curious folks who want to spy a visual illustration of what the reimagined Bronco might look like, feast your eyes:
source: ford.com
The New Bronco Look May Resemble the Troller T4
What you see above is not the new Ford Bronco, but it is considered Ford’s toughest little truck. It’s the Brazilian T4, developed and manufactured by Ford under the façade of South American car maker Troller Veiculos Especiais S/A. Quite a mouthful. Nonetheless, expectant buyers should make some analyses of the T4’s features and design, because Ford is purportedly banking heavily on its success and proven drivetrain to finish development of the new Bronco.
Too Close to Wrangler for Comfort?
With that said, some insiders worry about the Bronco’s release and final appearance. Unnamed sources claim the new truck’s final stages of development are being “paralyzed” by over-analysis from Ford’s executives and higher-ups. They worry the new truck may resemble the Wrangler a bit too much. It’s said they want the truck to successfully recreate the legend and culture spurred by the original Bronco, much like the “classic-inspired” S197 Mustang in 2005.
A Classic Reimagined
If Ford wants to do that successfully, we hope they stick with many of the (again proven) specs of the Troller T4. The Brazilian cousin to the new Bronco sports live front and rear axles with a composite, body-on-steel construction, all powered by a 3.2L turbodiesel. This formula quickly turned the T4 into a 4×4 geek’s dream, and those specs are sure to help the Bronco easily compete against any Wrangler on the market today.
source: ford.com
We know so far that the new Ford Bronco will at least pay homage to proper trucks of decades passed, sticking with that true body-on-frame design. Such a design will be also incorporated into the new Ford Ranger. Rendered above is a very appealing (yet unlikely two-door) concept of what the new Bronco may look like.
Given the Troller’s front bumpers and fascia highly resemble the many bumper and general profile of most Wranglers, we hope Ford sticks with this design. If the engineers at the big blue oval stick with this generally classic-inspired profile and incorporate some of the mechanical prowess of the Troller T4, we’ll be excited to see another proper reimagining of a Ford classic. Time will tell.
