2021 Ford Bronco Prototype Blasts Through Desert at High Speed in New Teaser
The hugely anticipated off-roader seems to have learned a thing or two from the Raptor.
Ford has dropped another teaser for the soon-to-be-released 2021 Bronco, and it shows a prototype version of the truck in its element—off-road. The footage comes from desert testing in California and though there are few up-close shots of the truck itself, there’s enough to see that the Bronco should be plenty capable off the beaten path, particularly in high-speed situations.
Though unconfirmed, many have speculated that the Bronco will be geared toward desert-blasting like the F-150 Raptor, making it a different beast than its anticipated competitor, the Jeep Wrangler. This clip backs up that theory as the test vehicle is seen hustling through the sand and dirt, as well as traversing technical obstacles.
We won’t see the production-ready Bronco unveiled for a few more months, but Ford is building up the hype ahead of its return. The company is putting serious effort into showing off prototypes of the four-wheeler, the latest of which comes to us from the sands of Johnson Valley. Off-road racer Brad Lovell puts the test mule through its paces and the Bronco appears to perform well, soaking up the worst of the desert floor’s hurdles.
It should be noted that Ford claims this is a prototype and not the vehicle's final iteration. If you’re wondering why the Bronco looks awkward and is covered in static, it has been camouflaged to hide some of the finer details that we might see in the production version of the vehicle. We’ve already gotten a good look at the Bronco R, which is a race-focused vehicle with a much more defined, boxy shape than the prototype we’re seeing here. The truck in the video above resembles an extended-cab Ranger with a half-baked shell design at the back, though we've got a hint at what the real deal might look like.
Expect the production model to feature similar underpinnings to the Ranger pickup, including the 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder as standard. A larger EcoBoost V6 may be available as well, paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission with a manual option also rumored. Alas, it appears as if the 2021 Bronco will feature an independent front suspension with a solid rear.
When it goes on sale, the 2021 Bronco will mark the end of a 25-year hiatus for one of Ford’s most beloved vehicles. Demand and prices for clean used examples have skyrocketed in recent years as Ford fans yearn for a simple two-row SUV with serious off-road cred. If done right, the Bronco will tap into a market that's got endless potential given America's love for all things truck-y, and we can't wait to see it.
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