It’s Looking Like the 2021 Ford Bronco Will Get a Seven-Speed Manual: Report
Expect an extra-low “crawler gear” for technical off-roading, as well as hybrid compatibility.
Rumors have long claimed that the 2021 Ford Bronco will get a manual transmission despite the Blue Oval not offering one in any of its large vehicles. For skeptics, this made the possibility of a row-your-own gearbox unlikely; however, it seems as if the revived Bronco will get a totally new seven-speed Getrag unit that touts a modular construction for various applications. Better yet, it'll be suited for high-torque, low-speed driving with a "crawler" gear set for the seventh speed, along with hybrid powertrain compatibility.
As discovered by Bronco6G Forum user Stampede.Offroad, Getrag's website explains that this family of transmissions is headed for large rear-wheel-drive vehicles with support for all-wheel-drive. The "MTI550," as it's called, will supposedly be offered in five-, six-, and seven-speed configurations with the latter likely coming to the 2021 Bronco given its aforementioned crawler gear. This is especially helpful in technical off-road situations, such as traversing large boulders or straddling ruts on the trail.
Likewise, thanks to the MTI550's large gear spread, the Bronco is expected to have strong gearing at the top-end as well. According to calculations by Stampede.Offroad, the Ford could potentially tout a 7.15 low gear ratio with a .65 overdrive; this was calculated with Getrag's listed gear ratio spread of 11 in seven-speed applications.
Getrag lists torque capacity at 600 newton meters, or about 442 pound-feet. That's far more than the Bronco's anticipated 2.3-liter EcoBoost base produces in the Ranger (310 lb-ft). Additionally, it gives a decent amount of headroom above the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, which makes 400 pound-feet in the current F-150. Supposedly, given the highest listed torque figure of 800 newton meters, or 590 pound-feet of torque, the MTI550 can handle even more in top-spec, though that configuration may not be available in the Bronco.
Finally, it's important to note Getrag's explicit mention of hybrid compatibility. Ford mentioned way back during its first-quarter 2018 earnings meeting that an electrified Bronco would come to be, and this looks to corroborate that statement. This high-tech model will join the hybridized F-150 pickup, which is slated for a 2021 model year release. Few specific details have been made public about these potential hybrid powertrains, though, including what internal combustion engines they could possibly be leaked to.
The Drive has reached out to Ford for comment on whether or not this transmission will be available in the 2021 Bronco. Watch this space for updates as more info becomes available.
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