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• New Ford Bronco is a modern take on the 1960s SUV.
• The new model reaches showrooms in the US in 2021.
• Two models will be available at launch.
We know it's not coming to South Africa but it has tongues wagging all over the world. Yes, the Ford Bronco (a wild horse from the western United States) made its debut after 15 years of being off the market.
Production starts in 2021 and will offered in two and four-door body styles. If you're wondering what its competition is, there's only one direct rival: the Jeep Wrangler. A car we can buy in Mzansi.
Another rugged off-road vehicle it can be compared to is the Land Rover Defender, due to make its local debut this week. On styling alone, the Bronco has it beat, in my opinion.
The base engine is one we're familiar with, the 2.3-litre EcoBoost with 201kW and 420Nm. The bigger motor is a 2.7-litre EcoBoost V6 231kW and 542Nm. The latter is more powerful than the Wrangler's archaic 3.6-litre V6. Ford says a Raptor version will be available in the future.
The gearbox options include a 10-speed automatic co-developed with General Motors and a seven-speed manual 'box. Power is distributed to Dana front and rear axles through either a standard four-wheel or available all-wheel-drive system.
Man, this car is so cool. Inside, there's a 30cm touchscreen and an off-road performance driving app. On certain models everything usable in the cabin is waterproof and durable which is necessary as the doors and roof can be removed.
It boasts a maximum ground clearance of 295mm, crucially more than the Jeep, and the Bronco can wade through 850mm of water. Both two and four-door models are rated to tow 1587kg according to Ford, the same as the Wrangler.
The Bronco is up to date on the safety front too, boasting lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, front-collision warning, and will automatically brake if it detects an accident will occur.
MotorTrend says: "After years of speculation, MotorTrend’s Jonny Lieberman and Truck Trend’s Sean Holman got an exclusive early look at the 2021 Ford Bronco. They’ll take you through drivetrain, design and suspension options, plus decide which configuration they’d actually buy."
Watch MotorTrend's video below:
